The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-06-26
miscellaneous.
MIRIAM'S ADVICE

Squire Cornwall was a very happy mar
until his old maid cousin, Miriam Fry, came
TO live at Clover Farm. She was buzzine
about all day like hornet, and made his life
burden. He could no longer enjoy the
delicacies that Joanna Joyce, the housekeeper
prepared for him, the fair Joanna whom be
had known so many years and felt such 8
fatherly interest in.
AS tor Joanna, she fretted too under the
tyranny of the squire's relation, and after q
talk with her brother, Duke, she made up hel
mind to leave Clover Farm and its master.
Joanna timidly told the squire of her deci
sion' an ne was musing, not very cheerfully
over it when Miss Miriam came in.
Morning, Cornelius" said Miss Mirry
"Dear me, you look sober. Anything happen.
edP"
"Why, yes" said the squire, not sorry for
a chance to communicate his sorrows to some
one else. Joanna Joyce is going"
"Going, is she ?" said Miriam, setting down
her basket with energy. "Well, l amt sorry.
She's pert, pushing thing, that has had her
own way good deal too much. Let her 60
You're jokin', Mirry, amt you ?' said he
And Miss Miriam remembered that her
cue, above all things, was amiability, and
she giggled family.
But what am l going to do ?" said the
squire helplessly. That's what | want to
know"
"Well do you know, Cornelius, what
think you had better do ?" said Miss Miriam
aIchlv.
"What is it p
"Get marriedr' And than she shrank
back with spasmodic imitation of the pref
ty timidity of IS springs. ooh, what have l
said = she exclaimed. Forget it, Cornelius,
dop'
"But say, though, amt going to forget itr'
cried the squire with frightened face
Married! Why, that's the very thing !?
Why on earth didn't think of it before ?T
I'm sure don't know" said Mirry
coquettishly. "Mer are so stupid.''
And I'm little stupider than the rest of
my kind" said Mr.. Cornwall, laughing. But
l say, Mirry, you're not going away before
we've talked it over bit?'
Il must" falteled Miriam, hiding her face
behind the egg basket. Il do feel so-that is,
you mustn't think l intended-oh, dear me,
what am l saying? Ifyou want to say any
thing more about it, Cornelius, you must
come over to our house Tonight"
Eyes; but, Mirry--"
He was talking to vacancy. Miriam, egg
basket and all, had disappeared.
"Mirry acts very strangely" said the squire.
her. And it certainly was good advice
that she gave me, and III lose no time in act
ing on it,"
Miss Miriam went home exultantly.
II think have set the ball rolling now"
said she. Hell be over here and propose
this evening as sure as the world. How his
eyes did brighten, TO be surel And to think
that the idea never had come into that dear
old obtuse head of his before! l declare, the
whole thing happened almost as nicely as if
it were leap year. I'm pretty sure of being
Mrs. Cornwall at last. l wonder what that
iudolent little mink of Joanna Joyce will
think now"
Ina measure Miss Miriam was right
Squire Cornwall did come over that evening
in his best suit, with a crimson cabbage rose
in his button hole, and his honest face BEAM
ing with satisfaction.
"NIiriam," said he, scarcely pausing to
notice that his cousin had on new slate
colored silk dress with lace frill starched
sitter than any picket fence. and an extra
allowance of cologne on her pocket hand
kerchief, sis there anything in the gown or
jewelry line that you would fancy? I'd like
to give you some nice present right away"
"My dear Cornelius !" cried Miss Miriam,
blushing to the tips of her lean cheek bones.
"For giving me such excellent advice, you
know" said the squire. "I've taken it"
"Oh, Corneliusi" with coy archness.
"Well, have" declared the squire. Give
asked her to marry me, and she says she
will"
Asked whos" cried Miriam, momentarily
forgetful her studied coquetries.
"Why, Joanna Joyce, to be sure" said
SQUIRE Cornwall. "Whom else should I be
talking about? And the thing is to come off
in October and she is the dearest little girl
in all the world Upon my word, Miriam,
you haven't the least idea how grateful am
to you for putting it into my head"
Miriam Fry bit her lips. She would joy
fully have boxed her honest cousins ears
she would have delighted to call him every
opprobrious name in the calendar, but she
was too polite for that. She simply turned
green and yellow, like an unripe olive, put
resolute force on her tongue, and uttered,
somewhat automatically, the words:
81 congratulate you, Cornelius, am SURF" .
And Joanna and her brother smilingly
agreed that they had altogether misjudged
Miriam Fry While to the end of his days
the squire firmly believed that his marriage
with pretty Joanna Joyce had been Miriam's
fondest wish
perhaps there Is at present no more H.
teresting field for the ethnologist, observes
the Chicago Neaos, than that afforded by east
ern Asia and the territory of the Sclav. The
Russian character is daily becoming more ia
miliar to us through the spread of the nation
al literature. But the more we see of it the
odder it grows. Strange stories come daily
from the Russian press; of peasants who fog
themselves in repentance; of people who
trade wives; OF natives who plot against
monarchy and secretly believe in it. An en-
inent noble recently advertised that for fifty
cents he would sell powder, which, when
put in warm water, would creed chicks. And
the money poured in by thousands. The
gradual exposition of this simple minded,
gullibe but artful and partly insincere people
Is one of the most interesting studies OF the
time.