Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-03-04

N'AN AAeNNA
been. But Doctor Warden shook his
frost white head.
al don't like long engagements"
said he. "And Bess can't marry d
man on any twelve dollars week"
"But, father, Charley viii do better
in time"
"1f it pleases the nnlucky planot.''
interpolated Charley.
"Well, wait until the better times
come"
"Oh, we don't mind waiiingl" cried
Bess.
"speak for yourself, If you please, o
murinured Charley.
"We've lifetime before us," as
sevcrated Bess; ''and, in the mean
time, Charley, We'll go out duck
shooting tomorrow, and Ill row you
through the Silver Channels to the
best ground on all the coast"
On the night before Mr.. Clevc's
time was up, the levers, talking to
each other late in tho autumnal star
starlight on the porch, saw red glow
in the sky above the privet hedge.
"Its a bonfire," said Charley.
ats Miss Sarepta Smiths house!"
shrieked Bess. "IIelp! Helpl Fire!
Watcrl Oh, why don't somebody
comet"
"Call your father and the boys!"
said Charley. flinging of his coat.
"Fll jump the fence and take the
short cut. She's all alone in the house,
poor thing"
At Salt Inlet they had neither steam
fire engines nor patent extinguishcrs.
BY the time the volunteer company
had dragged the rickety old engine
and hose-cart out of their shed; and
hoisted them up the hill, the ancient
house where Sarepta Smith had been
born was in ruins; and the old woman
herself, carried in big chair over TO
the Warden house, was lamenting that
she, too, had not gone also.
"Seems like ! coul Int live nowhere
else," said she. "And I'm an old
woman-a very old woman"
B:ss Warden gave up her OWN
10 Miss Sarepa. Every one did what
he could TO make her comfortable, but
the only sign she evinccd of pleasure
was when Charlie Clcvc brought in
the old gray goose, stiffiy mounted on
an imitation of messy ground. Her
dim eyes lighted NJ.
81 am glad you saved that, Charles" }"
said she.
81 found it among a heap of other
things" said Charley, "and | thought
you'd like to have it. See, here are
your spcctacles, TOO, aud the old. Bible,
with the leaves all right, and the cover
only little charrell"
Miss Sarepta looked feebly from
one relic 10 another.
"Hm glad" said she, every glad.
1t was thoughtful of you, Charles.
Pm sorry called you them names. l
take 'em all back"
ooh, never mind the names," said
Charley. "At all events, you can't
lay this fire TO mcl'
"No," said Sarepta, ait was the
mice playin' on the closet shelf where
| KEEP: the matches. I'd laid up to set
a trap, but | forgot. And l should
ha' been burned in my bed, if it hadn't
been for you, Charles. l allays
dreaded death by tire!"
Old Miss Sarepta lay very quietly
for day or two, with the gray goose
folding its wings at her bed head and
the Bible and spectacles on a stand
beside her pillow.
"'Charles shall have the gray goose"
said she, one evening. 9TH help fur
nish his house. Aud itll show / don't
bear no malice on account of his
shootin' it. And the specks and the
Billie Bess must keep. An old Bible
brings every one luck"
She died before daybreak. If there
was any willard Miss Sarepta was
always believed to be a well-to-do.
businesslike woman-it was destroyed
in the flames. The old place-ihree-
and-forty acres-went TO a cousin
nearer Of kin than Charley Cleve.
"My unlucky planet again." said
Charley, with grimace. "Well,
never mind, Bess; It's only waiting