The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-12-06
THE METEOR0L0G1sT.

Miss Sophia Nichols was lady O
great modesty and of very retiring
disposition, and as she had passed the
age Of fair, fat and forty" wasted
few glances on men.
She had lately established herseli
in suit of rooms on the southeast
corner of Laurel street, facing the
lovely little Beech park. 1t was just
the place for a quiet spinster who
loved nature and retirement, and she
enjoyed it with unalloyed quiet for q
few days.
Opposite her new abode was quiet
old house with four immense windows
wherein were set tiny panes of glass
to each room. The inhabitants seem.
ed very quiet persons, and she seldom
saw them except in the evening.
After she had been domiciled about
a week in her new place her attention
was attracted by the very queer action
of an old gentleman who lived in the
quaint house.
After finishing her one o'clock din
ner she always established herself
cozily with work or book at her front
window, and the old gentleman would
as regularly appear in his yard and,
drawing out of his pocket red ban
danna, raise it solemnly high in air.
He did not seem to wave it, but let
it go at its own sweet will, or the
winds will.
On moonlight nights, always about
10 O'Clock, he repeated this mysteri-
Gus rite, or whatever it was. His
eyes were nearly always turned to-
ward her window, and stared txedly
Sometimes he did not use the hand
kerchief at all, but gazed steadfastly
at her window.
This performance he kept up every
day until Miss Sophia began to be
fearfully nervous. She was really
afraid it would draw down the gossip
of the neighborhood on her, SO she
tried in many mild, we'll bred ways tc
let the old gentleman understand that
she did not like his very open atten.
| tions.
She pulled down her blind, and or
popping out to see what effect it had
found it had none he still waved
Or she would retreat to the farthest
corner of the. room out Of his range o.
vision, and her mirror told her he
still gazed.
Finally her nephew came to make
her a weeks visit. Every spinstel
has favorite niece or nephew, and
Jack Brown was Miss Sophia's. She
admired his youth Che was only TWEEN
ty-four, his courage, his we'll shaped
body, and even his impetuous Ito put
it mildly temper. He was rather
good looking, too, although his hail
was auburn and his mustache, such a
it was, undeniably red.
The first day Of his visit Miss So
phia kept him engaged by showing
him her photograph albums of which
she had half a dozen. But she coult
not keep this up whole week, so th'
second day Jack remarked as th'
bandanna and its owner appeared
"What queer old chap What
he doing?"
To which Miss Sophia tremulousl.
replied, "I don't know" which wa
literally true, for she had her bacl
carefully turned to the window.
The next day Jack observed tn
same performance and said:
"Confound the old scoundrel
Aunt Sophia, 1 really believe he
trying to flirt with you or else he's
1unatic." Jack was a senior at col
lege and had taken his degree in tn
art of flirting.
The following day Jacks ire reach
ed climax as the old gentleman ap
peared as usual and not only wave
the offending red rag (Jack was fer
Republican, but actually gazed fix
edly at Miss Sophia's window for flu
ly five minutes.
He grabbed up his hat and said t
his aunt, CPL know the meaning {
his confounded impudence or m
name is not Jack Brown !"
He dashed downstairs, paying n
attention to his aunt's pleadings
Don't, Jack, don't You will onl
make matters worse p She pulle
down her curtain and peeped from be
hind it to see what Jack would do.
He was striding angrily across til
street, and in few moments was
the old gentleman's side. With
wrathfu1 face and sternly determine
manner he said: :
"Sir, what is the meaning of yor
internal impudence? 1t is nic
thing that a quiet lady can't sit at he
window without being insulted !"
The old gentleman cleared b
throat, wiped his mouth with the o
Tending handkerchief, smiled gently
raised his hand to his ear and said
a soft, mild voice: "Heyl Plea:
speak a little louder. l am qui
deaf"
Thereupon Jack, as is customal
with people who are unaccustomed
talking with the deaf, roared loud
and rapidly, prefacing his former i
: quiry with IT say" conscious that
was making a spectacle of himse