Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-05-14
LA PLATA, MARYLAND, MAY a. 1897

= ~PANAf IL AcHtOtiNc tuue. says
to myself, says ], 'ef you misses a
person when You don't see her, that
shows you've a hankering after her.
And if you've hankering after per.
son, That shows you're in love with
her. And if you're in love with a per
son, well, the next things to get mar
ried to her. says I--subiect to her
approval, of course," added the man
of soap and ireacle, and as an after.
thought hardly worthy of considera.
tion.
Having thus logically stated his case,
he leaned his burly figure back in his
chair, stuck his thumbs into the arm.
holes of his waist coat, and com
placently awaited reply.
"Pm very sorry" stammered Nancy.
whom the proposal had taken entirely
by surprise. "If you mean me, Mr..
Sprunt, it's quite impossible"
''What, impossible !" almost shouted
that gentleman, starting up in such
undisguised astonishment that Nancy
with difficulty repressel a smile. ''You
cant mean impossible, surely2 For
my sake, take time and consider. The
shops good going concern. l could
keep YOU like lady. A silk gown
and gold watch and chain would be
nothing to me. And I've snug bit
of morey laid by"
"That makes no difference" inter.
rupted Nancy, little frown pucker-
ing her forehead.
To say that her elderly wooer was
dumbfounded, is putting it mildly. If
money made no difference, what on
earth would? He was almost at his
wits end, seeing his chance of five
hundred pounds visibly receding, when
bright idea struck him. The senti-
mental card was the one to play on q
woman.
Accordingly, with rueful look, he
rose as if to depart.
"Well, can say no more. I've Of
fered you my all, and it doesn't please
you. Many's the time, Nancy, my
dear, I've thought OF you here so
solitary-like. Maybe, after this, you'll
think about me sometimes sitting lone
some"
"Oh. hush !" cried Nancy, smitten
with realcompuncs:on for the pain she
was Inaicting. "It it was anything
else, Mr.. Sprunt--"
cay, that's it" with heavy sigh,
taking step to tho door. "If yor
knew how I've saved up, and planned
and counted on this, yon'I be sorry
for me. You sec disappointment
tells more on man come to my time
Of life. I'm not SO young as I once
was"
The smile with which he concluded
was more touching to Nancy thar
tears. A wave of infinite pity swept
over her.
Sprunt paused half way to the door,
detecting signs of indecision.
81 see you're not able to bring your
mind to it, he said, humbly. ~ might
have known you couldn't. You'll not
let this make any difference between
us; it will kill me, if you did. Good
bye, my dear-God bless you! You'll
never want friend as long as old John
Sp1unt's living. Good bye"
"Stop a moment" said Nancy hur-
riedly. She was fairly overcome by
such dlsinterested affection. "If you
care SO much"
"Carep broke in Sprunt. With gen
uine fervor; lyon don't know how
much care" (which was quite true)
"oh, Nancyl Just change your mind
and say yes >"
Nancy said "yes.
While this settling and sealing of
his mistress's destiny was taking place,
it may be profitable to enquire, "What
was Spook atter?"
During the most interesting part of
the colloquy he was intent on an ex =
animation of the visitors overcoat- -
foreign articles THAT is, those not in
digenous to Cherry tree Cottage) pos
sessing rare fascination for him.
Spook had terrible nose for dis
covering secrets. The nearer he ap-
preached one of the pockets the keener
grew the smiling; the reason being
that therein lay the fateiul letter
which had acquired a very pronounced
smell of the ham it had been in close
proximity to all day.
Now, Spook had one weakness-and
that was for ham. Ham in any shape
or form was to him irresistible. For
ham he would have stopped at no
crime, how much less at mere pocket,
pickingl
After considerable manguvering, he
dexterously inserted into the pocket a
paw, and, without more ado, contrived
to fish out the letter.
AS it fell on the floor, a sudden
movement of Sprunts made Spook
think he was detected, and he precipi-
lately fled, leaving his booty lying
half-hidden under the table, to be dis
covered in due time.
II anyone had told Nancy the next
morning, when she began washing her
doorstep, that she would leave it half
done, she would have laughed the
crazy prediction to scorn.
But so it was decreed.
She had given the preliminary wash
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