The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-07-23

By HARRrrr WHITNEY, DUBLIN.


Peppers and pumpkins A widow
moved in right next door, aud this
leap year p
Mr.. Alonzo Larkins stared appre-
hensively out of his window as if he
expected to see his newly arrived
neighbor fitting up his porch steps in
search of him with lasso. Instead
he really did see a small, inoffensive
looking woman walking serenely from
her doorway toward her own front
lawn bearing pot of pansies and a
trowel.
"Oh of course, he continued caus-
tically, wants to make good impress
sion first before she lets out at me
Well, ma am, my heart is tough. But
you are neat little bundle, " he added,
with slight change of tone; trim as
a sassafras whistle. That's right
let that rufiedly up pink contraption
slide off your head. Gum, what shiny
brown hair And look at the little
curl bobbing over her off ear!''
Little Mrs. Bittersweet did not seem
at all troubled by the orb Mr.. Larkins
deemed it expedient to keep focused
upon her. She trotted around about
her own business, paying little heed to
the doing of her bachelor neighbor.
The first time she met him plump and
square she gave him sweet, indiffer-
ent little neighborly GOOD morn
ing, which somehow excited his dis
content and ire.
TOOK about as much notice of me
as she would of a brindle dog" he
complained to himself; in fact, not
as much. hepets up all the old stray
dogs and gives 'em bones. What the
matter with me, I'd like to know"
He looked anxiously into the mirror
as he brushed his hair. He saw there
in good looking and fairly good ma
tured face, the chief defect of which
was an expression tending toward self
conceit.
iveiiy, addressing ttlbe abseESed dassis;;
you've got to see me and appreciate
me. Then if you choose to take advan-
tage of leap year privileges I don't
really know as I'll run away"
Meantime Mrs. Bittersweet's S atten-
ton had been directed to Mr.. Larkins
by her friend, Miss Podderly.
Hes the smartest man in Bibb-
ville," said she, land got everything
in his house a woman's heart could
wish, from gas ranges to teaspoons,
not to mention scuds of blue and white
ware saucepans. But seems like he's
afraid some woman'll marry him in
spite of himself. I guess he's too
bashful to ask any one. But / be-
lieve in my heart you could overcome
the difficulty, Polly, if you'd set your
cap good and strong"
''Set fddlestick |" retorted Polly
Bittersweet scornfully. "I'll never
set my cap for any man."
"Well, y said Miss Podderly, with
shrug, ''I wish I had the opportuni-
ties you turn up your nose at so reck-
lessly.''
Mr.. Larkins finally grew decidedly
discontented and little puzzled.
ST don't understand you, ma a'am, /"
he admitted in one of his mental apos-
trophies to the widow. II have so
far modified my views as to give you
every opportunity to signify your
wish to become Mrs. Larkins, and yet
you're as cool and calm as bale of
snow. I'm not used to it, ma Fam,
and won't stand it. I'll give you
three weeks more to get interested in
me, and then I'll take and propose to
you. That's about what I'll do"
When the allotted three weeks of
grace had expired Mr.. Larkins in des-
peration executed his threat and re-
ceived a plump ''No |" the result of
Miss Podderly's championship and a
streak of contrariness in the widows
disposition.
He accepted the sentence with Wis
ible disappointment. but bore it with
manly fortitude.
"I'm sorry, ma am" he said frank
ly, tearing sorry. I've taken more
of shine to you, somehow, than I
ever did to any one, and I'd be good
to you, you can bank on that. But
if you can like me you can't. There,
now, madam; don't go and cry
don't. wouldn't t hurt your feelings
| for forty FARMS" For the widow s
heart all at once had smitten her
sharply, and some subtle pathos in
Mr.. Larkins' simple acceptance of de-
feat caused her eyes to brim with
misty tears.
"I'm 10000 sorry" she faltered,
blushing and sobbing, "I-"
Don't mention it." implored Mr..
Larkins. Don't you be miserable
or blue about it. But if you should
kind of change your mind, you
know, ma'am, just let me know ;
won't your"
Mr.. Larkins dived headlong into
his garden patch and hoed vigorously
to distract his thoughts, and the widow
sat down on the edge of her porch and
swung her neat little foot dejectedly.
81 do believe I'm half witted, -
said she under her breath. 81 dare
say I've lost as good man as I'll
ever meet, and all because Henrietta
Podderly told me to run after him.
needn't have run after him, and ]
amt half as smart as thought I was.
I'm lonely and miserable, 100000. %
! Me- pstta~exvaaf rot, into her ciffiuo