Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1890-10-03

Thomas was about to make reply
that Mrs. Muchmore was engaged,
when the voice of her maid at his
elbow stepped him.
"Don't send her away. The mis-
tress is in one of her worst spells, and
if anything can bring her out of it a
sight of that young one will"
So Thomas gravely led the way to
Mrs. Muchmore's room, Pattys card
on his salyer, and followed by Patty
herself.
"Miss Patty Hawkins" he an
nounced ,etllrowing open the door.
Mrs. NIaehmore raised her languid
eyes, and llen sat up n surprise.
"Ah. Miss Hawkins, are you we ?"
"Yes'nss so as to be about" an
swered Pattys remembering the oft
repeated phrase of an old woman who
visited her mother.
Thomas placed her chair and de-
parted wit. . gfi.' Mrs. Muchmore
hesitatcd for moment and then
asked, :" there anything special you
called to SET. me about?"
"Nes'm. ans wered Polly. aIt Is.
about you iage. ! should ike to
borrow it. Then, seeing the lady's
Iook of assonish nent size has ened to
.dd, "Its atience-she's lame,
you know a. walk If your mon.
is-too bussssS ee my pa CA. e
real COCO, drives lhe giorery
wagon lots of times"
81 do not think quite understand
you,' faltered Mrs. Muchmore. 81
do not know who Patience is"
"Why, she's tie little girl over to
the hospital"
And Patty, forgetting that she must
hold her head very still on account of
her hat, which was very much too
large, nodded toward the building.
Down dropped the hat to her shoulders,
compile ely hiding her fat face. She
fastened to put it back, crimson with
embarrassment, stealing quick
glance at her hostess. But no one
could have told from Mrs. Muchm ore's
face but that she was accustomed to
have her visitors hats extinguish them
like a pair of snuffers.
BY few words she succeeded in
making Patty feel at case and was lis
tening with interest to the story OF
Patience.
Tell her when you see her again
that shall be very glad to take her to
.the woods tomorrow if it is pleasant;
and my man i; never too busy to drive
me-" she added, with smile.
Patty, full of excitement, ran home
to her mother, forgetting the borrowed
hat
"Why, Patty Hawkins!" she cried,
angrily, giving her a little shake,
"where have you been with my hat?"
ave been to call on Mrs. Much
more," answered Patty, eagerly, land
she asked me to come again."
"Well, You are the most presump-
tionest child | have ever heard Of"
And Mrs. Hawkins, forgetting her
vexation, burst into peals of ringing
laughter. "Asked you to come again,
did she9 Ha, ma, ha! with that hat
ha, ha, hal And those mitts, no, no,
no. If you amt The very funniest
looking figure l ever see. You're
enough to make the most melancholy
woman in the world go into Mysteries,
ha, ha, hal"
"She didn't laugh at ALL" cried
Patty, the tears starting TO her eyes.
land she's going to take Patience to
ride. " .
True to her word, Mrs. Muchmore
called for Patience the next day, and
it seemed to her as she sat by the child's
side that she looked at the trees, the
field and the river for the first time,
for she saw them through the eyes of
the little invalid, whose pleasure was
too deep for words.
"Its most like heaven" she said
orce, in answer TO question from her
new friend. "No, ma'am, | never
saw anything so beautiful before. |
got hurt when | was little bit of
thing, and | never could walk since.
Oh, no, l don't mind it so much now,
because / can sit in chair by the win
dow. 1t is hard TO stay in bed all the
time.n
That was only the beginning OF
many drives for Patience, and before
the summer was over she went for
week to Mrs. Muchmore's cottage by
the lake and Patty was invited to go
with her and amuse her. When she
had once begun Mrs. Muchmore found