The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-02-19
CHAPTER V-Continued.

"L-O-r-d Mel" said Mrs. Darby,
are you and Dandy carousing here
at this late hour? You had better
be in your beds.''
"We might return the compli-
ment, Mr.. Darby" Mel said, in his
usual boisterous and mirthful man
ner, "by suggesting the same
advice. Ho! butler, roll out a butt
of sack; let the drums beat and the
pipes scurl a welcome to her majesty
and her retinue to the hospitalities
of our ancestral Hall. Ho! hear
ye, hear ye, butler? Take her
majesty's servants to our hosiery
and refresh them as becomes the
dignity of our house."
"L-o-rd there's a wide differ
ence in our motives for keeping late
hours. Urgent business has forced
us out this stormy night, to seek
you two drunken dis, who should
have been at the bridge long ere
this, instead of holding an orgie in
this old hut"
"This old hut !" calculated Mel.
"Listen to that, Mr.. Culpepper
Terming my ancestors hall an old
hut! Ha ha! ha!
Thou, the hall of my father, art gone to decay
| In thy once smiling garden, the hemock and
thistle
Have choked up the rose which late boomed in
| the way.
Mr.. Culpepper and 1 have been
'vexing with mirth the drowsy ear
of Night"
"Well, you've vexed it long
enough" " returned the lady. "For
Heavens sake, don't make
beasts of yourselves any longer"
"The big -bellied bottles a cure
for all care,' you know, madam.
Ha ha! ha! Come wont you take
a glass of toddy after your fatiguing
jaunt? We must give our guests "A
Highland welcome. Mix upa glass
of the best. Ganymede, fill up the
goblets, and don't forget Davy
Man, come forward and help your
SELF"
This summons the passive Davy
Darby instantly Obeyed, and draw
ing near to the table, he turned of
a bumper of raw brandy, without
wincing.
''Come, Mrs. Darby, divest your
self of your wet cloak, and draw
near the fire." Mel pursued, giving
the slumbering chunks a kick, to
wake up the blaze; and he hustled
about, playing the host with a
vengeance.
The lady threw aside her drip
ping mantle, and seating herself by
the fire, received the glass of toddy,
or whate're it might be that Cul-
pepper presented, and without hes
itation commenced slipping the
liquor.
"This is a wild night, Mrs.
Darby" Mel commenced, after ad
justing matters to his satisfaction.
"How's the old man?"
"L-o-r-d! | fear he's getting
worse" the lady replied, "and he
wishes to see you Immediately"
''Heavens! this. is a wild night
for man to turn out in, when he's
so comfortably cribbed."
"L-o-r-d and do you shrink from
a little rain that a woman can travel
through without any inconven-
ience?" asked the lady, rather
ironically.
Mel mused for a moment, and
then asked if tomorrow wouldn't
do?"
mo, Lord! Mr.. Riley. You
know you are one of the principal
persons in this business, and he
wants to see you as soon as possible,
while he is able to transact any
thing"
"Why. is he likely to be much
wOrse?" asked Mel.
"L-o-r-d! do you think we would
have turned out Mas night to hunt
you, if it hadn't been necessary
sent Caesar for the doctor before we
left home, and Heaven knows
whether he'll survive till morning.
"Oh, if the case is so desperate
as you represent it, delay isn't tC
be thought Of" said Mel. "But
d-n it, this is
sic night to take the road in,
As nae poor sinner was abroad in"
"L-o-r-d! if you're so tender,' .
added the lady sarcastically, "I'll
lend you my cloak"
"It would be ungallant to accept
it," Mel replied, accompanying the
sally with fit of his bOisterous
laughter, and seizing Davy by the
shoulder, gave him such a rude
Ijerk, as like to have laid the
doughty husband on the floor, ex.
claiming
"Come, Davy, let's take a bumper
lat parting