The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-06-05

ond after the old maid had escaped
into the adjoining room and was re-
ceived by Eva, who directed him to
the rocking chair.
An embarrassed pause followed,
which was soon broken by the en-
trance of the old maid with a bucket
of fresh water AID . gourd.
Eva paled and then Redeemed at the
sight of the gourd and arose, crying:
Don't drink out of thatI Let me
get you a goblet"
mo, indeed! No goblet for me
when l can get a gourd to drink
from! The Lord made the gourd and
man made the goblet. Ah-e-m! The
gourd' gives cold water a nectarine
flavor that makes the tongue culver
with ecstacy, and all the senses re-
joice together"
Though this was the first time
Elmer had ever tasted water from a
gourd, his little eulogy spread a COM
mon ground on which he and those
ladies could sympathetically meet.
What a brilliant as well as hand
some gentleman he is" thought Eva,
who had gone to the high school at
Salyersville.
Il like that fellow" thought the
old maid, as she carried the bucket
of water into the cook room. EFF he
has got on fine buds, he amt no high
ferlootin' fool!"
A little later, sounds were heard on
the outside like the alternate lift
ing and dropping of mauls on wet
sod.
Dads comm" spoke the old maid.
eyes, papa thinks it's about his
dinner hour" Eva supplemented.
A second later something struck
the edge of the veranda and made
planks culver from one end of it to
the other. Then the doorway dark
ened and Elmer looked up to behold
a great, tall, broad man with grim
features, and whiskers hanging down
like the tail of an iron gray horse.
Dad" began the old maid.
Papa" quickly spoke Eva, shut
ting off her sister, this is Mr.. Cliff
ton, from central Kentucky"
Elmer arose, and as the old fellow
drawled "Howdy do, subj he placed
his pale palm, with some 'trepidation,
into a great rough hand that crushed
it like deadfall.
After a few stock remarks about
weather, crops and the 'doin's down
to Frankfort" the young man told
ali ha+ hn hol hAnn 0n1
in teaching, was worn out, had come
up in the mountains to rest up and
wanted to board few weeks with
him.
81 amt got no objections ter yer
stayin' all summer, eff 70 can put up
with our grub-'twon't cost ye moth
in'-but, by gum, 1 can't see how We
cud be tired and wore out teachin'
school-sottin' in the house an dom
nuthin'! Shoh! Serpose ye had ter
work? Serpose We had ter pillow er
mule in the new ground with roots ever
few steps, knockin' fleaks of hide from
yer shins as big as dollar bills?"
"Why, papa" cried Eva, laughing
through a scarlet face.
"Never yo' mind bout me-" returned
the old fellow, affecting anger, you
skin out in that kitchen an go ter
mobilizin' the eaterbils-I'm hungry.
NOW here is a character for my
novel" thought Elmer as he lay i'm
mersed in fat feather bed that night,
"oddest, strangest character l ever
knew, in or out of fiction"
And he began vaguely to group
characters and incidents around this
central figure. But, alas, every time
this character would go out for sub
ordinate character, it would come
home leading sweet Eva McElroy.
Every incident was the meeting of
himself and Eva beneath a great
spreading oak and exchanging vows of
everlasting love.
Three months later Eva and Elmer
sat beneath a big oak near the house
in signing perpleXity.
Elmer had asked the old fellow for
his daughters hand and had been re-
pulsed with thunderous threats. He
had said: ''No bandy-shanked, eder-
Gated, no count cuss gifts a gal of
mine! What could you do at pillow,
clearin' ground, or raisin' terbacker.
Don't try ter steal her nuther; don't
want to be bothered by bein' arrested
an payin' fines for shootin' a man in
harvest time!"
SIS your father superstitious? ?"
asked Elmer, the light of a great dis
covery in his eyes.
Every" returned the girl
"Then I'll fix him!" cried the young
man, rising with enthusiasm. 'I've
got a graphaphone at home and I will
send for it."
A week later, as the old man Law
tossing in his bed, he heard a sound
that made his bones quake and the
cold sweat break out all over him:
"Hear ye, oh, McElroy, and heed
what say this night" The voice was
in the room. He arose, hastily lit a
match, but saw nothing. He lay down
again shivering. Then the unearthly
voice sounded again.
"Hear We, oh, McElroy, and heed
what l say this night. Let thy daugh-
ter, named Evaline, and the young man