The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-12-01

Fundy, and read them all. She had been
born and bred in a city, and had seen more
Of the world than most persons with whom
her lot was cast. No one asked whether
Mr.. Wolfe had come, or was coming; for
Mr.. Fundy had frolic as well as his wife,
and the woods were noisy with the chopping.
No one expected him 10 come; indeed, Mrs.
Fundy was quite sure, now that had come
to think Of it, that Mr.. Wolfe had not been
invited---if any one thought OF him at ALI it
was to wonder what in the world Mrs. Wolfe
ever had him for q '
.Three happy, supny hoirs began 10 draw
shadows after them as they went down, and
the blood mounted red into Anne's cheeks
as she lifted her blue eyes from the quilt,
not SO much because Mrs. Wolfe was ask
ing her il she could come and seW month
for her, as because. she saw Mrs. Weed
and Dfrs. Speed both look at her as though
they thought shelwould reply very drily 10
the negative, so, perhaps, to disuppoint them,
perhaps to puzzle them, or, it may be, mere
y to satisfy her own curiosity. she said,
smiling, she was quite at liberty, and would
be glad to go, asking, with apparent inno-
cehcy, If it was shirts Mrs. Wolfe wanted
made. 1t was hot shirts, but work for her.
self--she hardly knew what-she was 60
ing to town next week toget a good many
things, and she would be glnd to have An
nc come the next day, if she could, and do
some mending and be company; for Mrs.
Wolfe said she would as soon be in prison
as at home with nobody there but Noses
All laughed, even Anne, perhaps; because
the rest did; and all thought Mrs. Wolfe
was an exceedingly funny woman; as for
what Anne Hadly thought nobody could
see through the shadow that rested on her
face to tell. Twenty years since she was
spinning girl for the mother of Moses Wolfe,
seemed only a day to her. ....-. 4. r
"Well,' said Mrs. Weed, "I think Anne
is right nice sort Of a body, II she is an
old maid. WONDER" she added directly,
"If she could get anybody to have her!' and
answering herself, continued, 81 think not,
Judging from appearances, for | never knew
of her having beau"
"It's most pity" said Mrs. Speed, "tha,
Moses wouldn have her, seeing that he has
turned out so." Mrs. Weed said "Yes,"
abstractediy; and so they arranged the ta-
BILE, feeling as sorry US they could for an
old nuid-counting by their own ages what
hers must be, and repeating two or three
times that it was almost a pity for her. mas
much as Muses. had turned out so bad, ard
size was not likely to get anybody, while
Charlotte would have got twenty husbands,
any one of whom would have suited her bet
Ter than Moses, who was not half the man
she thought she was getting.
"Anne is good sewer, and very nice
housekeeper," resumed Mrs. Weed; u
think she must be thrty-fve."
"Ycs. there are good many fine quail
ties about Anne" replied Mrs. Speed; she
is good in time of sickness, and when there
is death she brightens up the house like a
sun beam; almost every one speaks we'll OF
Anne; but she must be thirty seven or thir-
eight-I wonder what she would say if a
body should ask her how old she is!'
.Well, don't know as care" said Mrs.
Weed; 81 should not be surprised though, il
she were forty; old maids always, will dis
guise themselves with dress and one thing
and another, and it appears as il some of
them look just about so for ten or dozen
years; she never was sick, nor had anything
to break her constitution"
So the two women talked and guessed and
surmised, called up old memories, and ad-
dcd one to another, saying often how good
Anne was, and how well they liked her. at
the same time keeping in vivid recollection
her many winters, and the disgracclul fact
that she was not married, nor likely to be.
The tears are falling on the last stitches
of the quilt border as she is called to the
present by hearing Mrs. Fundy saying,
"Come, Anne, come right down to supper
now" Anne goes to the window to put a
thread in her needle, she says; but she dries
her eyes while she threads her needle, and
when she appears at the supper table she
smiles and talks with Mrs Smith about the
new school in which she has placed her
children, the fashion Of summer.dresses, and
the prospects of an abundant apple.haryest,
and Mrs. Smith regards Anne with sort ol
tender compassion, and insists that she shall
visit at her house "Poor Anne" she says
to herself .'she has not anybody to care for
her." aa a3agmqy I .a# a'ss
The choppers are all there; merry, even
boisterous, laughing loud; for they have been
drinking something stronger than tea, occa'
sionally, during the afternoon. Anne CLAN
| ces timidly down the long table at first, at.
terward tearlessly; she does not see him
she looks for; Moses is not there. Mrs.
Wolfe sits at the head Of the table, compla-
Gently dispensing smiles and agreeable no.
things; she does not look for Moses; she
knows well enough where he is and what
he is doing; he is at home milking the cows
how he will get his supper she does not
i - i.Is IL . hn ,s,;ll 6nJ uaroathin