The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-07-18
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SPEED THE PLOW.

~
pine trees, writhing like Dryads in the
death throes; the long, winding village
road was deserted. and the lonely depot
down i'll dismal sandy flat was weird and
spectral enough for anything in the ghostly
evening light. SO the tall sunburnt young
fellow, dressed in gray homespun, Scotch
cap and tall top boots, walking up and
down with his hands in his coat pockets
thought as he watched the darkening of the
dreary day into still more dreary night and
listened to the wild melancholy moaning
of the mysterious pine woods.
With an unearthly shrek, such as onl y
an indian or locomotive can give, the train
steamed in and stopped to let the passenger,
for Ashiield get out. Half dozen country.
men, two old women, baby, a young lady
and gentleman, and little white lap dog
that was what the car disgorged, and thel
the bell rang, and it went steaming off like
fiery meteor back to the city. The coun
trymen, the old women and the baby went
away, and only the young lady and gentle
man and lap dog remained, with Mr.. John
Ward in the background econnoiterng
The young lady threw back her veil, dis
closing a pair of particularly bright brown
eyes, hair to match, Navy and glossy, Il
rosy little mouth, and an intensely anxious
expression of countenance generally.
Dear me! its very odd. | told Kitty |
was coming today, and she assured me her
brother or some one would be in waiting
Its getting dark, and don't see whatever
we are going to do in this Wilderness"
"Perhaps that fellow over there in the
gray homespun may know how to direct
us, suggested the young gentleman, who
was a very stylish got-up young gentleman,
indeed, with cloak and mustache and a
pale and interesting countenapce, illumin-
ated by pair of large, dark, melancholy
eyes. ''Shall ask him?n
John Ward, in his distant corner, saw
the bright brown eyes turn his way and be-
came painfully conscious of his gray home
spun and coarse boots, took his hands out
of his pockets and blushed, celestial rosy
red, y under favor of the darkness. Resist
ing delirious desire to knock the owner
Of the stylish cloak and mournfully dark
eyes down, there and then, he advanced
and touched his hat With an awkward
grace of his own, t. the brown-eyed lady.
BEG your pardor-is your name Miss
Grant?"
eyes, sir; and you are
''John Ward, kitty's brother; and the
gigs right out here, waiting. Is this your
luggage
He was lifting a huge trunk and huger
bandbox, still red to the roots of his hair
when little hand, daintily kidded, was
held out and the pretty face was looking
up at him with the prettiest smile in the
world.
81 am very glad to see you, Mr.. Ward
| have heard so much of you from Kitty
that don't feel as if we were strangers at
all"
"Iou are very good to remember me.'
John stammered, dropping the lavender
glove as it burned him. evil you get
into the gig, its cold here?''
Certainly; but first let me make YOU
acquainted with Mr.. Duval-NIr. Ward
Mr.. Duval.N
Mr. Duval lifted his excessively becom-
ing cap an inch from his ebon locks and
replaced it again, staring at John all the
while as if he were live Kangaroo and
John seized the trunk as if it We're a work
box and carried it in his strong arms to the
gig. Mr.. Duval followed with the young
lady, the lap dog and the bandbox, and
took his seat quite as a matter of course
beside her while John drove through the
lonely road whistling "Speed the plow, -
and trying to appear very much at ease and
quite unconscious of the animated CONVEX
sation going on behind him. Now and
then little Miss Grant would lean over and
ask him a Question, but Johns answers
were not elaborate, and talk all on one side
soon lags.
He had been silently whistling for up
ward of quarter OF an hour, when they
drove through wooden gate, up an avenue
of orange hemlocks and stopped before a
tall. old-fashioned farmhouse, whose win.
dows were all ablaze with illumination.
At the sound of the wheels the hall door
was thrown open and bright face, framed
in golden hair, dimpled and smiling and
rosy, peeped out. One glance was suili-
cient, and with shrill little shrek of de-
light, Miss Kitty was clasped in the arms
of Miss Hattie.
"My own dear, darling Hattie Oh I'm
so glad you've comet cried Kitty, in shrill
tones of Joy.
ooh, Kitty, how nice it is is to meet you
again.' cried Miss Hattie, with equal shrill-
ness. "And how well you are looking!
Just to think it is two whole months since
we parted last"
Yes, doesn't it seem like an age?" But
come in; expect you are freezing
"Let me make you acquainted with Mr..
Duval, dearest" was Miss Hattie's some
what inapposite reply; and Mr.. Duval