Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-03-25


drivin at?" Mr.. Topmatk asked angrily.
Mr.. Howell's faoo grew more than ever
tranquil as he replied:
II thought I was explicit enough;
but, if / must speak palmer, l begin
work only upon receipt of suitable re.
tainer, and Miss Tubbs says, with nd.
mirable candor, she has not $40 to her
name"
"Wcll, what er thnt7 Sue fer half
you recover, Mr. Topmark said sulkily.
Again the lawyer smiled.
II think need not tell ono SO we'll
informed as yourself" he said silken.
ly, THAT law Is not nn exact science,
and that in contingent cases one is never
certain Of not having his trouble for his
pains"
"Confound you'll" Mr.. Topmark
growled. "I'vo done let you inter this,
an you know you can bleed me. All you
lawyers Is reH'ler lccches, though-os
we'll you as crnother.
II thought you would hear reason"
Mr.. Howell returned. with bow.
"Now, let's get our bearings, 80 to
speak. judge you wish very greatly TO
marry the heircss Of Roscoe
ut amt that" Topmark broke in.
1T mought er becn Mt first. Befo' my
wife died I did want the land, but
now
II understand" the lawyer said.
"But, repeat, you wish to marry the
heiress Of Roscoe? You wish, too, that
that person shall turn out to 10 Miss
Rob McGregor, but only after she has
become Mrs Topmark?'
yes mol don't hardly know.
You've got me flustercd with your fine
talk. But III tell you plain jest whar
an how stan with her. been thar
this mornin; found her go took up with
or pnssel CT nasty little turkeys couldn't
scasely git or word with her. She
'pearei moughty bright, though, sorter
OIL aidge, rs You may say. So waited.
tnlkin ter tho ole man, until seen her
slip off ont ter the p'nr trccs. Then
chased off arter her; found her fipgin
sticks nm rocks up in 'em all p'ars jest
rainin down nt every throw she made
Then she up IN snid how lazy she WAS
ANY industrious body'd climb an pick
the fruits onbruised, as they was fer
p'serves. Then up an said I'd git up
thar. though l want quite or boy, an.
she laughed real tantalizin AL said she;
couldn't let the father er u family resk
hisself that way. Then she KEEP on
throwin an set me ter pick up what she
knocked down. An taught You ouRhter
or heard her " hen them fruits come
danoin an hoppin over my bald head.
But arter bit she says:
"'Let's 60 in the grape arbor an rest.
I'm 'fraid you II have apoplexy. 1cain't
have your death OH my conscience. I
$50 In we went nh set OH the two turf
benches. her one side, me tho other. Sho
had her apern full or p ars an flung one
over ter me, sayin:
"'Have er par, Mr.. Topmark. I'm
shore you We earned it.
"Then I sorter nidged round ter let
tin OH wanted ernother sort er par. an
she flung mp her hoad an laughed al
said
"'Oh, Mr.. Topmark, jest fer or
change, now. s'pose you was ter talk
sense ter me! know it would improve
your health. !
"'Oh, says l. then you wanter talk
business' I'm agreeable. Jest you fire
erway.'
IAN she says, lookin over my head,
4 can't talk your sorter business, cause
amt got mono er my own, all other
folks is clean out er the question
Why says l. everybody thinks
you've got er heap er business-heap too
much fer er pretty young thing like
your
IAN then she hold up her hand, say.
in: 'Stopi You know business is buyin
an sellin an payin debts. Now, I've
nothin ter buy right now, thank God.
next ter nothin ter sell sence the colt
was stole an not er debt in the world.
In fact. can't git in debt. Nobody'd
trust mo fer 10 cents They know they
couldn't tetoh the land fer it-that's all
we'vo got-an I'd shoot the man that
would name sale er mortgage ter dad.
dy.'
"'You oughter be rich with all this
land, sayaI. Wouldn't you like ter bef
It's wuth er fortune ef it was managed
right.
"Then she thought er mint an flung
her arms over her head. sayin: Yes, l
do want money, er heap Of 1t, ernough
to make somo rascals suffer an give
daddy an the dogs an all the black folks
er good time.
"'You amt namin nothin fer your
SELF, l saya 'Shorely you want some.
thin ef it amt no mon fine weddin
clothes
"An then she laughed-she's jest like
auicksilver-an says she: 'Oh. Mr.. Top
mark, Mr.. Topmark! How onn you tam
talize me 30! You know ef ever fall In
love with anybody he'll be shore ter
have mothers an sisters an cousins an
aunts that'll hate me on the face or
earth. They'll eben hate the ground
walk on 80 I'll have ter dry up inter
the ugliest little old maid. reckon III
blow away in the end. Thar amt no
chance er me dyin, like anybody ought
when they re crossed III love. You ought
ter be sorry fer me instid er maxim me
sorry fer myself.
NO, I'm sorry fer myself, SAYS I.
You've done sawed me off short every
fetch, but I'm bound ter say er feller
that could git you wouldn't mind of oil
the other women in the world was mad
ernough ter die over it.
81 oughter say thanky, sir, says
she. But l thought we'd agreed ter
talk sense.
"'Oh. no. saws I. 1T was business,