Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-02-18
CHAPTER l.

big road where it ran down hill to cross
Walnut creek. The storehouse was q
log structure, with cringing frame
addition across the back In front there
was ramshaclkle shed porch, with a
Gathering floor. and some tottering steps
at one edge. from which tho women
customers who rode got up or down
from their horses. They were not over
many. For the most part the store got
its trade from tho abundant freedmen.
Some part of the blacks had small
holdings of their own. A much larger
moiety worked upon neighboring planta-
tions, either for wages or for a share Of
the crops. But, howsoever employed,
they had trick of coming to buy at all
hours Of the day and night. Mr.. Top
mark, the storekeeper, bemoaned the
fact no little. 1T is the i'll convenient
est thing" he said. "Ef tho niggers'd
Jest come either all by day er all by
night, q man'd know when ter be thar
an needn't bother an 60 ter expense
keepin no eech trial as that thar tritiin
Teddy Barton, who can't be depended
on more'n five days in tho week.
Teddy, you see, considered himself
society man Of the giddiest type. He
thought nothing of riding 8 miles and
back to a party, which, in his judgment
at least, would 30 q fat failure lacking
tho light Of his countenanco. But he
had the rcdecming quality Of coming
cheap to his employer, and the further
merit Of being humbly respectful to that
PERSONS face, though among his own
mates he told Wild tales of "the sass he
give ole Top jest whenever he had u
mind"
Nobody believed him. Nobody ever
did believe anything Teddy said. The
bare fact Of his saying it indeed made
against the acceptance Of anything un-
less there was mighty good outside
proof. "That thar boy-ho'd ruther lie
than ter drink whisky er eben Dance
big Matt Taylor, the blacksmith, said
of him, with kindly, contemptuous
laugh. There woro not lacking people
to say, though that it WAS Trddy's fac
ilo untruth which had got and kept
representatives.
Still there were limits to Teddy's use
fulness. Mr.. Topmarll knew him too
we'll to trust him with any matter too
parlous for general gossip. Possibly that
was why he said nfiably upon a July
evening:
''Teddy, ain I thar 10 frolic ncwhar's
been ter one in ten days, an do reckon
heap Of tho fair sect is pinin fer tho
sight Of you. ~
Teddy giggled and admitted that
"mayby two or three gals over ut Squire
Bynum 8 would chuno up an cry ef he
didn't git thar fore 10 o'clock. p" So,
after bit more chaff, be went gallop-
ing away, waving laughing goodby to
Luloy, the eldest Of Mr.. Topmark's
three small daughters. She was prim
miss of 8. Annie and Jinney, the 9th
ers, were respectively and 8. They
were all miniatures Of their mother,
who was of tho softly curved, plump,
white rabbitty type. She sat a little way
Off, watching her children tumble and
play on tho piazza floor. There were no
lights outside, but broad yellow radi-
anco fell from hall lamp on the hud-
died heads, making plain all tho intri-
cacies Of their touseled gold.
"You Children better not make so
much fuss. Pappy'll send you off ter
bed It's time you were there now way
after s O'clock" Mrs. Topmark said,
with slow, indulgent smile Jinney
disentangled herself and toddlcd across
to her father. He sat easily in big
splint rocker, but there was no ease in
his face. Instead it wore strained
look, yet he smiled obviously upon the
child, catching her up and making
great ado of standing her upon her head.
At once he set her down and rose pre-
cipitately, saying:
''Ain't that jest the beat Of luck? Eff
Teddy was hero, wouldn't soul come
a.nigh the sto' fer two days mayby, yet
thar's somebody hollerin now, an Two
got ter 60 tend ter him er else lose my
trade ter that feller at tho CROSSROADS. "
1T is aggravatin; but, then, folks
most always come erbout this time in
the week-Thursday nights, you know
Mrs Topmark returned placidly. Her
husband heard only the first words He
was half way across the hundred yards
Of turf that separated the store from the
smart now house, brave in cream walls
and scarlet window sash, that lately bad
replaced his fathers squat log dwelling.
Some one was calling sharply from the
road. The hail was insistent, but oau-
tous. To one able to read faces it was
plain Mr.. Topmark had been listening
for it in spite Of his elaboration of sur
prised vexation over it. But nothing OF
that came to the woman sitting placid
ly on the piazza. Except within the
narrowest personal limits, she had no
penetration. Besides she would sooner
have questioned the ways of divine
Providence than those Of her husband.
The stores back door alone was open
ed after dark. AS Mrs. Topmark heard
it clang behind her husband she settled
herself afresh, took Jinney in her arms
and began softly to Groom fragment OF
an old love song. But after minute
she fidgeted uneasily, then sat suddenly
upright. saying, with touch of author
ity: "Now, you all must go right ter
bed, every one Of you. You hear that?
Come on an let mo SEQ who gets up