Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-06-18

three or four farmhouses. Their occu-
pants would be I.amar's nearest neigh
bors, at least on the land side. TO the
south, perched on another rocky point
about a quarter of mile away, was the
hut of family of fishermen, who were
not likely to be intrusive.
As has been said, the business of TAX
ing possession was simple matter, and
the night after our arrival we passed
in the house by the bay. Lamar showed
amazing energy in making the place
habitable, and within week wonders
were accomplished. a wagon-load of
furniture and fitting was secured from
the village; | turned glazer to replace
the broken window-panes, whose alb
sence had served at least to save the
place from the reproach of musti-
ness; and my employer developed
no mean ability as a carpenter. To
be sure, it was mere box of
house, making our labor so
much the lighter, but ] felt 4
good deal of pride in the results. On
the ground-floor was q living-room,
with a kitchen behind it, and a small
room opening from the kitchen. Above
were two rooms of fair size, both Of
which, Lamar told me, he should re-
quire for his own use. 1t had been
agreed, soon otter our arrival, that [
should find quarters in one of the farm
houses between the refuge and the VIII
lage-an arrangement entirely to my
liking, for the prospect of dwellingunder
the same roof with Lamar was not al
Turing. He was as unsympathetc as
an iceberg, hardly more loquacious,
and the mystery he maintained was
not of the fascinating sort In the
week we passed together | came to dis
like him exceedingly. Sometimes, when
a days lahors were ended he would sit
for hours putting away at his cigar,
watching the wreaths of smoke, but
speaking not word, and hardly honor
ing me with a glance. What his re-
Elections might be was beyond my
power of conjecture; yet l managed.
with considerable satisfaction, to con-
vince myself that he had committed
some crime of particular atrocity, and
that he was no common political exile.
Never, however, did he give me cause
to suppose him to be sufferer from
remorse. Whatever his reasons for
flight might have been, he seemed now
to regard himself as respited from
pursuit, and his look lost something Of
it's Stl,ssness, though it was evident
that he did not feel that his peril was
crded. He had strengthened the doors
of the house and fitted them with heavy
bolts, while stout bars were ready to
be stretched across the lower windows
at a moments notice.
In these early days of our stay at
RodneytOwn my acquaintance with the
townspeoplc stood us in good stead.
OF course our coming and the purchase
OF the old house set the tongues of the
village gossips wagging, but the cha
ter was not very ill-naturcd, and the
explanation that |, an old Rodneytown
boy, had brought an invalid to the shore
for the benefit of the sea air was accept
ed with even less dcmur than | had
looked for. for the villagers were proud
Of the hcaithfulncSs of the place. The
additional statement that the sick man
required complete quiet, and for the
present was unable to receive visitors,
was successful in its object. Lamar was
not molestrd by inqusitive callers, and
after a little the people whom | met
ceased to question me about him, save
at rare intervals. A barn-burning
about that time did US a great service
in giving the townspeople amore vitality
interesting topic than sick stranger
forced by his malady to lead solitary
existence.
Among the most delicate tasks fall
ing to my lot was the securing OF q
servant for the invalid, but, here again,
fortune being kind, an old neCrcss
was installed as nominal nurse and
actual housekecpcr. She had been
born a slave, according to village ;aib,
but had secured her freedom and mi
grated north. She was an excellent
cook, but so surly and grabbed was her
iSpOstioI-moreoycr, she was very
d,af-that at last nobody would en-
ploy her. \ recital of her disabilities
sent me post-haStc after her; for, if
scented to be, she was the woman i'll n
thousand for us. When she took charge
of the kitchen we were relieved of one
point at least; there would be no gos-
siping at that end of the house.
Meanwhile, had contracted for food
and lodging at one of the farmhouses,
and had put out my shinglc in due
form-much to the satisfaction of my
hostess, who confessed that it pleased
her to have evidences given that there
was "a grown man bout the place" She
was Mrs. Elvira Weston, a widow, and
the mother of two boys, neither of
whom was yet old enough to relieve
her of the cares of the farm. She
was a CHEEKY soul, who had endured
many misfortunes without losing cour'
age, and | was glad to secure quarters
under her roof. She allotted to me
wing of the house, which, having an
entrance of its own, would serve adj
mirably as an office. | soon had my den
fitted up in a way to excite considerable
local admiration. a few books, a couple
of anatomical charts and some Walls OF
drugs were disposed to the best adj
vantage to impress patients with the
mysteries of the healing art.
In it's beginning my practice in Rod
ncytown was much like an early spring
in New Engand-more promise than
realization, A daily visit to Lamar was
the basing-point of my routine. As
rule, it was very brief, though occasion
ally he let me understand that my post
was no sinccure. Now and then he sent
me on trips to Trent, thriving hive
of ,onpufoctorinc nbOut 3O miles from