Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1893-03-03
A BLANK DAY.
BY MILDRED II. G. DARBY.

There was no use in Disgusting the
fact; we had drawn our last cover
blank The sun was inclining toward
the heavy clouds OIL the horizon, tell
ing us that it was past 2 o'clock on a
wild aftcrnoon; so. surely, all
thoughts of spert must now be given
up for the day.
"Arrab, yer ladyslip, sure an it's
not 10 home yell be going? His lord
ship must put the hounds into that
wee bit of gorse bcyaut the Knock!
There's fox just after leaving it,"
asserted Mickey Dwanc, horse breaker
TO the neighborlood, as he jumped
LON VI sssls 9
one" who he had been larking over
every available obstacle as he went
from cover to cover.
"Ies, Lady Nora" said Captain
Desparj, adding his cntrcalies to
Mickcy's, edo petition your brother
to give us another chancel II is no
distance to ihe gorsc.n
every wclI,' said |, and trotted
Satanella up TO where, looking highly
disconsolaic, my brother Richard
stood amongst his hounds, taking
council with Jamie, cur old huntsman
as TO the oxpcdiency of taking the dis
spirited pack home.
Cali right, old lady" he answered;
$50 be ii! Wen try the gorse, and
now, Mickey. if you're wrong, al,
plague OH the whole race of horse.b
brcakcrsl" y
"More power to you, ME lord!'n,
shouted Mickey, iubilantIy, as hcl
mounted the plunsiug "young one. p,
"Sure, an ,hcre never was an Earl
Ballybritt yet that was not a spot
man entoire,yw -
There are only Dick and | left no |
10 take care of each other. Moth
died when | was born, and faith
last year, leaving Dick my sole qua
dian. As he Was thea only Just
age, and | was seventeen, all our rel
lives cried out against our livi c
alone, but we managed beautiful AVE- AVE-
and neither of MS wished for any oil cost
arrangemcnt-until lately. me
| could not hide from myself m
longer that Dick loved cousin Il
moro than me, aud feel sule ID,
would have asked her 10 marry d NJ
before now, only he is afraid of "
l will feel. aeighoI | didn't think
| wanted TO marry any one, but somc-
how have learned to sympaihizc with
my brother.
snow smile, and bring us luck,
Lady Nora" said Captain Despard, as
he ranged up alongside me, cantering
over the springy turf between us and
the gorse. He smiled, himself, as he
spoke, and his plain facc looked al
most handsome.
81 am afraid that the foxes won't
be at home to look at any smiles Of
minc," | retorted, laughing. ere
member that they arc very hard
hearted and headed beasts!"
al only wish were more of fox.
them" he answered, in low voice.
81 find my heart and my head fail me
often now"
"YOicks, frard, my beauties; Rat
tier, Banker, get OH to him, ladsl Iii,
Melody, frardl' Jamie's whip
cracked, aud dismal yelp from lazy
Lavender" FASTENED the movements
of the pack, who rushed into cover,
whilst we stood anxiously around.
A few moments silence; hope sank
into despair, when, almost TO our sur
prise, and much TO our delight, we
heard one hound give. whilnper;
then two or three more spoke to
scent, and then, oh, n,peakable bliss
a ringing "Gonc awaylp from the far
side of the cover told us that our tox
had broken. There was no need 10
wait for the hounds 10 be put on the
lines they were at his heels with a