Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-08-12
NAOMrS RIVAL.
UNFoUNDED JEALOUSY, WHICH WAS CUREE
BY A BRAVE DEED.
rs supper ready, Naomi"

room where his sister was ironing. The
young people were alike-tall, wei
shaped, swarthy complexioned, will
regular features and large, gypsy BLACK
eyes, where the jetty lights seemed tt
swim at every breath.
A very old woman, covering ovel
the stove, had the same strange eyes
although her hair, under its close
frilled cap, was bleached snow white
and her skin was the color Of old
parchment
What We got?" the crone demanded
as young Pole flung bunch of birds
on the table.
Something for breakfast, Granny
said he. I've been hunting in Callet
Woods. Not much luck, though. l say
Naomi, l wish'd you'd hurry up sup
per-"
What for? 1t amt supper time yet
and I've got all the towels to do yet -
"Oh, bother the towels! want to &c
over to Skene's Corners tonight and
see Miss Stuart's new piano"
"Humph" Naomi ironed away with
redoubled zeal. Miss Stuart's new
piano, indeed! I wish Miss Stuart was
further, and her new piano, too! But
you're like all the rest, Dave-a new
face turns your head. Hessie Holt and
her poor little parlor organ amt much
account now"
Miss Stuart? Is Hessie Hollis organ
woman by the fire.
Granny don't know" said Naomi
II guess she's the only one that don't.
Miss Stuart, granny? Why, she's the
latest fashion at Skene's Corners. She's
the new schoolma am. Ask our Dave
If you want to know all about her
Ask any of the young fellers!''
Ask John Classon." added David,
angrily. "Naomi's jcalous-that's what
ails Naomi"
Naomi compressed her full red lips
and ironed resolutely on. The old
grandmother fell into a sort Of doze
and nodded over the stove. David Pole
took the lantern down from its nail
against the chimney piece
IF | can't get my supper here" said
he, III get it over to Classons. I'll
look arter the cattle first
And in moment David was gone.
He can do as he pleases," thought
Naomi, vindictively. There's nothing
but cold pork and picked beets for
supper, anyhow. Perhaps they'll have
something better at Classon's. Miriam
dy'S good cook"
The clock had just struck 6 and gran
ny was stirring the homely brown
sugar into her first cup of tea, when a
gentle knock sounded ON the warped
panel of the outside door. Naomi rose
to answer the summons.
A beautiful young woman, with red
gold hair large light-blue eyes and a
complexion as delicate as roseleaf,
stood there, wrapped in scarlet and
black plaid shawl.
Miss Pole?" she said, hesitatingly.
Naomi inclined her head stiftly.
Yes" said she, that is my name"
II am Eda Stuart
Again Naomi bowed frigidly.
And" hesitated the new school
teacher, with smile that might have
melted the earthenware Chinaman on
the lid of granny's teapot, but which
produced no sort of effect on Naomi
Pole, I've started out to visit a sick
pupil-Louisa Ledyard-and I'm afraid
I've lost my way. I hadn't any idea
1t would grow dark SO soon, and
must be back by Z o'clock, for l ex-
pect some friends to try a new plano
that have had sent me from Boston.
Your brother has half promised to
come, Miss Pole. Won't you accom-
pany himY'
David isn't at home," said Naomi,
with sidewise glance at the road
down which her brother had strobe
some time ago. And I don't care
nothin' about pianos"
Miss stuart colored and shrank back.
She felt as if this hard, handsome bru.
nette had slapped her In the face.
Perhaps, then" said she, you can
tell me the nearest way home. It's
quite dark, you see, and" brushing
some white, needle-nke particles out of
her face, 'it's beginning to snow"
Keep right along the path till you
come to the old stone tavern" said
Naomi, indifferently. Then turn to
the right, and 1t amt more'n half
mile, Or maybe three-quarters!"
Ihe bright-dressed girl still fingered
on the doorstep.
u am not very well acquainted with
the roads around here" said she. "If
you could send boy to show meY'
we don't keep no boy" said Naomi.
Ahu we We uO one TO SeQu.
Again Miss Stuart recoiled.
Good evenings" she said, gently.
Good evening"
And Naomi hanged the door shut,
As she sat eating her supper and
helping granny to fresh supplies of
homemade bread and butter a sudden
thought darted into her mind.
In giving Miss Stuart the directions
for finding her way back to Skene's
Corners she had forgotten the young
strangers total ignorance of the neigh
borhood characteristics.
1t was true that the regular road
branched off to the right of the ruined
pile which had once been an old stone
tavern, but there was also disused
thoroughfare which led through a dis
NAL swamp, towards a long abandoned
stone quarry, across a rotten corduroy
road, which had nearly sunk into one
of these frightful quaking hogs which
sometimes appear In dense and
SWampy woods
To one unaccustomed to the local ty-
Biography 1t might be perilously easy
to stray off into the weed-grown and
deserted track, especially when every
thing was whitened with fast falling
snow.
Naomi sprang up and went to the
door She looked out, with one hand
held above her eyes. "a - '''''
Am I losing my wits?" she thought.
"Of course 1 cannot see halt. a dozen
rods down the road. It's dark as pitch
and showing into the bargain. Let
her go her own gait! ! ain't RESPONSE
hle!"