The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-11-13

more than once "Some time he'll
have to acknowledge that there's such
a man as John Cramer Wait till the
time comes that will come, and see if
I don't take some of the cursed con-
ceit out of him."
.. So the years went bv, and John
Cramer bided his time, He never let
slip an opportunity to annoy his enc
my. He never failed to plant seed
of detraction in soil where it would
grow. Often and often Hugh Dorm
writhed secretly under the petty, con-
temptible slurs and insinuations of his
enemy, but he was too proud to give
any sign of it, for he knew that moth
ing would please the other more than
to know that be felt the sting of
the hatred which prompted such cow
ardly, revengeful conduct. Dorm was
popular with his .neighbors. Cramer
was not. He was "too SMALL" they
said, meaning by that that he was mar
row in his views, lacking in public
spirit, and niggardly in his dealing.
Naturally, therefore, they chose to
have very little to do with him, and
he held himself almost aloof from soci-
ETY., and blamed Dorm for the opinion
of his neighbors. : He brooded over his
hatred of the other to such an extent
that by and ty lie came to attribute
every happening that was not to his
liking to the evil influence of his life
long enemy. He lived an almost soil
tary life, often seeing no one for days,
save the old housekeeper who prepared
his frugal meals for him, and kept his
garments in repair.
They tell us that it is always the
unexpected that happens. No one
would have supposed, for moment,
that John Cramer cared for a public
office, but one spring he announced
himself as a candidate for the position
of road overseer. Some of the young
men OF the town, knowing his hatred
for Hugh Dorm, promptly put ticket
in the field with Dorm as candidate for
the office to which he asplred, and they
succeeded in electing their candidate
by large majority after bitter fight
in which Cramer spent considerable
money, hoping to buy votes enough to
defeat his enemy. He went home
from town meeting, after the polls
were closed and the vote count d, with
the old hatred in his heart burning
fiercer than ever before. 1t was over.
powering in its effect. He could think
Of nothing else but his defeat, and Che
loss of the money by which be had
hoped to win. Dorm had not put a
penny into the election but had come
out of the fight with three votes to the
others one. Defeat would have been
CALLING under any circumstances, but
to be beaten by Hugh Dorm, and so
badly, was too much.
The Cramer farm adjoined the Dorm
farm, and from the former one could
see what was going on at the latter, if
curiosity prompted observations. As
John Cramer sat on the back porch of
his house, as twilight fell, he saw Mr..
and Mrs. Dorm drive toward the vii
lage. 2 ....:
"He's going down to crow over his
election, I suppose" sneered Cramer.
Course him! l wish his housed burn
up before he gets back"
The devil prompted the wish, sup
pose, knowing that be was sowing a
seed that might find congenial soil to
germinate in. And he was right
about it. John Cramer sprang to his
feet with sudden energy, possessed by
a determination to make his wish come
true. 1t took such entire possession
of him that he did not pause to delib-
crate over it. He went into the kitch-
en- and took some matches out of. the
box on the clock shelf, and set off
across the field, through the orchard.
When he reached the line fence, back
of the Dorm home, he paused to recon-
noiter.s No one was seen about the
house. Now and then the sound of
voices, to an accompaniment of piano
music, came to his ears, and he knew
that the Dorm young people were en-
joying themselves in the front part OF
the house. There was very little risk
to run, and under cover of the twilight
and the orchard trees be made his way
to the rear of the house.
One or two sheds had been built
against the main building. In these
Cramer decided to start the fire which
be meant should make his enemy
homeless. He groped his way into