The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-04-15

/ instead OF bringing back the hammer
herself, Mrs. Wiltsey had sent it by
her younger sister.
When WiEglesby opened the door
and saw a girl standing there with
something il her hand extended TO-
ward him, the smile on his face sud
denly vanished and he waved her
away with, Don't want anything to-
day, miss. l never buy FROM"
But | don't want you to buy it,"
she laughed. This is yUur tack ham
luer, and my sister told he to tell you
she was ever and ever so much obliged
for the use Of it.'
"Er-eXcuse miss, J" stammered Wig
Of the confounded-erDf should say,
female agents, and fact is, Ter
oh. Lord. why didn't your sister come
with it herself? Then this wouldn't
have happened"
And with this some what lame and
incOhersnt conclusion to bis attempted
apology, WiZaIesby seized the tack
hammer and fed, leaving his astonish-
al caller still standing III the door.
When Maud Maxwell for such was
the young woman's name) upon her
return laughiugly related to her sister
he particulars Of her interview with
Mr.. Wigglesby, she wound up by say
ing: Don't you think he must be a
triiie cracked, Kittie?'
And with smile Of superior intelli-
gence the astute hittie otherwise
known as Mrs. Kate Wi!tsey) dryly
observed;
Il guess not-that is, no more
cracked ghau any old bachelor isl
From which it is evident that the
plump widow did not have very eX-
allied opinion Of q man who preferred
to flock by himself"
But to return to Wigglesby. For sew
eral days after the hammer episode he
spent the nest Of his time drifting uu-
easily about his house and grounds,
and casting furtive and frequent CLAN
! Ces across the way to see if perchance
his fair ueighbor was coming to Dor
row something else. ! woman he rea-
course, MIS-. Wiltsey would come over
to borrow again. For where else
could she go except 10 her nearest
| neighbor? So Wigglesby kept on the
! Qri yive. with his entire collection of
farming and household equipments in
readiness for lending at a seconds
notice. But, alas the plump widow
| came not, neither to borrow nor to
lend; and finally Wigglesby was in
! despair. He even began to think ser
| iousiy of sueaking across the way
| some dark night and stealing some Of
, Mrs. WiItsey's tools, so she would lie
compelled 70 come the next day ard
| borrow Of him.
Somehow lie felt that he must Sc
cure another iut erview and get better
acC tainted with her III some way, |
either by hook or crook, and at the |
same time he kept wondering Why il |
VA, that he was suddenly taking such |
an interest in the womdn-or at least, |
II one WON HD.
The reader has probably guessed |
The truth. Wiggesby was IN love, but |
being new experience to him he did |
not fully recognize the fact. He knew |
chat something allied, but wasn't eN- |
actly certain what it was. He had 81 |
general sort of idea, however, that the |
society of the plump and pleasing |
widow across the way would be good |
for his complaint, and when an old |
bachelor reaches that sage there is |
some hope for him yet.
For fortnight WiEGlesbY waited |
in vain Cor second call from his new |
neighb0r, and then it occurred to him |
that perhaps she was waiting for him |
70 return her call; or maybe she didn't |
consider her borrowing expedition a |
call at all and was waiting for him to |
make the initial call on her. Wiggles |
by wasn't very we'll mp in the etiquette |
governing such matters-but he final |
" decided that III any case it would |
be only neighborly TO call and let her |
know that his services and the re |
sources OF his establishment We're at |
her disposal AT any time she should |
happen TO need them.
81, shaving and dressing himself |
win unusual care, he hetook himself !
across the way, and was in the act of
ringing Mrs Wiltsey's d0orhell when |
| the plump widow herself came around |
| the corner Uf the woOdshed, III her |
working clothes, aud with clucking |
| and protesting pullet under her arm. |
"Why, good afternoon, Mr.. Wiggie.
| by,M BEGAN she smiling, and without |
| the slightest trace of EN- barrassment. |
| I'm So glad you happened to call as
! you did. Perhaps you can tell me |
| how to make this hen stay on the
| eggs until they are Matched. She has
! been setting Two weeks, and now she
! nas t ken Il notion TO quit. This
makes the third time have caught
| her off the nest iii tie past two
| hours
/ " Ivy llN titl / W! idSitL4 iltt
| on. suggested WigEleSby, with a sud
! den burst Of inspiration.
"Oh, thank YOU exclaimed Mrs.
| Wiltsey. Il thought OF doing so, but
wasn't sure whether it was right or
not. Just hold her a minute, will you,
while hunt up a rope 10 tie her down
with
And the next thing Wigglesby knew
| he WAS standing there alone, looking
very foolish but happy, with tina I
baiky hen tightly ciasped i'll his hands
| while his hustiing neighbOr had van
| ished in search OF the requisite cord TO
secure the fowl on the n:st.
She presently returned with it and
offered to relieve Wigglesby of his
charge, but Wigglesby said: mo, it
will take at least two persons TO pro
perry anchor that pullet on the nest,
and seeing that your sister isn't on
hand to render the necessary assist
ance, | would just as soon go along
and help as not.
From this it would seem that Wig
glesby was improving very rapidly.
sit is very kind of you | III sure
said the plump widow, faVOring Wig
glesbv with a grateful smile, which up
set him 50 he came near dropping the
hen he was holding. He quickly re-
covered himself, however, and meek
~ followed his neighbor she led the
way to the nest.
There they are,n exclaimed Mrs.
| Wiltsey, when they reached the spot,
Thirteen as fine eggs as were ever
laid; and-I just happened to think of
til wonder if the number has any
tniug to do with acting as she does?
You don't suppose the hen has count
ed the eggs and found out that there
are thirteen of them and that is why
she refuses to set more, do your
shouldn't wonder said Wiggles-
by. "All females are SO plaguey-l
mean all hens are so uperstitious,you
know"
Are they? didn't know it,
Yes, " hastily responded Wigglesby
congratulating himself on the fact that
Mrs. Wiltsey hadn't noticed the bad
break he came near making; but
this hen might as we'll make up her
mind to set, thirteen or no thirteen.
Ii you will take her for Il minute |
think | can fix the snest so she will
have to stay On it. ="
Mrs. Wiitsey relieved Wigglesby of
his burden, and then he looked wise
and went on:
l suppose the surest way would be
to bore two holes in the bottom of the
nest, then stick her legs down through
and tie them under the nest, but
err
Are you sure the eggs wouldn't fall