The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-07-13
Srlettfa sturQ.
From Arthur's Home Magazine.
Boys and Girls Treasury.
A U N T NJ Z r C Y
~ VIRGINIA F. TOWNSEND. o


she WAS my great, great Aunt, and
her head WAS covered with the SHOWS of
nrnety Winters. Her lace AMI hands
"cre wIinkIed and withrr i her torn
VAS ben, aud she moved about the house
'ow ami painfully, with the aid of a
aft They told me ,ha; she had been
AI'e'i very p'cttl In her Youth, and some
mes "scd To search the thin, bIighled
nce,t,T some traces OF all that WAS once
"gAGneSs 10 gaze Upon" but never
nnnd Hhen, except when her thoughts
'hnd"rcd oil into the memories Of her
louih, and the heart of the oil woman
would warm, rs the long gone days rose
~, nnd uncovered their faces before her,
'nd lew light would brighler the deep
rt,taded eyes, and they would glow
irsngely with smiles, III that aged face,
aid then could fancy what Aunt Mer
~ must have been in her youth.
We'll, NovenLcr's rally set in agin'. |
Thought felt touch OF the rheumatic
in my shoulder this mornin', when got
up said the old woman, one morning,
and she came, with little shivei towards
the fire, for She had been peering through
Der spectacles, at the sallow clouds which
had arisen during the night, and seemed
10 blur out suddenly all the glory and
Ybesuty of November.
sWhy, Aunt Mercy, what in the world
will you do before The Winters out, il
this little chill in the air overcomes. you
soE | asked, looking up from the papers
OF flower seeds that was labelling for
the next Spring.
It's more than ] can tell, child she
SAID, mournfully. Maybe, afore the Win
.tefs out, shall be where no chills can
harm me-
Then she sat down in the small rock.
ing-chair, that always stood in the right
side OF the fire place, and leaned her face
on her hand.
z'Aunty, what are you thinking about 2
| asked at last, for the old woman's 81.
ence troubled me.
! i WIS thinkin' OF the time when the
Hews came that Increase was dead. Ii
gas such kind Of a. day as this, and
ths Wind complained round the corner OF
/
hear it, hut ! think of that time
knew that Ipcrease Pike was my
saunts onl y brother, and that lie lost his
Ite ip the old revolutionary war, but tbis
was the extent Of my Information re.
sTec,ing him.
Do tell me about that time, Aunt Mer.
~ ] said, feeling that a sad story would
pest harmonic with the moan of the
wind, and the face OF the sky, and went
laDd sat down on low stool, oppedte the
Old woman. with the seeds in IN, apron.
Increase was jest nineteen thai Spring,
when tSa order came out 10 Pine Side.
for more recruits, and lie twas foil O. ar.
| IOr and spirit in his eounry's cause, and
vas among the Fl st to enllst.
Dear me how taken aback mother
vas that night that he came home, and
\ told her he'd given in his name but be
laughed at all her fears, aud told her
she'd be proud enough Of her son, when
HE'D got 10 be Colonel, or Cap'n Pike,
and talked about whippin' them British
seoundrels, and strutted about the kitch.
90 in such brave way, and looked 80
strong and handsome, With the bright
brown curIs sbakin' round his face, ,ha,
somehow We elooked at him. and couidn',
believe any harm could come to him, and
l he had such bold certain way o. taIkin'
"a began to fake FOR granted all that he
issid.
\ We'll, the rest Of the time, until he
nrcnt was all taken up in gettip' things