The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-04-12
MISS SCAMPER.

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Springs knew who Miss Scanper was,
and few cared to know. She came
with an old gentleman who registered
the pair ass. Scamper and grand
daughter, New York City," They were
doubtless poor folks on holiday. They
had no servants with them. The old
man wore suit of rather rusty black,
and his trunk, an antique leather con-
venlency, bore the letters rs. S." IN
brass headed nails. The young wo-
mans trunk, k,-she had but one,-was
large enough and of modern make,
but it was apparently not we'll filled,
since she had but three dresses all the
three weeks she had remained. One of
these, of rich material, she wore even
ings; the othe two, of some fashlona-
Bile material, were wern alternately in
day time. She kad no jewelry beyond
a plain gold brooch. One of the eligi-
Bile young men there said that "the
Scamper has one Sunday go-to-meetln'
and two work day SUITS" for which his
neighbor should have kicked HIN, but
didn't.
The eligible young man was looking
for an eligible mate in the person of
Miss Bolsover, the great heiress, whom
the society paper had said was coming
to the Rappaquah though, as she
hadn't come, the Browns young man
of the society paper labored under
delusion. the matchmaking dowagers
did not fear this modest, pretty, and
well-cultured young woman, for the
gilded youth, who were also lying IN
wait for Miss Bolsover, much more
gilded, did not dangle in her train. In
deed she had no train. Her business
was to look after her poor grandfather,
who was not in good health, and with
whom the waters seemed to agree.
Didymus Dodd, who had scraped an
acquaintance with old Scamper, as the
fellows lrreverently called him, seemed
to be her admirer; but Didymus was
nobody. He was we'll made, tall, hand
some, and of good address but he was
only an upper clerk in Philadelphia
insurance company. To be sure he
would be superintendent after January,
vice Higgins, retired and superannuated,
and would then draw a salary of five
thousand year. But no one knew
that. and the possible good fortune to
poor Miss Scamper; and had they
known, five thousand year was no
great matter. So the field was lett to
Miss Scamper and welcome.
Didymus only began paying atten-
ton to Miss Scamper out of courtesy,
and because no one else did but the
more he saw of her the more he liked
her, and it ended in his being badly hit
As he and she were the only impecu-
NOUS people at the old and old fash
ioned resort-the other visitors count
ing their dollars well up in the hundred
thousands-the matter attracted atten-
ton, and by the way of getting both
out of the way of marriageable sons
and daughters, schemlng mothers lent
the affair all the quiet encouragement
possible. And this passed into more
active nature from two little incidents
that occurred about ten days before the
end of the two months vacation OF
Dldymus.
There was Mrs. De Nyse at the
Springs, who was we'll known as an
amateur vocalist of merit, and whose
voice, though little reedy in the upper
notes, had been trained SO well as to
make her worth hearing. One evening,
when few were in the parlors, her
friends besought her to favor them and
SO on, and she expressed her readiness,
but there happened to be no accom-
panist. Miss Scamper who was chat
ting near by Didymus, looked up, and
quietly said, "Perhaps l can serve you
that way, Mrs. De Nyse."
"Can you play at sight, Miss Scam
PERI" inquired Mrs. De Nyse.
Miss Scamper nodded assent, and
seated herself at the piano forte, and
accompanied the voice with such good
judgment that the singer was delighted.
81 wish l could carry you about with
me, my DEAR" she said. "But do you
not sing1 You surely must"
"a little"
Urged BY all around, Miss Scamper,
to her own accompaniment, sang an
aria from II 7foUutore. Her voice
proved to be rich soprano, of full reg
lister, clear as silver bell, and admira-
bly cltlvated. There was moments
pause when she was done, as though
not to lose note, and then storm of
applause.
Here was sensation. Everybody
talked of her method, and the glded
youth were in raptures. The mammas