Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1898-03-31
THURMONT Frederick County, Maryland, Thursday, March 81 $685.
JEAnHBTfE HoW7AbM0SpNhIHH

II never like to intrude upon . lady's
emotion. am quite sure you enjoyed
every one Of those tears Perhaps now,
however, you will let me thank you for
my fathers life, Miss Martini take
it."
Here the rescued old man interposed
vivaciously:
"It's high time Yes. Pom my word
and honor it was supcrbly done-ad-
mirably done for q little grill Now
wasn't it, RAM"
Liza flushed angrily under this pat
ronage.
1T is o pity 1t had to be done at all,
but could think Of no other way Of
saving myself l assure you ! was not
trying to save any one else. "
The younger man was composedly
scanning her. as she sat there, high
perched above them all. Very few men
could have Invested such scrutiny Of
every vestige Of impertinenoe He was
one Of the few.
"Pon honor, the wonder grows. The
efficacy Of the blow seems so curiously
disproportioned to the arm that dealt
It. The blow 80 accurately planted!
Now from a trained athlete one might
expect such precision.
"The location Of tho blow was pure
ly accidental. Its efficacy was due en-
tirely to my brother's heavily loaded
whip handle. 1t was question OF
crushing or being crushed. l preferred
the first alternative. That is all there
is to 1t. Come, Seth, please II you can
be dispensed with.
Mr.. Randall Chambliss stepped back
ward from the wagon wheel IN defer.
ence to her evident impatienoe. "A
natural and feminine preference. I I'm
agine you will go through life main
tanning that attitude"
Seth was climbing into the wagon In
response to an impatient gesture from
her. The old man lifted an arresting
voice
"Yes, but all this time here we stand
like dots; not word Of thanks to the
heroine Of the occasion"
Thanks arc always embarrassing,
sometimes absurd and on this occasion
entirely uncalled for. Iacted exclusively
In self protection. Good morning,
sir.
She bestowed an imperious little nod
on the old man, ignored the young one
entirely and trod furtively on Seth's
foot by way Of setting tho clumsy cot
ton vain once more in motion.
The younger man stood contempla-
lively chewing the end Of his mustache
and looked after the moving wagon.
One of the field hands had been dis
patched to the Strong stables for fresh
horse. There WAS nothing to do but
await its coming. The old man was
walking around the buggy examining
1t for possible fractures The younger
one camo out Of his reverie with soft,
prolonged whistle and put on his wide
awake.
$50 that is Ebon Martins daughterl
Ptty"
What is a PITY"
The rich. lazy voice drawled mock
ingly:
"That they should have sent her off
and educated her above that sphere Of
life In which 1t has pleased God to
place her."
"Deucedly piouA boy! Here, Ran,
look at that king bolt, will your"
"Who are those people, Seth?" Liza
asked, whom they were safely out OF
earshot.
"Old man Chambliss and Ran Cham
bliss And upstarter crowd can't be
found. I reckon. now that Ran has had
q whole year In Europe, he'll be harder
to stan than ever"
"But what does he do, Sethr"
"Who? Old man Chambliss?"
mo. l know he does nothing. He Is
aplanter.
IRAN Chambliss2"
eyes"
"He don't do nothin either. He's
planters son."
Don't do anything, Seth, dear"
said Liza cooling her correction as ca
ressingly as IL Seth's grammar was the
only thing In life Of any Importance to
her at that particular juncture.
But before they reached the overseer's
house she had bestowed one moro de.
scriptive adjective ON Mr. Randall
Cha,nbliss-"and impertinent
CHAPTER TX.
"Mid reedy fens widespread" Strong
Martin had established his hermitage
The river front or bottom lands OF the
Hill Place partook Of the character OF
their swamp neighbors over ON the
Louisiana side Of the river-rank vege-
table growth and teeming animal vital
ity everywherei
Gloomy Expresses lowered in funereal
grandeur high above the spreading
crowns Of broad branching water oaks.
Vivid green canes grew in serried ranks
close beside the loose leaved wild cher
ries, that in autumn waved their terra
Gotta fiambeaus over the dark bosom Of
o stagnant green pond-"thick and
slab" as a witch's stew. Pallid cypress
knees lifted their blunted cones above
the Opaque waters Of the pond. offering
coigns Of vantage to countless Shiny
things that undulated sinuously about
their roots or coiled tenaciously about
their crowns. Spanish moss hung In a
melancholy profusion of gray bannerets
from every branch and twig that showed
the slightest inclination to separate and
let In stray sunbeams Frogs croak-
ed at high noon among the coarse bull
,ushes that fringed the oozy banks OF
thu pond. The stridulous note OF the