The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-09-26

MISS :
7T5NANCY. !
::
| OVEMBER was growing old and

OVEMBER was growing old and
u Miss Nancy Camp, who sat at the
window watching the gray clouds
shift across the sky in heavy masses, wished
in her secret heart that it was gone.
"Whod "a thought it would hev come of
so cold after such warm spell, Nancy?"
said voice from the little bedroom that
led out of the kitchen.
"Its moderating. | reckon its going to
snow" responded Miss Nancy.
''Its jest like that November when Jim
Wilmot went out West" continued her
sister remniscently.
eyes" was the low response.
"Twas real warm Thanksgiving, and
then day or two after it begun ter snow,
and the twenty eighth-you remember,
Nanoy-'twas the time they had that cele-
bration in the schoolhouse, and you and
Jim went-my, how it did blow and sleet!
And on Sunday it was so drifted that cousin
Anne Camp-she that was Stevens, you
know-couldn't git ter meeting. 1t was
the first time in 'leven years that she'd
missed hearing Elder Dickens. She felt
real bad about it," added Miss Abby.
Miss Nancy drew her chair nearer to the
window and brushed her hand across her
eyes. There was no sound from the little
bedroom for awhile. The big, oldfashioned
clock on the high shelf licked away the
minutes, and Miss Nancy rocked by the
window, with her hands folded in her lap.
"There's someone coming across the
old bridge" said Miss Nancy eagerly.
''See who it is, Nancy. Likely as not its
tibet school teacher tibet boards down ter
Fosters, though it don't sound like their
team. She must be powerful sight of
trouble to EN-. d"
Miss Nancy pressed her face against the
pane obediently, although there was a mist
before her eyes that blinded her little
The wagon came nearer and nearer, until
she could see that it had but one occupant
"a man about forty, apparently, with a
oCalu Ohue Ups auuCu q liCtiC W lis uSC.
"Who is it, Nancy?' questioned Miss
Abby, fretfully. at amt her, is it? My!
it sounds as if it was coming in-in-here. :"
81 don't know" answered Nancy. Like
enough he wants some directions"
Gle? Lands! Its man, then! Be
sure to tell him us"
But there came a heavy knock on the
door and Miss Abby subsidized. Slowly
Miss Nancy crossed the room and turned
the knob. There was nothing said for a
moment. The man looked steadfastly at
the figure before him; at the simply made
wooden dress with its pure white collar and
cuffs; the slender, blue-veined hands; the
face with its firm mouth and faded blue
eyes; the hair parted smoothly and with
the same little wave in front that he remem-
bered so well, and the high, shell comb that
was new to him. He saw the wrinkles,
too, but he saw more-the years of toll and
trouble that must have wrought them. All
this he noted and then held out his hand.
"Nancy! Have you forgotten Jim?"
She gave startled glance into his eyes,
and little crimson flush crept into her
cheeks. 1t reminded him of that time he
had kissed her in the garden at the back of
the house.
"Who is it, Nancy?' whispered Miss
Abby from the bedroom. ''Do tell him ter
soale in and shet the door, and-I want
some more fennel."
eyes, Abby answered Miss Nancy,
opening her lips with an effort
Jim Wilmot came in and closed the door
softly behind him.
"Is Abby very sick?" he asked
'She hasn't walked for six years." an
swered Miss Nancy, mechanically taking
ssale feanel out of dish on the table and
going into the bedroom with it.
''Who is it," whispered Miss Abby again.
"Jim Wilmot," responded her sister.
''Jim! Lands O Goshen! Well, well,
~4s'd "a Thought he'I IA turned up after
all these years? Do tell him to come in
hSiS ioic HS SbSS' jim W we'll, L
reverb
Miss Nancy gave little pat to the pill
lows, and then entered the sitting room
again.
'If you'll stay to supper, you'd better
put your horse and team under the she'd
We haven't hired man now."
Thank you, he said gladly.
She sent him little sly glance as he went
out OF the door.
In few minutes he was back again. but
the talk was a little forced. He told her
how rough the life was out West when he
first went; how, after many discourage
ments, little prosperity came to him, and
then he came on visit to his folks, who
told him that they lived together at the
little house, and that Abby was ''sickly,"
though they didn't know she was a regular
invalid.
Miss Nancy wondered, looking at the
.fTm chin, and the hair that had been so
brown now streaked with gray, if it was
not very lonesome out there, and if he had
quite forgotten the old days.
The clock at last warned her that she