Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1893-10-27
miscellaneous.
A LOVE STORY.

"The most picturesque sight have
ever seen in my life, +" said Nell Towers.
"a square stone house, all overgrown
with woodbine that has turned crimson
with the first autumn frosts, and stand
ing all alone in the leafy wilderness.
And beautiful woman, dressed in white,
with the face of young girl and the
silver hair of an aged crone, sitting on
the step, with her lap full of ferns aud
NOSES and autumn leaves. And
think, Rupert, she must be crazy, for
she looked at me in the oldest way,
without answering, when spoke to her"
II dare say, my dear, it's some old
woman out nutting," said Mr., Towers,
as he pared one of the great crimson
checked peaches that we're piled in
basket on the table and hanked by a
glass pitcher Of cream.
III shall 60, then, and sketch the
place Tomorrow. If | have time" said
Mrs Towers, enthusiastically. 81 never
regretted anything so much in my life
as that | hadn't my portfolio with me
this afternoon"
The landlord, who had just brought
in big log of moss-fringed wood for
the open fire, looked at the landlady,
who was brushing crumbs off the
lavender-scentcd tablccloth Tho land
lady looked back at her husband.
"Its Barbara" said he.
"Of course it's Barbara" nodded she
"And who, may venture to ask, is
Barbara y questioned Mr.. Towers.
Superb peaches, these, my dear"
"Well, sir, everybody hereabouts
knows Barbara" answered mino host
"She's been crazy those ten years"
II thought So" said Mrs. Towers.
poor thing And why do they let
her wander about at large ?"
ooh, ma'am, she wouldn't harm n
fly" intorposed Mrs. Weddorburn; land
she can't breathe free inside of four
walls, can't Barbara. They did put
her into the asylum one while, but she
pinned herself to death there She
wouldn't ha' lived six months, the doc
tor said, if they hadn't took her out
again"
"Then she has not always boon in
sane 2"
ooh, bless your heart, maam, no.
Ten years ago she was the brightest,
puttiest girl in all the country She
used to come here summers, whom tho
house was full Of boarders, and help
around. Everyone liked Barbara"
But what was it that destroyed the
poor things mental balance ?" urged
Mrs. Towers.
The Iandlady drew her chair up to
tho table.
"1ll make bold to sit down, ma'am,
and tell you all about it," said sho
at made great deal Of talk heroabouts
at the time, and it always will as long
NJ Barbara wandors around tho old
powder-magazinc in that queer dress,
with the flowers and autumn leaves and
wild berries in her hair"
at is a powder-magazine, then p
"Oh. yes, nam. There was u great
manufacturing company here once, but
it was ruined in the panic Of 1887, and
there's not been an ounce Of powder in
tho place for fifty years. It's a pictur-
esque old ruin, ma'am, as you yourself
observed, and artists like TO sketch IT,.
There used to be picnic parties there
ma'am, before-but declare, I'm get
ting ahead Of my story"
And lanniun bar yl,u,H onufa.fn T. L.
elbows on the table, Mrs. Wedderburn
went on:
"Ten years ago we had the most sue
cessful summer season that ever we
knew up in the Catsklls tho houses
we're crowdod--and some Of the young
gentlemen tourists actually camped out
in the barn o nights. And Barbara
was here helping me--tho rose Of the
Cstskills, one Of my young gentlemen
guests called her, aud somehow II grew
into n by-word And, if coaxing and
HatteriDg could turn a girls head, Bar
bara's was 10 fair way TO DO turned
Not that | can accuse her Of flirting or
carrying on-that wasn't Barbara's way
--sbo just went quietly about her bust
ness and never said nothing TO nobody.
But could see that she liked Mr. War
den and Mr.. Warden was just tho one
Of the whole tribe and generation oil
EN- that | could wish she hadn't liked.
You see, ma'am, there's difference ia
people. aud, for all he made such fuss
over her, could see he was as cold as Z
stone and a. hard as adamant.
Things went along smoothly, how.
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