Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1862-01-24
FRIDAY, JANUARY "a, 1862.

oft; bot I'D merely take . peep In st The
teepln.room window AL vent past.
would like to s-e what sort OF face II sas
that has bswitched James 90 completely :
but he must never be any tho wiser for u =
She ponhcred . second or two longer. then
rose burricdly. eI,ingui'bed the little can.
die that stood In shining brass candles'iek
on the maniel. listened q moment TO the
unbroten monotony Of uncle Peters snorrs,
and muf'ing o shawl round her headv With.
drew the bol, Of the kitchen door, and crsp.
ou, into the stsrless gloom Of the No,enbsr
night!
IL was but short distance. under the
leafes branches OF the gnarled old apple
trees and into the turnpike road. Aunt
Miriam felt . little consoienoe-strieksn ~
she lified the Wieke. Of Squire Brownsll's .
gate, and stole noi'elessly up the ehrysan.
th-mum horiercd walk che eouldnt help
wondering whs, Elder Oliver would say u
bc were to become aware ,ha, che. the agss,
old lady in the congregation. wcro proul.
ing abou, here l,t, . thIei in the night.
.lt's oil Tor James sats.' saii the vener.
able dame. under her breath. .. she pushed
s,ids the great s~eetbrier that hung over
the p,nes, and psepcd 'lyly into the window
Mrs. Bro~psll eat In big armchair by
the fre. her feet swsthed In flannel the
squire was smoking bis pipe over three
day. old newspaper; and before pine To.
be, at the other end Of the room. stood =
r.y.oheeted girl Of perhaps ~venteen, the
sleeves Of her crimson meriuo drcs. rolle,l
up above pair Of eIqui.iisly dimpled 81.
bows. and her hands buried In wooden
tray Of aoar-sue,sed. in Tact. In the opcr-
alton which hoo.ek-epers call setting =
sponge So much a, home did she seem in
the culinary art. that Aun, Miriam said to
ber-olf. very decidedly TAn csn', b. the
city visitor I wonder where shs i.'' when
her doubts were oil dispellsd by Mrs. Brown.
ellis voice:
Milliceni, I wish you'd write oui the
receir, for iha, esks you made for teal
don't zee where you learned " 10 " handy
about tho house
why. grandmamma!' said the youLs
lady eaily. you 'eem to forget that my
mother VA. educated under your eye. She
does not believe that French and music are
everything g'rl needs 10 learn. Nov do
pu, those stocking. dpsn-i'll see that they
, are duly needed, by.sod'by.'
Aunt Miriam turned away from the win.
dow more b.wild-r,d than ever. but with .
sati.fei feeling stirring under tho heap OF
pr-judirr- tha, had fllei her kind. old heart.
If Nj. ~.r. the much.,alk d ~ Niliicsnt.
thing. might no, IA - very bad. alter all.
And M,lly worked away a. ber .ponss. the
mcrry smile. dimpliu: over her iaes. utterly
unconscious Of the audience Of one. who
was now contemplating . retreat.
But the adventures II the night were no,
yet a, close. a. Aunt Miriam gropsd her
way toward the path. lamentins the pi,chy
darkness Of the night, and the cracking OF
ih. crisp lcavos as her not very elastic foot
shufIled through them. every pol-s in her
frame came to sudden pause OF terror, as
. pair Of muscular arms were thrown round
her. and a moa.,aebe came IN contact with
her check. Such q ki.s-Aunt Miriam
couidn't remember IL like since the days
when Peter fenner courted the beauty Of
the village. In vain she struggled breath.
le-sly TO escape-whoe'er the individual
nigh, be. he didn't do things by halves,
and evidently had no disposition to rrlin.
qu'h his prirs.
MY darling little MIlly how did you
know Was coming ,o.nisht''
Then came another kiss. before Aunt Mir.
lam could eIelaim. 10 s,aed seeent.-
james Arrett. are you cra,y' do let go
Of me. and behave like sensible creature =
The arms unela'pcd with electric speed.
Aunt Miriam how on earth
Hush don't speak above your breath !!
rbero now-if you're going TO laugh like
that. you'll raise the town.
Ill can't help IL, Aunt Miriam. CAPPED
James. elinsins to the gate post. and vainly
trying to check the gusts Of laughter that
would come. What will Uncle Peter sayi
Who would have expected to hud Mrs. Fen.
ner. v,cs President Of the Dorcas Sosisty ?
james, hold your tongue, u you don't
want mo TO box your ears. And II you
breathe . word Of this TO any living soul'-
well. I won't. aunsy-i Won, upon my
word only the whole affair 10 90 sopremely
ridiculous
Nonsense said Aunt Miriam. clipping
through the gate. There. you nestn'.
turn back with me. you silly boy. 10 in
and eco Milly-l know that's Whit you
prefer. And Jamie
well. Aunt Miriam
live changed my mind about that little
M,lly OF yours. I don't believe you can
find prettier vito, or . better. % settle
matters as soon {. you rlens. aud we'll see
whether Jour old Aunt Miriam has forgot.
ten how to make wedding cake
But are you in earnest. auntr
'Nsver WAS moro % In my lifs.'
What has altered your csnviesioos' :
surely I may sst iha: one question 2
'Ths. hot at ell TO the purposs. young
man. But remember. not word OF this
ridiculous adventure
You know how TO administer bribes.