DORCHESTER COUNTY. 2365

The clerk may proceed to sell either the real, leasehold or personal prop-
erty so seized, or so much thereof as may be necessary for payment of taxes
due and in arrears, and expenses, of such delinquent taxpayers, at public
sale, to the highest bidder, on giving previous notice, of twenty days in the
case of real and leasehold property, by advertisement inserted in some
newspaper published in Dorchester County, Maryland, of the time, place
and terms of sale of said real and leasehold property, with a brief descrip-
tion describing the nature and location of said property, or, of ten days in
the case of personal property, by handbills posted in not less than four
conspicuous places in the town of Vienna, of the time, place and terms
of sale of said personal property. On the day appointed for the sale,
the clerk shall attend and offer for sale and sell so much of said property
as may be necessary to pay taxes, interest and expenses. In the case of
sale of personal property, the sale shall at once vest the title thereto in the
purchaser. In the case of sale of real or leasehold property upon ratifica-
tion of the sale as herein provided, it shall vest the title in fee in the
purchaser absolutely. In the case of the sale of real estate, the purchaser
shall at the time pay an amount of the purchase money sufficient to pay
taxes, interest, costs and expenses and no more, and shall execute to the
clerk a bond or obligation, with approved security, to pay the balance of
such purchase money upon ratification of the sale.

At any time before the ratification of the sale of real or leasehold prop-
erty, the person charged with the taxes under which sale was made, or
such person's heirs, personal representatives or assigns, or his, her or their
agent or attorneys, or any mortgagees or other lien holders, may pay to the
purchaser, his heirs or assigns, the amount paid to the clerk for taxes,
interest, costs and expenses as aforesaid, with interest thereon from the
day of sale at the rate of fifteen per cent. (15%), and such payment
shall render the sale null and void, and such payment shall be an
absolute bar to the ratification of the sale, upon payment as aforesaid,
the purchaser, his executors, administrators or assigns, shall execute a deed
or release, which shall be recorded as a deed of real estate.

Twelve months after the date of sale, or as soon thereafter as may be
reasonably convenient, the clerk shall, under oath, report the said sale,
together with all the proceedings had in relation thereto, to the Circuit
Court for Dorchester County. The court shall examine the said pro-
ceedings and, if the same appear to be regular and the provisions of the
law in relation thereto have been substantially complied with, the court
shall order notice to be given by advertisement, published in such news-
paper or newspapers as the court shall direct, warning all persons inter-
ested in the property sold to be and appear by a certain clay in the said
notice to be named, to show cause, if any they have, why said sale shall
not be ratified and confirmed; and, if no cause or an insufficient cause be
shown against said ratification, the said sale shall, by order of said court,
be ratified and confirmed, and the purchaser shall, on payment of the
balance of the purchase money, have a good title to the property sold; and