Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1894-11-16

Crash went the delicate china toN
er dish on the stone steps, and at Il
culprit's feet lay a heap of beaui.lf
pansics.
"Oh, Floral" she cried in-a%l
grieved voice.
A scorlet robo. dainty and peri
ed, flashed through the open door
angry haste, and paused beside /
Nora,
81 expected It'll" exclaimed hi
pitched voice, despairingly. "El
day sees my opinion Of you veriis
Nora. You cannot be trusted
gather few flowers or handle vas
"surely, Flora, you do not thin
purposely broke the dish?' asked
brown-eyed girl.
Flora Fame shrugged her shoulddI
she had learned the trick from
French master, and the action
her quite a foreign air, she thong
"'What matters it whether you
it purposely or not!" she rotor
contemptuously. "Ihose great. y
ward hands of yours are forever
ing mischief; they are perfectly
less.
As Nora looked at her sun n-brow
hands she smiled sadly.
True, she sighed, as she benz
pick up the pansiea, that seeme!
cling lovingly to her fingers.
they arc useless as things 81
your sphere, Flora; but We ay
\ ! thpssv tthssv cpd ppsb,, ,qf time ysS aud p
Nonsense You VIII II
ladylike or graceful, so do yo
with your other virtues, eri d
angrily, as the proud, quiet me;f
of the other betrayed a natural a
nifty she could not initiate. "GatI
more flowers and clear away that RI
bish.
Nora was looking at the brol
china with glad relief in her fac
81 can mend this, Cousin Flo
she said; "and it can be used W
safety.
"The task will require gentler han
than you have" said Flora, cold
''but 10 as you please. Only, MOI
she paused at the door, looki
back over her shoulder-"you need
consider it worth while to come do
this evening. Mother thinks two i
married daughters sufficient to entC
tain her guests, without"
"a pcnniless niece of her dead HI
bands. l understand, interrupt
the girl. l am glad to be released
do not like useless things any nc
than you do.
Flora stared in amazement, but
fore she could vent renewed anger
her hapless cousin she was gone.
Nora hurried away with the bros
dish and the crushed flowers. S
cared not to handy words vi
naughty Flora. She quickly gather
more pansies, and comlletcd her ia
of arranging the table, besides giyi
numerous little touches to the fru
and ices, without whichthe whole
feet would have been mrred,
When all was conn eted she f,
free to seek her own plesure on I'd
lovely summer evening. She took hI
broad brimmad hat fronits place d
hind the kitchen door. and in d
simple calico dress, withits neat viii
collar, hastened throughthe back I'd
den out on the highway ad took d
road to the village.
"The new doctor is ociety mani
she thought 81 did hop that a cid
er, earnest physician myht come
Loneville and help the por peopl
but instead we have an eluisite wi
frequents lawn parties all firts wi
silly girls. Oh, if werdonly-"
Nora was crossing a mudy place
she arrived at this wish. Making
quick spring to the dry de of ii
road, she turned her ankland fell
the earth.
"Oh, dear! Flora is ght, aft,
all, " she moaned in dcspai half cor
ical and yet painful, Two mil
from the village and home4nd unab
to novel"
After thus summing up II position
Nora first laughed, then crd.
"Poor little Mary" 5, sobbo,
"She will think l have dested her
and she is so i'll
perhaps l can help you was ju
then said in a pleasant void
Looking up quickly, Ma met
pair of frank, manly eyes.
81 don't know" she ben doub
ingly.
"Well, there's nothing Ii trying,
! laughed he straDger-a yo1g man