Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1899-12-15
DISCONTINUED.


Dear me-, said Lefty wyngard,
II shall go crazy. Five .children all
clamoring at once, the preserve kettle
boiling over, the pickles fermenting,
moths in my Sunday shawl and the
dog running away with the sonp-bone
for dinner .
And Lefty stood in the middle Of
the room, holding her head with both
hands, as if she momentarily expected
it to sail up into the air like balloon.
Lefty was very pretty, after an odd
gypsy type, with great dark eyes,
brown, healthy skin, and hair as black
as a crows wing-and, as yet, not
even the five children, and the endless
round Of daily cares and duties TO
which, as the wife Of poor, young
carpenter, she was condemned, had
planted a wrinkle on her velvet
smooth forehead.
John Wyngard burst ont laughing,
and that, in Mrs. Vineyards case,
proved the one hair that broke the
came's back. Sho legan to cry.
''Now. Lefty, don't be goose.
said be, soothingly. "Why, what
do you know about real tronbIey'
81 don't care, sobbed Lefty. "Im
sick Of it all. I'm tired of patching
old clothes, and hashiDg old meats,
and boarding ennies. IN. tired OF"
''Your husband and your children,
grasely interrupted Mr.. Wyngard, rs
that it. Lettys"
Mrs. Wyngard pouted and was
silent. She didn't like to own to it,
but for the moment she almost felt
that she was tired cf them.
Il might have married rich," she
said, slowly, twisting the baby's bib
strings around and about her finger.
81 might have been Howard Linds-
ley's wife, and be is very wealthy
man they tell me. "
'It's pity you didn't, said John.
provokingly.
Eyes, it is pity, said Lefty, stung
beyond endurance, as she fiounced
out of the room.
And then as she sat down to sew
button on Johnnys jacket and braid
little Helen's hair and show Rosie
about the arithmetic sums, and, finally,
when the four eldest ones we e
packed off to school, to bathe the
baby and rock it to sleep, Lefty Wyn-
gard could not help thinking how
much brighter aud smoother her path
way would be il, instead Of saying no"
to handsome Howard Lindsey, she
had uttered, the other monosyllable.
Not but what she loved John better.
far, than Howard--but this wearing,
grinding succession.of petty cares and
toll was sapping all the life and elias
ITCHY out of her.
She looked disdainfully down at the
faded calico dress she wore, patched
and darned in more than one place.
'If had married Howard Linds-
ley" she said to herself, II could
have worn silks and jewels every day,
with hired servants to wait on me and
an elegant carriage to drive out in
whenever I pleased. Oh, dear, what
a world OF trouble this isr'
And as Mrs. Wyngard laid her little
rosy-cheeked infant down to sleep, she
felt as if her lot had fallen in very
thorny places.
Just as she had taken her place once
again over the brass kettle in which
she was trying to 'do up" same rocky
pound pears which neighbor had
given her, there came a knock at the
door.
Come in, said Lefty, and the
housekeeper from Hadfield Hall, the
big mansion ON the hill, came mincing
across the threshold.
Lefty busted of a chair in consider
able Of a furry, for Mrs. Ellison was
grand lady in her way, who wore
black silks AMI laees and had her bon
nets directly from New York mil
liner every spring and fall.
won't You sit down, Mrs. Eli
son?" said she, coloring to the roots
Of her pretty hair. aud secretely hop
ing that Mrs. Ellison did not observe
the patch on her calico dress.
''rhank you, my dear--I am in a
great hurry" said Mrs. Ellison, II
have some fine laces aud ,nuslins and
Yalencinnes handkerch;efs here from
my lady at the hall. The laundress
hasn't come down yet, aud she amt
willing to trust the lady's maid with
'em, and they must be ready by dark
and so | told her l knew a person
in the village that was master hand
at .aces and fluiing and such like. and
l depend On you, my dear, to do 'em
up for me. "
Lefty hesitated an instant.
''She'll pay you dollar at least, .
said Mrs Ellison. ".she amt none Of
the stingy sort, my lady amt.
A dollar, in Lefty Vineyards eyes,
was no ineonsiderable sum. A dollal
would buy the new shoes that Rosi,
needed so sadly--or flannel for tn.
baby's winter sacks -or half a hun
dred other neeessaries which Lett,
could think Of.
Yes" said she, 'sI'll do il. NJ,
preserves will soon be finished. Lal
The bundle on the table please. s,
the new family have arrived at TIN
hall at lastg"
Mrs. Ellison nodded assent. Sh,
had lived housekeeper with the Had
fields of Hadtield Hall for 20 years, an,
was sorry enough when the old plac'
went into other hands. But a siiua
tion was situation, so she had stage.
on.
''Yes." says she. ''slr. and Mrs
Howard Lindsley."
Lefty gave such start that th
preserve kettle had nearly tipped owe
into fha fire