Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-04-02

anything. call that assurance. In
deed 1t is more than assurance. 1t is
impudence."
Pooh commented Jeanette, with
some contempt.
Don't pooh me, Jeanette; l hate it.
You know nothing. about It, You don't
know about Mrs. Chick and all the other
abominable women he's always bringing
up, just to have me ask about them, and
show what an ignoramus | am. can't
imagine why you or grandpa did not
make me read when l was young.
1T was as much as mortal could do to
make you learn your letters. That wore
me terrible
Il wish, continued Mary, undisturbed
by this explanation, Il wish l knew
every book by heart, good and bad alike
Wouldn't | make his hair stand on end
with some of my quotations. It is well
enough for you TO look Mortified. l don {
care to shock you, but DO literally pine
TO shock him"
You are doing it, Miss you are do
ing IL fast enough. / know your
grandpa'd be ashamed enough to hear
you talk, and l know I'm ashamed the
way you treat Mr.. Beverly. Having
him after them chickens every morning
In all that mess, spelling his shoes and
his clothes and"
There was an irrepressible burst OF
merrlment from the listening Mary.
If you had been there this morning,
was her only reply to this reproof, "actu.
ally, you would have laughed yourself
into Mysteries. He ran after an old hen
and had such a tumble"
Il seen it," was the severe reply,
that good-fornothing thing that amt
laid an egg this week"
THE very one She can run, though.
He kept screaming that he had caught
her, when he really had only handful
Of feathers from her tail, and she was
out OF sight before he could get on his
feet.
Mary gave way to another burst OF
merrimeut at this remembrance.
Jeanette regarded her with rcprov-
ing air.
I'm ashamed to see you laugh over
such thing, Miss Mary. A gentleman
like him
Il must have laughed, if it had hap
pened to myself, answered Mary, and
as for him-look here, Jeanette "-she
broke of abruptly, skipping from the
bed and standing before Jeanette, with
n proud air-"can it be possible that you
think him better than we are2 Because
he isn't. Let me tell you, do not con-
slider him my superior by any means,
and, as for grandpa, his equal has not
been created yet. What is your opinion
nOw?"
1aT.-.a..ft t,;.,r, l.. ,,n,,fI i,arror ,,, q, h,J
instead of sitting here, talking pack OF
nonsense If you go on as you've been
doing | don't know what Mr.. Beverly
will think of you.
And l don't care" reioined Mary,
eharpy. Il dare say he doesn't trouble
himself to think of me at ell "
Most likely not, was the provoking
reply. He has too many other girls to
think of, let alone you"
"Of course he has. Didn't make tho
same remark a second ago? There's no
necessity for you TO repeat it-none at
all. 1 can't imagine what has put you
in such disagreeable humOr. Do sleep
it off, for mercy's sake.
The conclusion of this speech was lost
in the noise of the door, which Mary
closed with bang after her
How provoking Jeanette can be
sometimesl" she scliloquized, fastening
along the hall. I'm afraid her supper
disagreed with her"
Whose supper? inquired a voice from
the surrounding darkness.
You, cried Mary, facing Jack.
What faculty you have for putting
yourself where you are not wanted"
Come, Miss Mary, that is very Sc
we're. am going to my room, and
there is no other way, l believe. l over
heard your remark. If it is case of
Indigestion have an infallible cure.
. 1t is not a case of igestion-mere-
Iy a case of being disagreeable.
"Oh. Then l suppose Jeanette is
the offender. What did she say or do?'
Nothing that concerns you.
Are you positive of that?" he asked,
trying to see the outlines of her face in
the shadow. Il thought possibly my
lame had been mentioned"
Mary's face grew warm, but she man.
aged to answer calmly:
we have other subjects Of conversa-
ton besides you. Goodnight, sir.
Good might. madame"
Sometimes / wish l were one Of the
leaders of society, she cried, throwing
herself upon chair in her own room.