The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-03-23

I4e great victory JneY ndu won. Anu
as they returned to the cabin, Miss
Maggie gave Lapinton the first really
encouraging word that he had heard
from her in all their former courtship
when she said ''she believed that Lapin-
ton was the brayest man she had ever
seen"
Lapinton was so encouraged by this
saying of Miss Maggie that he really
began to think of popping the ques-
tion." A few evenings after this as
they were seated together in the shade
of a tree near the cabin watching
whippoorwills as they were sailing
through the air above them, he ventur-
ed to ask her if she would consent to
be his wife? "Your question:" said
she, lis very serious one, Mr.. Lapin-
ton, and must ask you to let me con-
slider the matter until sometime tomor-
row, and | will give you an answer. 3"
30. why not now?" he said in a subdu-
ed voice. Just at that moment Mag
gie's mother came to the cabin door
and called out in cheerful voice come
in to supper. children" and the matter
was left undecided at least for the day.
While the supper was tempting and
everything nicely prepared, yet it was
noticed that Lapinton was nervous, and
he tasted things very sparingly that
night, you are not sick, are you,
Lapinton?" said Grimm, How does it
come you don't eat more than you do?"
80, no." he replied with a labored
smile, II am not sick. but somehow l
am not very hungry tonight" Maggie
went about everything in her usual way,
all that evening and the following
morning, but the conversation was not
resumed until after dinner next day,
when Lapinton proposed to Maggie that
they take little walk. Maggie con-
scented, and they started off leisurely
along toe ether and neither Of them
spoke a word for several minutes, and
the sileace at length became almost
painful Finally LapInton took hold of
her hand and swinging it along in a
playful manner as they walked, broke
the silence by saying, "Well, Maggie,
suppose till this time you are ready to
give an answer to my question:"
Yes, said she, IL am ready, and will
tell you as friend that | have never
seen a man that love better than |
love my daddy, and | have concluded to
remain with him for a while yet. :"
''You don't mean to say you will not be
my wife, do you, Maggie?" That's just
what mean to say. MIR. Lapinton.
Then you break my heart and | can
never see another happy day" 90,
said she, Il think you will soon get over
it. " ''Neverl | cannot llvel | will not
live! I'll end my life this day." and so
saying he walked with quickened step
back to the cabin, picked up his rifle
and other effects and Maggie stood
gazing upon him as he disappeared
among the great forest trees that stood
on the southern side of the cabin.
Maggie kept the secret to herself,
and the great query was, what has be-
come of Lapinton? Why did he leave
so suddenly? Why didn't he at least
tell US where he was going? He never
as much as said gooby, and in this man
ner time passed for several days.
At length Maggie's conscience began
to lash her so heavily that she was fore
ed to let the secret out. 30, why
didn't you tell US sooner?" said her
father. 81 didn't like to; thought he
didn't mean it, and that he would be
back again. Maggie" said her
mother, 1 never thought you were so
hard hearted as that That man
has killed himself, " said Grimm, and
we may be held responsible for his
death. I'll 60 at once and get some
neighbors and wen a make search for
his dead body" That afternoon
Grimm travelled long distances and
gathered together a number of men.
The next morning they started out
with their guns and their dogs. They
had not gone far till they came to
point of the hill where there was album
dance of whortleberries, and some one
observed that there were signs that
some human being had been there, and
presently they found Lapinton standing
upon the top of a very large rock. The
of the rock was some Is to 20
feet above the ground and was covered
over with ferns and small wild shrub
berry. Upon this rock he had built him
self booth, where he was entirely safe
from wild animals and snakes, and all
the while he had subsisted upon the
whortleberries which were very plenti-
full all around him. At the request of
the men he reluctantly consented to re-
turn with them to the cabin. But he
seemed very respondent. and soon left
them saying he would return to England
again from whence he had come, and
the Grimm family had no tidings from
him from that day. The rock upon
which Lapinton was found is a very
prominent one, and the story as 1t has
been told, has attracted many people to