Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-03-26

DEAR BoY-I write this, hoping to
find you in the land of the living-a pos
sibility l somewhat doubt, in view of
the late unconseionable tricks played by
that thermometer of yours. / find it
quite pleasant, not to say gratifying, to
read that the mercury stands at 9S deg.
IN New York, and then look abroad upon
my own cool retreat.
Weston is as pleasant a village as
sGIs al1As wight dEish to see. and its surround
light Not being an artist Tild SsLe with de-
which my friends here insist upon rele-
eating me-my staid, legal mind man
ages to preserve its accustomed balance.
Before leaving the city, l told you
my address would be South Weston,
that being, as I then supposed, the one
given me by Mr.. Millard. have since
discovered my mistake. A most fortu-
nate incident put me on the right track.
On the car l got into conversation with
q gentleman who lives in Weston, and
knows Mr.. Millard intimately. He i'm
mediately gave ms my true bearings.
This saved me some annoyance, though
[ had some slight trouble about my
trunk. l have been puzzled to know
how | should have gotten South Weston
in my mind. l asked Mr.. Millard about
it, but he appeared quite unable to under
stand. To admit the plain truth, can
not quite understand him. He is most
pleasant and agreeable gentleman, but
his attitude toward me is certainly not
what his letter led me to expect. They
were more than cordial. He has never
mentioned my fathers name, and the
letters which passed between us are as
though they never were. He doesn't
mention them and don't. You will be
surprised to hear also that have been
allowed to take up my quarters at the
hotel, when you know | had quite ex-
pected something very different Surely,
l was never more mistaken in the terms
Of an invitation in my life before.
Meantime affairs are very pleasant.
There is Mrs. Millard, a fact that
rather surprised me. She is q most
charming woman, and her daughter,
Miss Ellis, or Miss Kitty, as everybody
calls her, is equally so. Under the cir
cumstances l spent a large portion of
my days at Glendale.
1 wish you would find time to run up
here for a while. This delightful air
would infuse new life into your veins.
The hotel which honor by my resi-
dence is called Fair View, a piece of
conceit and delicate sarcasm which l
highly appreciate. 1t is full at the pres
ent time, so my landlord informs me,
and between ourselves, he is, not un-
frequently, in the same condition him
self. However, he is free, white and
twenty-one, and I won't begrudge him
his little Irregularities. In fact, no one
does, unless it be his wife, most re-
markabie woman, who manages the
house and her poorer half in a manner
calculated to win the admiration of e
Dame Van Wrinkle. In my estimation,
the one wise thing John Shrimp ever did
was to make Matilda Butler Mrs.
Shrimp.
Matilda, so the story goes, was mis-
tress of country hotel, less pretentious
even than this present Fair View, when
the worthy John happened along and
took up his residence ther3.
John was logician in his way, and
thus he argued, as did the worthy Bit
teredge before him, Matilda being sin
gle, ohiges me to pay my board. Ma
tilda, being Mrs. Shrimp, gives me my
board for nothing. Therefore, Matilda
shall be Mrs. Shrimp.
Result: For fifteen years Matilda has
boarded John Shrimp for nothing. Come
anu nave glimpse OF LnlS 5nAuluB CA
ample of welded bliss.
Come, say, but don't expect first
class accommodations. You may share
my room. 1t is the best that could be
done for me under existing circumstan-
ees. 1 have this on the authority Of
Mrs. Shrimp, accompanied by one of her
sweet smiles, and prefaced by the re-
quest to be allowed so to speak.
1t has its drawbacks, however, among
others, lack of substantially in chairs,
bed, etc. l admire certain steadiness
in furniture as well as people. II you
fancy the daily routine of my life 1 can
promise you plenty of it. Immediately
beneath my window is the residence of
eomely sow, who is at present rearing
thriving family, and my interest is al
ways keenly alive to the interesting. not
TO say instructive, spectacle.
Don't let this brief description frighten
you, for l really pine for a glimpse of
your seraphic countenance. 1t is now
almost mail time, and as l wish to get
this in must stop Immediately. Write
Il you are alive, and come if possible.
Yours, ETC., JACK BEVERLY.
"one duty accomplished, soliloquized
the writer of the above, as with grand
flourish he signed his mama 'Astonish-