The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-03-05
CHAPTER IX-Continued.

The time had now arrived which
should have terminated the guar
dianship of Mr.. Greenberry over
the person and property of Rose
Tomlin, placing the estate of her
father under her own care and
management, had not her mysteri-
GUS disappearance changed the con-
dition of affairs. The disposal of
the property must, therefore, under
the present complexed circum-
stances, be settled by a decision Of
the court. Helen Darby, now bet
ter known by the appellation of
the "Hag of the Wallo-wish,"
claimed an alliance with John
James Tomlin; though, as the read
er may remember, step more re-
mote than Mr.. Greenberry, her
father being, as the latter gentle
man, a second cousin to the father
of Rose. This spirit of trouble and
discomfort, however, who lived but
in the atmosphere of contention,
unable or unwilling to await the
tardy progress of time, had filed
up the intervening space be-
tween the disappearance of the in
tended heir and the period which
should have placed the property in
her own hands with a kind of
Tartar like warfare on all around
her. Not content with shackling
the control of Mr.. Greenberry over
the Tomlin estate by injunction,
and bringing an impending action
against Fletcher and Dinby, to be
prosecuted when she became heir
de facto, if such should ever come
to pass, this genius of strife whiled
away the tediousness of life by a
constant kind of predatory warfare
on all around her. On some futile
pretext, placing impediments in a
neighbours way; again, with more
malicious purposes, killing anoth-
er's hog or manning a thirds cattle
never meeting disputed point
boldly, but, by tiendish delight,
taking advantage of every circum-
stance to work ruin to all within
her reach. A true Ishmaelite in
every respect save in Mahommedan
creed, her hand, in the Ian
guage of scripture, was against
every man; and by her unwearied
eXertions to work evil, with or
without pretense, she had acquired
the cognomen of alag of the Wallo-
wish" What was to others as a
dungeon and charnelhouse, was to
her the breath of life and pleasure,
if a soul governed by malice and
envy can taste aught of enjoyment
by giving rein to its fiendish
aspirings.
But time, that tries all things,
had at length brought to maturity
the dissensions wrought by the Hag,
as far as her Influence extended
The particles of strife, if may so
speak, which had emanated from
her dark bosom, and spread abroad
through the community like vapor
from the sea, that ascends and min
giles with the atmosphere, were now
fast collecting into one black thun-
dercloud, as the mist ere it returns
to the bosom of the deep.
The tempest of revenge and NAL
ice must soon burst, with all its
violence, on those against whom it
was directed, or pour upon the
devoted head whence it rose.
Mrs. Darby affected to rejoice at
the approach of that which she
could no longer defer, nor failed to
bruit loudly her unquestionable
chances and certainty of success.
With Mel and Davy's strong and
undeniable testimony, she vaunted
the triumph which awaited her
the ousting of Greenberry, and the
overthrow of the stubborn and un-
yielding objects of her vengeance,
Fletcher and Dinby.
The lightnings of the storm were
in the hands of her who never
knew mercy, and the fast approach
ing hour was anXiOusly awaited,
when bolts of destruction should be
hurled among her self made enemies
with fearful effect.
The aspect of affairs indeed looked
gloomy ,and Greenberry could nOtbut
view it with apprehension and con-
cern. The reported verbal bequest
of Tomlin, which was so loIdly and
vauntingly bruited by the "Hag''
and her consOrts, he had no doubt
was a grand piece of knavery to the
bOttOm; but how could he refute it?
All, there was the fearful rub!
But the time was fast approach
ing which would dispel the uncer-
tainty, and bring peace and ruin on
the cOntending parties. Witnesses
and jurymen were being summoned;
lawyers were consulting their musty