Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1893-02-24

week, and trail and canyon and side
slope were covered with white pail.
We were as securely shut up from
the outside world as if we had been
walled around with adamaui. While
ones sympathies cannot fly round the
world with the click of the electric
needle, one naturally seeks for sub
iects of interest in the hum Irum life
around, and so began TO study our
charge as | sat beside him day after
day. Not that he seemed a difficult
subject or wrapped in any mystery,
but as he lay there swathed in banl.
ages lie seemed TO be intently thinking.
One day he abruptly asked how long
since he had been hurt. | told him
three wccks. lie turned his head
away with deep sigh and said no
laorc for few minutes. Then he
asked: "'Bout how far is it TO Cairo,
Ill!" l said didn't know exactly,
thought nearly thousand miles.
"Wish was there he jerkcd out,
With an effort.
| began to suspect that "The girl
left behind me-" was troubling him
and lie wanted tc ialk about it and
did not know how 10 begin. 50 /
rather banteringly said: "Tell me
about her."
lie locked at me with look of
comical dismay. and said "Why, how
did you know?' and then said: 81
might as well tell some one, though
there amt much 10 tell. used to
live down in Cairo and was roust-
about on Mississippi steamer. There
was another fellow always worked on
the same gang with me and we were
thicker than molasses in winter. He
was as vain as peacock and thought
nv was eVhtc OuO NileH nc SOt On Hle
Sunday togs, and he was purity
sizablc sort of a feller. Well, there
was a girl who lived down the river
a few miles, whose dad run truck
farm and sent garden sass to ST. Louis,
you know Hank Simpson and me
both met her at a dance one night.
got Introduced first and danced twice
with her before Simpson did,
aud then she danced several
lines with him, and when | come un
once 10 ask her she said size couldn't,
rs she was going TO dance with Mr..
Simpson. That made me hot and
went and tod Hank he was not doing
the fair Thing, not allowing her 10
dance with any one but him. He
laughed and said she didn't seem TO
think of any hardship. Well, we
both got mad, and told him | would
dance with her anyway, and went
back and said Hank couldn't keep his
engagement. Well, she dancel with
me, but Hank and me were enemies
and lie did me every bad turn he
could. Well, used to go down tie
river every Sunday to old man Lees
place, and sometimes found Hank
Simpson there, and he went down
sometimes in the week. | couldn't
tell which of us L sic liked the best or
whether she was fooling both of u.s.
She was pretty enough for better than
u.s."
Here a tender no,e crept into his
voice.
81 had TO go down on the boat TO
Vicksburg, which would take about
two weeks, as we would have to wait
for cargo. 1t was regular purga-
tory to me all the time l was gone,
for was afraid Hank would get the
best of me, and made up my mind to
have it out wien l got back. The
next Sunday | went down. | had
bought ring in Yicksburg, with two
claspcd hands holding little garnet.
to give her, and thought maybe that
would help me out found her in
little arbor in the corner of the gar
den. She seemed glad 10 see me, but
she acted the same to Hank, so
couldn't tell anything from that. She
asked me about the trip, and wanted
to know if | had lost my heart TO any
pretty girl in Vicksburg, ! thought
il was now or never, SO | said ''How
could when left ii at home?
"Who took care of it while you
were gomez" she asked.
I" Id like to think you DID, | said.
i wish, Elsie, you could make me
little better than Hank Simpson.
You know how much care for
YOU
s'She looked down and dug her
shoe into the dirt and said: 'How
should |? You never told me-
"'Well tell you now, and | can't
bear to think of Hank coming here
10 see you when I want you to marry
me.
"E sic looked at me and then said:
Why, Bob, didn't know that you
meant anything
ssWcll, Miss Majors, she didn't
make much fuss when put my arm
around her and kissed her. | felt as
if | was in heaven and even felt sorry
for Hank Simpson. wanted TO do
something great that would make me
worthy to have Elsie for wife.
After she had given me her promise |
didn't care for Hank Simpson and
wasn't bit jealous Of him. She told
me that she had begun to care for me
at the dance but had been afraid 10