Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-03-26


htched on that stops at Cutting Corners
at midnight"
"Where is Cutting Corners:"
Eight mile as the crow flies.
"How the dickens do you suppose am
to get eight miles from here wien it is
pitch dark already" cried Marryatt,
| Grossly.
"Theres Jenkins one-hoss wagon, "
mildly suggested the old-man, Tim
goin' to his place directly artcr a box o
stove backing, a paound o taller dips
and quarter O paound o green tea for
Isabella. I can tell Jenkins to come
raound and cart ye to the station, ef We
don't begrudge a crown.
"By all means: and while you are
gone Isabella can give me some supper.
Marryatt sat down in the old. low
ceiled room, where the rag carpet seemed
neither brighter nor DINNER than it had
been 90 years ago. and warmed his
chilled feet before a blaze Of Swapping
logs; while old Isabella, who might
have appeared credtably at any tableau
as the Witch of Endor. crept around an
iron pot which swung from q prodigious
crane and got supper after slow. clumsy
| manner.
"Pretty gay in town this winter" said
the old woman, brandishing her spoon
over him as he ate rabbit stew.
II suppose So"
"I'm thinkin' o goin' there myself, -
said she
ITO take situation ?" asked the young
man, inwardly thinking that he could
not recommend her as cook.
"Bless your heart, no." said Isabella.
II know a sea captain there as amt mar
ried and they tell me the gals is all
pickin' and choosin' for themselves now
that leap year has come around. Any
how I'm tired O this place. and | don't
see why my chance amt as good as any
Lodv's"
Marryatt stared at her in mute amaze
ment as he secretly deplored the sad
case of the unsnspecting sea captain.
"P'raps you wouldn't mind keepin' an
eye on the fire, said the gentle Isabella,
while | Just go and see if Simon has
locked the hen house-he's so forgetful.
And she hobbled away.
At the same time there came loud
knocking at the outer door. and a stout
country girl, with cheeks Of that peculiar
red which shines as if it had been
vanished, very black eyes and coarse
hair, walked in, well wrapped up in red
/ and black plaid shawl, and a felt hat
which looked like damaged helmet.
I've come for Mr.. Marryatt, said she.
without any ceremony of introduction.
Instinctively our hero backed uC
against the wall
What" cried he.
YOU'RE Mr.. Marryatt. amt you 2" said
she.
that's my name, retreatng still far
cher behind the stiff wooden backed
:hair, where Uncle Origen used to sit and
smoke his pipe.
Well. I'm come for you. You ain'j
| 5! af, be you: Im-come-for-you!"
Yes; but L"
There amt no time to lose." bawlets
this daughter Of solitudes, seizing him
| by the arm. "1'his here's your baggage"
! 9rasping the vaise in the other hand.
This was leap year with a vengeance,
thought our hero
With one desperate struggle he freed
himself from her grasp.
Il won't go!" he said. "Nothing ran
compel me to go against my will.
you WON'T" said the red-chcekeI
damsel.
No, won't, replied John Marryatt
"Then you will miss the train, said tho
red checked damsel "And it won't be
no fault of mine. Fail er has had tho
rheumatics, and promised him | would
come for you.
"Oh, the train-I see, cried Mr.. Marry.
att Il didn't quite comprehend your
meaning at first. Yes, I'll come imme-
diately."
The red-cheeked damsel, who proved
to be no despicable charioteer, ratified
| down the frozen mountain road with con-
siderable skill and energy, reaching tho
solitary station just as the freight train
came in sight around curve.
So Mr., Marryatt arrived in town just
in time to see the sunrise glow irradiate
the red brick chimney tops behind thu
Delavan House.
Not married yet, he said to himself !;
"but will be as soon as possible, if she
will have me. I'll run no more such risks
as this!"
That very afternoon he called at Doc
tor Mere's house and proposed to Avice--
and Avice accepted him. Yes, she ac-
tually accepted him!
"But did you really say that?" asked
Avice, feeling that it was her duty to adj
monish her swain little: that-that
you didn't want to be married against
your will?"
"Of course | said it," answered Mar
rvatt, land | meant it, / don't intend ia
be married against my will; intend to
be married with it, And did you really
say that you wouldn't marry John Mar.
ryatt for $50, ,000?"
And l wouldn't" cried Avice, look.
ing up with sparkling eyes. "Not for
twice that money, but-just because ]
! love hint"
/ So they both were happy and laughed
heartily over the adventures at Uncle
Origen's house.
When Penelope Paxton next saw the
brde-elect, she chuckled and said:
SO it isn't to he a case of Miss Betty
Baxter after all? ?"
| Avice colored and said she didn't
know what Miss Penny could possibly
mean.