Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-08-20

knew, but II grew dark. ohe never
thought Of her supper.
81 amt never recollected it so plain
before" she was thinking, 'an' its
upwards Of thirty-fve years. too. 1t
was the day | burnt up them sassy
lookin' Cuizzers very af ernoOn.
1t was SEWN -c;rcle day, an / run
over to Afethusy's to call for her, an
she hadn't waited for me same s she
always did. ali whe1 ] got to the
SEWN circle she had on her old de-
laine dress, and. what's more, she
wouldn't look at me at all.
''Arethusy nine always took heap
o. comfort dressin alike. an I'd wore
my bran new French calico, an she'd
left hern to home. We'd counted on
wearin' 'em first the same day. Why,
Arethusy n me was Jest like twin
sisters. There warn't nothin' we
wouldn't do for each other. / don't
understan' 1t. can't never under
stan it nohow at all. / never done
nothin an yet Arothusy warn't the
girl TO git put out for nothin'--I don't
understau' it. "
well, we amt never spoke since,
an we've lived neighborin' all this
time, except when Arethusy was a-keep-
in house for Johns folks over to the
Centre. We've lived noighborin' an
amt never sIoke-an' never will, it's
likely. 1t was dretful little begin
MIN to such long endin' but | didn't
start it up, an | amt goin' to speak
fust. 'Taint no use. l didn't do
nuthiu."
Aunt Persis looked straight ahead
into the darkness with dreamy eyes.
''Marthy says she's slim. Arethusy
never was real strong always kinder
pindlin' since she had the scarlet fever.
Civ her the scarlet fever, an l used
to feel awful about it, but L warn't
mite to blame. I'm sorry she's slim.
Yes, / AM I'm dretful sorry Are
thusy's sliml wish VIC spoke, SOS
could ruli in an take her some o my
elderberry wine an that Dutch cheese
made today. never did see any
body so fond O. Dutch chceses as
Areihusy was She eat whole big
one when we had our sixteen year-old
birthdays together out in her orchard.
Arethusy 'n'me's just two days apart
in ages, that's all We was most
thirty when we fell out, but we seemed
just like girls. recollect there was
a woman book agent called to the front
door the day we fell out | remem-
ber, because the front door was locked,
an she KEEP a-tryin' to get in an it
scairt me- An I'd seen a strange
woman a-gallivantin' round town-but
l didn't see what she kept tryin' the
door fOT=an' I don't see now All
the doors was locked; an she went
round an tried 'em all I'd locked
'em on account o Marthy Beckett's
sayin' she seen tramp that mornin
was layin' down on the parlor sofa
before l changed my dress for The
SEWN circle. Well, that book agent
was so anxious to git in that | finally
went to the door an ! says, won't
you please go away-an' stay away?'
or some sech words as them. / aint
thought about that book agent before
for moren' thirty odd years. / guess
twas that nighsighed talk with Mar
thy Beckett l recollect now | wish
l hadn't burned up them quizzin'
glasses so l could a seen that book
agents face palmer. 1t looked real
hazy through the blind Stats, an
recollect it locked some like"
Suddenly Aunt Persis sat bolt up
right in the dark hall. A shiver of
excitement ran through her thin
frame. Her hands shook, aud her
feet staggered when she tried to get
up, She felt about in the dark for the
kitchen door and finally found match
and lighte hand lamp. With the
same excited face she went into her
bedroom and changed her dress.
'I'll put on my best alpaccy an my
lace shawl" she said aloud. The
buttons almost refused to be buttoned,
aud 1t took her quite while to ad-
just the shiny black dress to her suit
ing. 'Therer' she exclaimed, holding
the lamp high over her head and peer
i1g into the little looking glass, Il
guess that'll do. Why, seems IS if /
look real kinder young l guess she'll
think So She forgot all about put
ting ON her bonnet and went out into
the yard still holding the hand lamp.
But she would not carry it back.
'Twon't matter, it's sech little
ways, an the wind don't blow the
least mite. An she amt got no light
neither, as fur as l can see ="
She walked along rapidly to the un-
painted house and up the narrow,
poppy-bordered path to the side door.
Everything was very dark and silent.
81 do know but it's in the middle
o the night, she thought, with sud
den misgivings, "rIl speak SOS she
won't feel scairt
"Arethusyl Arethusyl It's me!
It's me-Persisr'
She waited minute aud then called
again. There was little noise inside,
and feeble voice said, "Won't you
please go away-Gn' an stay away?"
and then with great longing, so,
Persist o, Persist
Aunt Persis laughed historically.
81 amt no book agent, Arethusy
Flint, no more'n you warn't thirty
five years ago. 1t was dretful silly
mistake, an amt only found it ont
tonight 1t come over me all in a
heap. Amt you goin' to let me in?
You needn't get no light. L got one
here
The door opened, and Aunt Persis
and the light went in. "Ycu go right
back 10 bed, Arethusy, an I'll set ON
the aidge and talk TO you"
The dim little light flickered over
the two delighted faces, one surrounded
with the rutiie CT nightcap and the
other surmounting the best alpaca
gown wi h its modest lace collar
The years were all forgotten. The
girls" were girls still and talked over
the old times long into the night and
halfway into the morning
"You look real peaked Areth "y
Marthy said you was slim. ben
watchin' to see you cut weedin' for
more'n week past. You need doc
torin, that's what you need, an I'm
a-goin' to do it myself Elderherry
vines a good thing to begin ON.
Arathusa neStled dawn eontenfedlv