The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1857-05-14
BaautlfuI gtwtJ.
BY HETTY HoLYoKE,


Miss Elsie Cunningham sat alone il
her sisters diningroom.
J 1t was spacious apartment, hung wit
) pictures, and literally furnished. TIL
. wood fire which blazed and cracked OF
) the hearth, threw pleasant touches Q
light about the room bringing out her
by the chimney y-side, the arm of Grim
? son chair here on the rug, the woollel
roses that bloom all winter long Their
at the window, the fold of a long greer
| curtain and on the wall, the cleaning
shoulder of a Magdalene, or some patri
arch's white beard.
The two tall lamps which burnt on the
corner of table, pretended to no rivalry
with the freight; but seemed satisfied
with the mission Of lighting Elsie's wrin
kled. placid face, and snow white cap.
Elsie looked comfortable. cheerful. nay
happy. Her work basket stood beside
her on the floor, with waiting aspect
her stocking lay on the table, all its nee
dies idle, except that one wherewith she
guided her vision along the columns oi
the crowded print. The room was quiet
as Elsie's heart.
But before the maiden fully realized
her own content, there came a change.
Quick, noisy feet ran up the steps out
side, clattered along the piazza; and as
if by one motion, tried the door handle,
shook the door enough to break its hinges,
Elsie thought, and rang the bell.
All this brought the speedy response
which Master Ned Cathcart required
Men and maidens ran to answer the i'm
perious summons, the wind and Ned en-
tered together, and half dozen inner
doors swung and slammed in echo to the
outer one.
"Aunt Elsie, how are you? Where's
mother ?"
"She has gone to concert, my child
She took an early tea, and will meet your
father down town"
What, both gone for all the evening
Where's Angie ?"
!" In bed, an hour ago. You must try
to be content with my society for one eve
ming. Well have a cosy time together
you shall study, and read. What are
you laughing at, Ned 90
q was thinking how amused the fel-
lows at school would be at the idea of my
passing cozy evening with-my aunt. .
Elsie looked up. Ned had never seer
so much expression in her eyes before
"'Why didn't you end the sentence az
you thought it, and say, with forlorr
old maid p"
"Well now, aunt Elsie, are not ole
maids forlorn and forsaken beyond any
thing else on earth I often wonder
how you can look SO tranquil, left at home
as you are night after night, to keeI
house, while the rest of the family arr
going about, dancing, riding. hearing
music, having good time"
(Which I have with less trouble, whel
stay at home."
"But you don't pretend to say you arr
happy ?"
!, "I do.''
That you would not be young as
am if you could ?"
Yes, Ned. AT your age I was fool
ish as young girls are apt to be, full o
romance and sentiment, saw sage in ev
cry college boy, and hero in every mi
litia captain, was always in love and i
TROUBLE
Who'd have believed it, aunt Elsi
in love ? What were the men like p
Why didn't you marry them? Wer
e you ever disappointed Do tell m
about it. I've always heard that Made
aunts had stock of old romance lai
away to dry in their memories
I" We must have tea first"
"Oh, hang tea The idea of mixin
up supper and romance. You wouldn
}; have done it, aunt Elsie, when you wer
young"
NO was not wise enough. Th
r. servants wait for US, and they bein
t; heart whole"
Oh, I understand. There, that,
bring them.''
"These bell-wires must be made
some impossible compound OF steel an
gutta percha, Ned.''
only wanted to hear You expost,
s late, you do it in such tranquil way
y; You're not bit of scold, aunt Elsie
tie | half battered the house down. Won
"a remark that Ned was unfortunate in ba
ing such an impetuous nature-never
- word about your misfortune in having
live with him."