The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-06-27
DOROTHYS SCHEME.
BY FRANCES ISABEL CURRIE.

would not CRATE ana egg -DeatefS
that would not beat, and who was
consequently counted the meanest
man in the community.
In the season when snow and sleet
made Paplneau an uncomfortable
place to live in, no cne thought of
visiting its inhabitants. If some one
had come when there were no crops
to SOW or garner when men were
idle in the houses and horses stood
inactive in their stalls, if visitor
had only come in the long, dull,
lonesome winter, the whole village
would have welcomed him.
But visitors came only in summer.
Some of them said it was because
Papineau was SO pleasant at that
season and some who were more
candid said it was because the city
was unpleasant in warm weather. At
all events, every house from the
neat parsonage with its green blinds
and pretty verandas, to the tin ped
dler's little black cabin with Its
stove pipe chimney and broken win
down, every house in Papineau,
say, filled and overhowei with sum-
mer visitors.
In the spring Of last year little
| sirl in quaint poke bonnet went to
the Papineau post office to see if
there were any letters in her moth
er's tox. She was such tiny girl,
in spite of the seven long years she
had been living, that she could not
quite bring her head up to level
with the pigeon hole through which
the letters we're distributed How.
ever, the poke bonnet did her good
service, for it was tall CROUCH to
come within the postmaster's range
of vision, and he knew enough con,
cerning bonnets to believe that they
generally travelled about upon
human heads. So he asked why
that particular poke was there.
Is there a letter here for Mrs.
Dare?
The little girl asked the question
very timidly, and the postmaster
pushed half dozen letters through
the window
There were score of men in the
office. Everybody in Papineau went
there, even when the people were
not anxious to receive their letters.
1t was place where they could
meet their neighbors. The minister
was there and had received huge
batch of letters. The tin-peddler
also was there, but no one had sent
him single line.
Well, l do say its queer that no.
body writes to you this year, said
the postmaster. Heretofore you've
had as many letters as any man in
town, and as many visitors. This
year you haven't had either. Your
folks amt dead, air they? Or did
you treat your company SO bad last
year that they don't want to come
back?
The little girl stopped to hear the
peddler's answer.
No, he said, my folks amt dead,
and | never treated 'em bad in my
life. The truth is the peddlin' bust
ness amt what it used to be, and
money is so skeerce that | can't
afford to entertain much company.
Whenever | sell a tin pan nowadays
| git my pay in rags instead of cash.
Then | sell the rags to the paper
mills and git cent pound for
them. Now gentleman, can man
keep an open house on a few
pounds OF rags?
The men addressed said that it
would be impossible.
| amt unsociable or stingy, con-
tinued the peddler. I'm only poor.
| But | don't like city folks who for
get their country relations all winter
and only hunt them up in hot
weather. They think it sounds good
to say they've been out of town
all summer, but they air not willing
to pay for their accommodations.
But how are you going to keep
them away this year? some one
asked Have you told them the
price of rags?
I've told them that | mean to keep
boarders. the peddler answered. It's
the surest way of keeping EN-
away. Try it, gentlemen, and see
how we'll the plan works. Just hint
that you think of reducing your ex-
penses by keeping summer boarders,
and none OF your regular visitors
will come within days journey Of
you for fear you will charge 'em for
their board.
The child IN the poke bonnet had
listened all this while, but she be-
came suddenly conscious that one or
two persons were looking at her
curiously. She flushed as pink as an
apple blossom, and, gathering up
her letters, went toward her home.
That was the Widow Dare's girl,
one man said, when she Ma5 s2ne,
| reckon Mrs. Dare can't keep open
house this summer. Folks saws she
had all her money in the Sliding
Bank. The bank is closed now and
payments suspended. Most of the
officials are in Canada, and one of
'em is in jail The deposltors are
in tight place, and feel very sorry
for the Widow Dare
Dorothy was going homeward
very slowly. 1t was not natural for
her to travel at this sedate pace.
Usually she skipped along as triskly
| ~. ....... Ii NIn...,.. 1..tln 1n.,.l,