Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-06-10


ana She can't have all creation tramp
ing over the floors above her head"
But am not call crcation,'n said
Nr. Vaudeville. Aud will en-
deavor not to tramp any more than l
can help"
"it isn't worth while for you to
10 come in, Grid Natty, solemnIy re-
sardng him. "You won't like tho
house, anyhow"
"Aud why note he questioned.
ITS moldy," said Natty, sinking
her voice 10 confidential whisper,
"ond damp. Aud the ceiling in the
0ln'-room has fallen, and the paper
IN the dining is all mi-dcw.
And tic ncighbors say there's
ghost, but never saw it,"
"Ah'' said Mr.. Mandcviuc. II
thought W. should come to it at last.
A ghost, eh?'
"los,' nodded Nctty. 'Down cell
lar where the bodies Of some Rcvolu-
llonary soldiers were buried long be-
lore any ono ever thought of bni ding
house here They walk there at
night and clank their swords. AT least
Gcrman Gretchen, who lived with us
once, used to say so. never heard
any noise but the ra's. But all tho
same, it isn't comfortable to have
people SAYING that there's a ghost in
The house"
"No; certainly not" acquiosccd
Mr Mandcyi lc,
"Bc,idcs," added Nctty, 'Hhc house
belongs to a crab.
"A-what?" cried Vaudeville.
) "a crab said Natty. "Thc land
lord, YOU know. Hes Il cousin of
mamma's-nobody knows how many
times removed. BIT | know lie must
be horribly selfish and mi,crly. And
= rather like tho idea Of keeping pos
session of the old Mofand Mansion, In
spite OF him dare say he's dancing
sarouud tie nlor Of his money vaults
now with rage about It. But we had
as much right to our half Of III old
property as lie had, no matter what
he law said. Aud We arc bcggars al
most, and he is a rich man"
Claw" sail Mr.. Vaudeville, dryly,
..'but not equity. That's ii, chf'
rye got possession Of the old
NAYS ali i Know" said Tie
.aRpc outlaw. "And we mean TO
keep it,"
"Bu; perhaps" said NIan1cville,
che may not he as bad as YOU think "
"Oa, I'm quito sure of it" said
Nauy. dccisiveiy.
al suppose" said Vaudeville, look
ing kecnly at her, "that you are
Natalc?'
She started.
GLOW did YOU know"
"Bccausc,' he answered solcmnly,
81 am the crab!'
"Wha'!
81 am William Vaudeville" smil-
ing roguishy. sop u the door, Nltry,
and let me in. want to sec your
mother. Don't be frightened, child.
am not angry wi,h YOU"
Natalie tcldcncl Indignantly.
"Frightcncd!' shc repeated. 81
never was frightened in my life.
Least Of all AT you. Aud--don't you
think you really are crab, Mr.. Will
lam Mardeyillc?'
At is very likely said he, with
great calmness, 'rhat may have ap-
p,ared like shclllsh of that nature.
But | assure You it has been qu tc uI-
Intentional have .rustcd too much
to my agent. He told me you were
dcsirous to leave the house"
"Thcn,' said Natalie, encrgctically,
'llc told wicked. wicked story.
Why should we leave it? We had
nowhere else TO go.'
lie turned around and held out his
hand.
"Therc has been a mi,mdcrstanl-
ing all around" said lie. "Natty,
shall we be fricnd>?'
"With all my heart. l cont be-
licve you can possibly be a crab. after
all, and I've been doing You injustice
all these years. And I'm sorry for
$50 thcrcW
SO Nattv took him into the shabby
li;tlc boudoir, hung with velvet paper
in imi alton Of Venetian tapestry and
all strcaked with blue mold, where
her mother sat covering over a lire of
drif,wood, which Nally had gathered
for her along the river shore. For
they were so poor, so very poor, this
mother and her daughter, that even
the fire by which they warme them
selves was a matter OF grave consider
alton and contrivanco.
Mrs. Vanc was pale end pretty as
she sat there in The Old silk which was
one tissue of mcnds and darns, but
she rose with tie air of a genuine
lady to shake hlnds with her distant
cousin.
"Mrs. yanc," sad lie young law
yer, with a smile, after he had cx-
planned to her the strange manner in
which he and Natiy had become
friends, after such a strange passage
of verbal arms, "Natalie has shown