The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-04-05
miscellaneous.
A LOVE STORY.

1.-The most picturesque sight have
ever seen in my life," said Nell Towers.
"A square stone house, all overgrown
with woodbine that has turned Grim
son with the first autumn frosts, and
standing all alone in the leafy wilder
ness. And IL beautiful woman, dress
ed 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 and moses and au-
tumn leaves And | think, Rupert,
she must be crazy, for she looked at
Inc in the oldest way, without answer
ing, when | spoke to her."
Il 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 were piled in a
basket on the table and thanked by a
glass pitcher of cream.
Il shall go, then, and sketch the
place to- morrow, if have time" said
Mrs. Towers, enthusiastically. Il
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 Law
ender scented tablecloth. The 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 20 questioned Mr.. Towers.
Superb peaches, these, my DEAR
"Well, sir, everybody hereabouts
knows Barbara" answered mine host.
"She's been crazy these ten years.
Il thought So" said Mrs Towers.
Poor thing And why do they let
her wander about at large %
"Oh, ma'am, she wouldn't harm a
fly" interposed Mrs Wedderburn
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 doctor said, if they hadn't took
her out again"
"Then she has not always been in
sane?''
ooh, bless your heart, ma'am, no.
Ten years ago she was the brightest,
puttiest girl in all the country. She
used to come here summers, when the
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 landlady drew her chair up to
the table.
"I'll make bold to sit down, ma am,
and tell you all about it," said she.
ut made Il great deal of talk here
abouts at the time, and it always will
as long as Barbara wanders around
the old Interchangeable in that queer
dress, with the flowers and autumn
leaves and wild berries in her hair. -
sit is a powder-magazine, then 20
"Oh, yes ma am. There was great
manufacturing company here once,
but it was ruined in the panic of 1887,
and there's not been an ounce of pow
der in the place for fifty years. It's a
picturesque 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 getting ahead of my
story"
And, leaning her plump comfortable
elbows on the table, Mrs. Wedder-
burn went on:
Ten years ago we had the most
successful summer season that ever
we knew; up in the Catskills the
houses were crowded-and some of the
Young gentlemen tourists actually
camped out in the barn O. nights. And
Barbara was here helping me-the
rose of the Catskills, one of my young
gentlemen guests called her, and some
l. ! 70 NV or,1 nd
coaXing and flattering could turn a
girls head, Barbara's was in a fair
way to be turned. Not that can ac-
cuse her of flirting or carrying on
that wasn't Barbara's way-she just
went quietly about her business and
never said nothing to nobody. But |
could see that she liked Mr. Warden
and Mr.. Warden was just the one of
the whole tribe and generation of 'em
that | could wish she hadn't liked.
You see, ma am, there's a difference
in people, and for all he made such a
fuss over her, | could see he was as
cold as a stone and as hard as adam
ant.
'"Things went along smootly, how
ever, until Miss Arkwright came up
from New York-Miss Arkwright with
her trailing silk dresses and diamond
rings and hair built up in curls and
frizzes Some folks like that style |
don't. But Miss Arllwright was very
rich and very fashionable, and the
minute / saw her and Mr.. Warden to-
gether, | knew that poor Barbara $
reign was over.
1.-The idea of making such IL commo-
ton over mere servant ~ says Miss
Arkwright. TO be sure she's pretty,
but so is china DOLL
81 beg your pardon, Miss Ark
wright said l, but Barbara is not a
servant. She's a neighbours daugh-
ter, said |, and she kindly does me
the favor to help me a little at busy
times, bein' I've no daughter of my
own
And Miss Arkwright put up her
gold eye-glass and stares at me as if l
was All escaped wild animal.
Really J says she. How very
gratifying to know
"And off she saunters, with her head
held up in the air like a queens.
1.-The very next week she asked Bar
bara to go up to the stone tower with
her. Barbara didn't want to go, but
Miss Arkwright had Il domineering
way with her, and the girl could hard
ly refuse.
There's a picnic going up there
tonight says Barbara.
81 know it. says Miss Arkwright,
but | don't want to see the place in Il
crowd. And you've nothing else to
DO Barbara Dale
$50 Barbara went, all in a new