Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-10-14

than This. .
Mr. Milner tucked the umbrella
nndcr his arm, tipped his black. wide
Trimmed hat over his eyes and set of
on swift swinging stride back to
Simpson Terrace. The blue door
stood wide open, so he walked in
without the least ceremony.
"Frcsh paintl" he said to himself,
clevating his thin nostrils. .If there's
anything on the face of tho earth
deicst, it is fresh paint. Aud I've got
i all over the skirts of my best dress,
tool Where is Mrs. ChipIey2 What
has become of the girls? Nobody
ever seems TO be in the way when
they're wanted. But, fortunately,
here's luncheon ready spread.
wonder now how it happened. How
could they know was coming back.
Gold roast grouse. with currant jelly
chicken salad-pickled oysters
really. now, this is something quite
beyond the ordinary run of our bills
Of farcl"
The pastor sat down and ate with
an excellent appetite. He mado big
, hole in the chicken salad mound; lie
. picked the bones of a crisp, brown
grouse with genuine satisfaction; he
buttcred fiaky biscuit and added to
its flavor by several spoOnfuls of
( amber ounce preserve.
"All the same," said he 10 himself,
as he wiped his mouth with damask
napkin, and rose from his chair, with
another glance at the vegetable-shaped
watch; "this sort of thing is quito
Beyond Mrs. Chipley's means. l
thought she had better sense. must
really speak to her about it. In the
meantime must make good speed If /
expect to have much time at my
friend Hodges place"
Away he trudged, much comforted
and sustained as regarded his inner
man.
sJocI joel" shrieked Miss Fran
cesca Dean, ming into the room
few minutes later, "what have you
doneP Eaten up all the company
lsnchcou? Oh, you greedy
A"l didn't do 10 such thing" shouted
,j,c from an upper room, where he
\ rs transforming himself from an
3sateslr journeymap painter to a
modern tennis player. "NNhat arc
you talking about?'
"Some one has eaten his fill" cried
Miss Francesca. ''Just look at tho
tablet"
"Then it's some tramp sneaked in
through the door that | left open to
dry the paint" bawled Joe.
And while the Dean family were
cnteavoring to repair damages, the
task of house cleaning went swim
mingly on at the Chipley domicile
only two or three doors away, the
girls and their mother scarcely taking
time TO sit down and eat their hasty
pudding, which, by the way, got
scorched through Mauds over-devo-
ton to putting the chintz curtains at
the pastors study windows.
But hasten as they would, the newly
whitewashed walls were scarcely dry
and the furniture not yet rearranged,
when dusk descended on the scene aud
Rev. Milo Milner came in.
"Oh, tako care, Mr.. Milnerw ex-
claimed Maud. "The door. the paint
is frcsh."
Mr.. Miner solemnly advanced into
the area of the lamplight, and, twist
ing himself around to get the skirts of
his coat, eyed them disconsolately.
"More paint" said he. "Bluc
paintp
"No," said Marion. "Green."
The two colors were ludicrously
alike by lamplioht. The green might
be mistaken for lively blue-the blue
for dull green.
''Blucl" said the pastor, firmly.
s'Do you think haven't the use of my
eye"
"Green," persisted Marion. 81
know, because put it on myself"
alt is not WELL" said Rev. Milnor,
sfor the young to be positive"
"But truth is TRUTH" said Maud.
"And while Pm about it," said Mr..
Miner, now thoroughly exasperated,
81 deem it my duty to demonstrate
with you concerning the extravagant
and unwarranted style of dict in which
you indulge during my absencel"
81 don't know what you mean,"
said Mrs. Chiplcy, feebly catching her
breath.
''IIasty pudding and milk can't be
called extravagance,' hazarded Maud.
"Scorched at that" murmured
Marian.
"Roast grouse and currant jelly
said the pastor. "Chicken salad and
sponge cake. And-here again |
trust to the evidence of my eyesight
all set out OH your old butterfly
pattern china. l know because ! ate
it myself"
"You--you got into the wrong
house" gasped Maud
at was the house with the blue door,
serenely uttered Mr.. Miner, MS if this
was an inconlrovertible argument
Marian clapped her hands hysteri-