The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-11-29

looking glass, and a pair of rusty
andirons.
Farmer Jones' wife came bustline
in with an air of great importance
and, throwing down a large bundle
she exclaimed to Lucinda Peters:
"There, Lucinda feel as if I'c
killed three birds with one stone, as
the saying is, for I've given some.
thing to the church, helped the Lords
poor, and cleaned out my attic all al
the same time.
Silas Holbrook walked into the
store and glanced about him curl
ously.
Looks like an auction of the town
poor - he muttered to himself then,
as Lucinda Peters came toward him
he asked eagerly:
"Have you sold that old ulster Of
mine that Alvira give you, Mis-
Peters? Cause if you hain't I'd just
as soon buy it back as not"
"Why, Mr.. Holbrook, that's too
bad, for I sold it only two hours ago, "
answered Lucinda.
Silas' hands trembled visib1y, as he
buttoned up his coat, and pulled his
cap down over his ears.
"Who bought it, Mis- Peters ?"
asked he, little huskily.
1.-THE man was stranger to me,
but some one said he came from
Woodstock" said Lucinda, eyeing
him curiously. "Was you particu-
larly attached to that coat, Mr.. Hol-
brook"
"Well, yes, / was leetle sot on it..
Used to wear it when I went tramp
ing, you know" answered Silas,
making an effort to smile as he turn
ed away.
Once more in his sleigh he drove
slowly homeward, muttering defect
edly as he went.
"Tain't no use a trapesing over
to Woodstock after a man you don't
know who, and 1 don't suppose I'll
ever see that coat, or what's in the
pockets again. Land knows what
I'm going to do, nor what Alvira' II
do, either, when she finds it out, !"
and the old man sighed heavily.
For a week or more Silas went
about looking so woe begone and des-
olate, eating scarcely anything, and
saying so little, that Alvirs began to
grow alarmed.
"For the lands sake, Silas, what
ever does all YEP" she exclaimed one
morning, as Silas sat curled over the
fire, his head buried in his hands.
"You amt sick, be you?"
A shiver went over the old man as
he answered slowly:
''I guess that's just what l be, AL
vira, sort of SICK" said he, without
looking up.
"'Tain't like as if you was coming
down with anything, is it?" ques-
toned his wife anxiously.
"Seem's if I was, Alvira, and do
wish that Ezra was to home" The
last words were said in so mournful a
tone that Alvira flushed as she an
swered quickly:
eff Ezra wasn't an ungrateful and
selfish boy, he'd be to home now"
"There, Alvira !" said Silas, lift
ing his head and looking at his wife
a little sternly, "don't you go talk
ing hard against Ezra. You know
he'd never gone away if you hadn't t
been so sot against him and Matilda
a getting fond of one another.
matilda was too young to think
of getting married, Silas, and you
know it," said she hastily, avoiding
his eye as she spoke. "She's better
off learning the milliner's trade,
down to Boston, than getting mar
ried at her age"
"Mebbe so, Alvira, mebbe SO,
though I allus thought she favored
Ezra considerable, too," answered
Silas with a little sigh.
Ezra was Silas Holbrook's son by
his first wife, and Matilda was the
daughter of Alvira, by former hus-
band. Their parents having married
when the children were quite young,
they had been happy playmates for
several years. But when Ezra was
twenty-one and Matilda eighteen,
they discovered that their affection for
each other was stronger than that of
brother and sister. When Alvira' S
eyes were opened to this fact, she de.
cided to end the matter then and
there, and with mothers tact she
aroused the girls ambition for new
scenes.
Having cousin living in Boston,
Alvira had placed the girl under her
protection and for two years Matilda
had been working at the milliner's
trade, apparently contented and
happy.
Understanding his stepmother':
motive in thus separating them, Ezra
like a young man in love, became
sulky and moody, until, after severa
stormy scenes between them, he, too
left his childhood's home. For {
time Ezra had written his father fire.
quent letters, but now there was E
silence of many months, and the old
man yearned silently for his only son
The next day Silas was too i'll tC
leave his bed, and Alvira, leaving {
neighbor to sit with him drove dowr
to Pineville for the doctor. As sht
entered the little village she noticed
an unusual stir and excitement, while
groups of men were standing abou
talking earnestly.
Pausing before the village bank
she felt her heart leap to her throa
as she read the placard that was nail
ed upon the closed door
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES" ."............'''''''''':
SUSPENDED PAYMENT.
'''..
For few moments Alvira gazed a
the black letters as though spell
| ho,,,1 T<1,a., coflorion harce1f m