"Home  again,"  exclaimed  Dave  to  his
admirers.  "Home  again.  Home  again  in
God's  own  country,"  and  waving  his  hand
to  the  west,  he  added  reverently,  "Ah,
look  at  that  sunset!  There  are  no  sunsets
like  the  sunsets  of  Southern  Maryland.  I
wish  I  could  stay  here  forever.  I  tell  you,
my  good  friends,  that  you  are  blest  with
the  finest  place  in  the  world.  I  take  off
my  hat  to  you.  I  take  it  off  to  Southern
Maryland,"  and  he  did  so,  as  he  continued,
"Hello,  Bill.  That  pup  I  promised  you
last  year — I  intended  to  send  it — honest  I
did — What? — year  before  last,  was  it? —
Great  Lord,  how  time  does  fly! — That  pup
was  the  finest  dog  that  ever  lived.  Yes,
he's  dead.  Poisoned.  But  I've  got  an-
other one  for  you.  Gentlemen,  that  pup
I'm  going  to  send  Bill  just  as  soon  as  I
get  back  to  the  city  is  the  most  astonishing
dog  you  ever  heard  of.  Missed  him  for
two  days  and  where  do  yo-i  suppose  we
found  him?  Up  in  the  guest  chamber,
pointing  a  covey  of  partridges  in  a  picture.
Why  that  dog— Judge  how  are  you?  I


14         THE    RETURNS    FROM    ST.    MARYS.
certainly  am  glad  to  see  you.  Up  in  the
office  they  always  say,  'Dave,  that  is  hard
work  in  Southern  Maryland,  why  dt>  you
do  it?'  and  I  just  tell  them  that  the  privi-
lege of  coming  down  here  and  meeting  you
is  all  the  recompense  I  want."

"I  suppose  you  will  win  as  usual  this
year?"  asked  the  Judge,  after  returning  the
compliments.
