Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-10-29

Tilly stopped ironing and listened.
The pounding, with its accompani-
ment Of baby language, had ceased.
.sRoddy Deel Roddy Dooin called
Tilly, in alarm. Had he run away
| again2-Oh, deari
SITS that gran mother knot / tiedr'
she thought. '1f l only could learn
to tie a square ono that he couldn't
undol'
She got down from the salt box il. a
hurry. 1t fell over with little crash.
Tilly was so short and the table was SO
tall that the salt box was as necessary
to ironing day as theiro themselves.
"Roddyl Roddy Doo-ool' she called
all the way ont TO the apple tree. Yes
just as she had expected. He'd run
awayl The clothesline trailed away
with sinuous curves down to the little
one-hinged gate, but there was no
Roderick DIN, rosy and dimpIed aud
dirty, at its end. Only his GRUMPY
pink sunbonnet with the white poker
dots was left Of him. lilly snatched
it up.
''Roddy Doo-ool Rod-dy Doo-oo-ool
Where are you-oo?p she kept calling,
unconsciously poetic. There was very
little poetry in Tilly Candles hard,
unsheltered little life-and SO much
prosel
The big calico apron that went with
the irons aud the salt box trailed
round Tilly's toes and got in their way
persistently. Ths crumply sunbonnst
tapped against her knees as she sour
ried on.
"Where'n the Grated worlds herun
to?" she gasped. de ain't up the
road or down the roal or crossways o
the road l can't see single inch Of
him, aud it's too far to the riv-- Oh,
no, no, nol''
She shuddered all over her thin little
frame, aud the freckles ON her small
face stood ont unduly prominent on
| its sudden whiteness.
''He never could run there. with
such teenty-tonty short legs-hs
couldn'tl he coHidn'tp' She comforted
herself, but the fright stayed behind
in her heart. That terror was never
quito out Of Tilly's heart, except al
night when Roderick Dhu was asleeI
and beyond its reach.
"Oh, dearl'' sometimes she thought,
s'if Moses Brady's last name was only
Bulrushes and he hal miracle rod
and could dry that river upi'
But Roddy Doc had not run away
to the river. TilIy found him.-o all
placesl--in Gershom Flints front
yard Was there ever such baby
there before? Did ever another baby
rummage among his flower beds?
1t terrified Tilly to see him there.
She caught him up and twisted him
in her apron.
80 Roddy Dool" she cried, softly.
"You ran away, you naughty baby
you naughty, naughty Roddy Dooi7
Fowl fowl seer' piped Roderick
Dhu, opening his tiny moist palm to
display spirited flower or two
crushed into it. His little face pee, >
ing ont of Tilly's apron was freighted
with mischievous glee.
''Mo' fowl" he criel, itruggling to
get down.
s'No, no; no more Covers. Roddy
Doc must go right home with Tilly
an never, never, newer run away
againl An o Roddy Doa, when you
do run away. don't run to this mans
house. He don't like little babies
naughty babiesl' she added, pointing
hasty moral.
She hurried home aud retied Rod
erick Dhu with an extra knot to the
ropes end Then she went back tu
her ironing. 1t was Mrs. Primble's
ironing, but when Tilly took it home
by and by sharp disappointment
awaited he-
"You needn't come after the clothes
next Tuesday, Tilly," Mrs. Primble
said, IAN you needn't go TO Miss
Kath'rine's neither. She told me to
say SO. She an mes goin' to put out
our washin's an ironin's both. We've
decided to.
May may do 'em for you?''
asked Tilly. eagerly.
''You. childg Why, you're crazy
Yon amt no more fit to scrub than |,
swaddlin' baby"
"Oh, yes, Mis- Prinble, I'm real
strong-feel of my arms. An they're
just as toughl IL wisht you'd let
FINE.
''No, no, child. What an ideal''
Mrs. Primble's voice was unconscious
ly sharp Besides, we've got q
woman all spoke to. How's Boddy?''
she added, hastily changing the sab
ject.
"what'm? oh, Roddy Doc? Hes
pretty well, thank you, ma'am. l.
guess I'd better be goin now"
Out in the street TiIIy's tense little
hands beat tattoo against her sides.
She winked rapidly to Keep back the
tears.
'.She nights well've said it. " she
thought bitterly. ",she nights
well've said, you don't iron 'em
smooth enough, Tilly Gamble, an
you wouldn't wash EN- clean. /
gaess / knew what sho meant Poh
should hope you amt goin' to cry.
lilly, OF I'm ashamed o you, yes /
anr'
Bui in the night Tilly's tears rer-
sisted in pushing their way ont. She
eoald not wink them back. In her
piaia little nightgown she sat up
straight in bed and gazed into the
dz.Saess unseeingly. Mechanically
shspa, pat her hand and psttsd Roddy