The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-08-10

think? Squire Marks and Deacon
Locke got back from Canada yester-
day. They had been up there to look
after those oil-wells, and it seems
they didn't find the least sign of oil.
They couldn't find Mr.. Rosencraft,
either, apd now they say that the
shares aren't worth the paper they
are printed on. guess everybody is
pretty much stirred up about it. They
say Mr.. Evans takes it dreadfully hard
and talks about going 20 the poor
house."
II guess he won't go to the poor
house at present." said Mrs. Lang,
remembering a certain note she had
signed. She had grown very pale as
she listened to the news, but she made
no other comment.
Mother" asked Rosetta, present
ly, "how much money has father
lost?"
"He hasn't lost anything to speak
Of" was the reply. 81 want you to
remember that when you are away
from home" added Mrs. Lang sig
nifcantly.
A little later she said, with an at
tempt at tcheerfulness, Wouldn't you
like to spend the rest of the day with
your cousin Addie? You haven t
been there for some time. You may
stay to supper if Aunt Emma invites
you."
The girl was glad enough to escape
from what she felt to be an atmos-
phere of trouble, and Mrs. Lang was
left alone with her thoughts to await
the coming of her husband, whom she
expected on the stage at FIVE O'Clock.
In spite of her abstraction, she
went about her preparations for the
evening meal with more than usual
care; and by five o'clock the supper
table, in its company dress of snow
white cloth, china tea-set and highly
polished steel knives and forks, made
brave display of frosted cake, GUS
tards, ounce preserves and other more
substantial dishes, while from the
oven stole forth the aroma of "cream-
of.tartar biscuits" almost ready to
take their place at the feast.
The sound of wheels was heard,
followed by the "Whoa - of the
stage. driver and peering through
the window, Mrs. Lang saw her hzo
band walking up the path, carpet-bag
in hand. She met him at the door,
and one glance at his face convinced
her that he had heard the news.
"Why, how pale you are !" she
cried, involuntarily.
eyes," said he, "I'm completely
broke up. This has been too much
for me. 1 can hardly hold up my
head"
Now was the time for Mrs. Lang S
''I told you so" but as she looked at
his haggard face the words, even if
they were in her mind, died on her
tongue.
20 Daniel" she implored, "don't
take on about it 4! Keep up your
courage, and we'll weather it YETI
"Oh, yes," said he. little more
cheerfully. Presume I'll be all right
by morning. You see, the jury could
not agree on that last case, and they
kept us out all night, and I never
could stand being broken of my rest. "
"Why, Daniel, haven't you heard
what has happened?" asked Maria,
in surprise. Then, in answer to his
questioning look, she rapidly told the
tale of the bursting of Greenhill's
petroleum bubble.
'But don't you be down-hearted, !"
she said. "We are still young and
have our health. and we'll pay off
that mortgage, every cent. Rosetta
is old enough now to help. And
Daniel" she hurried on. II don't
blame you one bit. Smarter men
than you got caught. And I don't
forget that you went into this mostly
for my sake and Rosetta's."
Daniel had listened at first in a
dazed silence, but now smile slowly
broke over his face, and he was NOV
ed to speak. "It is kind of tough for
those that were in it, no mistake, but
I guess it doesn't concern me person
ally very much
"What do you mean?" cried his
wife, in amazement. "Tell me, did
you really have sense enough to sell
out %
"I had sense enough not to ny in
that is, if you can call it my sense,
he replied, modestly. "Fact is, yor
were so set against it that I gave II
I'D at the last minute. / was on my
way to Mr.. Evans for the money
when my courage finally failed me
and 1 tore up the note and mortgage
and went and told Rosencraft that
had backed out"
Mrs. Lang drew long breath
"For goodness sake Daniel, why
didn't you tell me 2"
"Well, Maria," said he, hesitating
lv, "that was the mean part of it
and I'm sorry enough now. But il
was this way. I still had just about
as much faith in those shares as ever
and says to myself, She has alway:
been coming at me with her II tolt
you so," and now I'll get even will
her. won't say word about it til
. those dividends begin to roll in, ane
then when she wants to know wh,
we don't get ours, I'll tell her it il
because followed her advice. Their
I'll have my chance to say, i tolt
YOU so p for the rest of my natura
. life. But I'm terribly ashamed of /
now, especially considering how yol
took it when you thought I'd lost tn
money. 1 ask your forgiveness
, Maria"
t But Maria would not allow her hus
! band all the penitence.
: 81 know I've been too fault-tnd
ing at tines" she said, "but In