A Daughter of Maryland — page 24: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

¥ A DAUGHTER OF MARYLAND. 9 Upon reaching the more elevated position in front of the mansion, she found that the storm cloud was fast envelop- ing the western sky like the dark wave of a wind-riven sea. The little air stirring before had completely died away. The falling of an acorn upon the graveled walk jarred unpleasantly upon the ear made sensitive by the unnatural silence. At one point the dark, ethereal mass had broken apart and she fell to watching the jagged divisions, which soon began to surge back toward each other, seeming to her vivid imagination the shadowy out- lines of two armies about to engage in battle. She fancied the bolder and partially detached shapes were the captains of the warring elements, and one particularly prominent figure was fast assuming a startling resemblance to a horse and rider, when she was aroused from her reverie by the sound of heavy footsteps close behind her. Looking swiftly around she was surprised to find S’posen Jones con- fronting her, his dusky-hued visage having an unwonted paleness and his eyes rolling fearfully. ‘*’Deed, Missus Orry, I didn’t mean to. ‘‘’Twas dat tum’le dat cl’an knocked de sense out ob dis woolly head ; *deed ’twas.’’ ‘‘What is it? What has happened, S’posen? You act as if you had been frightened almost to death. ’’ ‘*So I has, missus; sol has. I s’pec’ Uncle Fros’ is cl’an dead ober de ribber by dis time, an’ aunty, she tell me to ride like de win’ an’ fin’ yo’, an’ dat yo’ come to him ter wunst. He got sumthin’ berry portant to say.’’ ‘‘What do you mean, S’posen? Is Uncle Frost worse? Does he want me to come and see him ?’’ ‘*Dem’s de berry words he used, missus. Yo’ see he took berry much wuss dis forenoon, an’ don’ lib long. He says he mus’ see yo’ ter wunst. I rid like de win’ to git hyur.’’ ‘‘Why didn’t you tell me then ?’’ ‘°S’cuse me, Missus Orry. I don’ ’spec’ ’twas dat tum’le an’ dat look yo’ gub me dat knocked de ’membrance out ob my woolly head. ’Deed I’se sorry——’’ Comic 900 Poe Be te aia oxi Ss > os ue noe be* eee DT Pt a ae ee dl ay ad eae aitts on FN Vor F teh © fs ON a) s POR To are Ray Fpl te y Nir Wy eT ae : oe , - - x : cS