Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-12-07


sender where she Is p when her doubts were
dispslIed BY Ms. BFoWnelPs voice l1
.noia aMHieent wish you'd write oct The re-
csipt for that cake you made for tea--I doa' :
see where you learned to be 80 hanay aooat
fRe house lpIa5f hlluH3 -'
aWhy grandmama,n said the young lacy
psilg, t,yOu eeem 10 forget that ny rnotceF
wa educated under your eye. She Goes not
helipva that French and music are everything
a uirl needs 10 learn. Now dc put those
hstsekinps down--Tll see that they are duly
mended, by and bye
Aunt Miriam turned away from the vim
dow more bBWildered than ever, but vita
a very satisfied feeling stirring under the
heap Of preiudioes that had filed her kind
old heart. II thislWere the muoh-tslked-of
Afillloent, things might not be 80 very bad
after ell. And Milly worked away at her
sponge, the merry smiles dimplinG oVsr
her. fsoe, like sunshine on q bed o. roseqi
utterly unconscious Of the audience OF "one
who Was nov contemplating retreat ai
as But Tie adventures Of the night Wsro not
vet AZ a close, As Aunt Miriam gFopod
/ heT nav toward the path, iamonting tho
Dath. lSmuntiHr the pitchy darkness oft
nIght. and the cracking Of the crisp leaves
A her not very elastic foot shufhed through
them, every pulse in her frame cane to 9
sudden pause Of terror, as pair OF nus
eular arms were thrown round her, AID
moustaohe came in contact with her cheek.
Such kias--Aunt Miriam couldn't re-
member it's like, since the days when Peter
Fenner cOuried the beauty Of the village
In vain she struggled breathlessly to 60.
hoaps-NhoeVer the individual might be, he
didn't do things by halves, and evidently
had no disposition TO relinquish bis prize.
uNy darling little Milly how did you
know / was coming tonight n
Then came another kiss, before Aun
Miriam could exclaim, in sitting accents,
"James Arnett, are you crazy, Do le
60 Of me, and behave like sensible crea'
ture ~
The arms unclssped with electric speed
siAunt Miriaml how on Garth, -"
''Hushi don't speak above yeur breath
There noW--if you're going to laugh hk'
that you'll raise the town"
tsl-I can't hslp it, Aunt Miriam gasp
ed James, olinging 10 the gate post, AID j
vain trying 10 check the gusts Of laughter
that 1pould come. nWhat will Uncle Pete
ssy2 who would have expected to end Nrs
FehneT, Vice President Of the Dercas So
oiety---"
"JamsS, hold your tongue, il you dom
want me to box your ears. And il yo'
breathe q word Of this TO any hvinl
soul"
aWeli, ! won't aunty-I won't upon m,
Word-only the whole affair is 50 supreme
ly ridiculous"
aNonsense," said Aunt Miriam, slipping
through the gate. There, you needn'
turn back with me, you silly hey. 60 il
3 and see Milly-I know that's Ehat yoI
would prefer. And Jamie
"Well, Aunt Miriam"
ave changed my mind about that littl,
Miily Of yours. I don't believe you cal
find pretlier wife, or better; so settl
matters as soon So you please, and Weq
see whether your old aunt Miriam has for
gotten how TO make wedding cake"
% But are you In earnest, sun.g'
HNeVer was more 90 In my lie"
HWhat has altered your convictions
surely ] may ask that one question:"
aThat isn't ct all to the purpose. younl
man. But remember, not Q Ecrd CT thi
ridiculous adventure
9YoulknoW how to administer bribeE
Aunt MiriHm," said the youth gayly, as b
embodied the old lady in his arms, and CAV
her yet Q third kiss.
Through the stsrless darkness she bur
risd-under the Wind-tossed apule trees
and beneath the friendly shadow Of he
own porch, where Uncle Peters scores ye
resounded like mufisd trumpets.
aWhat makes you so late, EifsTn de
manded o droWsy voice from the inne
apartment as she glided around, replacing
shsRiB and wrappers. HPvs besn as fss
asleep ss dOrmOuse, do believs-but
did think heered the click Of the bolt" .
e It must have been the kitten amonl
the tin-pans" quoth Aunt Miriam-th
nearest approach to fib she ever indulget
: in, before, or after.
And in subsequent life, when the frn
conviction seized her, that James A-net
had impaired her secret-in strict conf
denee, Of course-tO his pretty wife, sh
consOled herself By saying mentally:
; "Weu don't care if he has-for m,
part, shall always be glad ce that pee
into Squire BFoWnelps window"