Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1862-10-29

can't understand why you are so pre-
, tjudieed against poor Milieent, Aunt Miriam,
said the young man, uneasily. won't
disguise from you that it makes me very un-
happy to think of marrying without the ap-
lprOval Of one who has been mother to me
and yet
And yet you're determined to 60 your
gait: that's the plain English of it, Jane, y
said Aunt Miriam, We'll, I s'pOse you can
do without my consent; you'll never get it
anyhow" And she pOked the ere vigorous
ly as the old clock began to strike.
Seven o'clock I" calculated James start
ing up, and promised to be at the Post
ofice BY this time. There's to be meeting
about the minister's Thanksgiving donation
party, you know, Uncle Peterl Bless me, I
didn't imagine how late it was"
! And, with gay parting nod to his aunt
he disappeared.
There he goes-aI good boy as ever
lived" said Uncle Peter; " but guess afers
the evenin comes to an end, he'll contrive to
get round to Squire Brownel's Miriam, you
may as well say yes to thAt affair. at once;
he's determined to marry the gal, rings and
city fashions and all.
al wish we'd never sent him to college in
New York, sighed Mrs. Fenner; then he
would not have come across this city sweet
heart"
4 Tbav bei3 - ,,,,, ,>-,,, ,.,r,,t,,1,- ,l,o.
SO its as broad as it is long, remarked Uncle
Peter, philosophieally.
Yes, but it might have been smart STIR
ring gal who knew how to keep house, not a
useless toy, good for nothin' but to hang gay
clothes on, tell you, Peter, can't approve
fOi it, no how"
Uncle Peter whistled Hark, from the
tombs a dolsful sound" and returned once
mere to the contemplation Of his melon seeds
and corn kernels,
Nine o'clock; the fire covered with a mound
of brown ashes; the cricket chirying drowsi-
ly, and Uncle Peter snoring melodiously from
an inner room, still Mrs. Fenner sat there
mechanically playing her knitting needles,
yet unconscious that the kitten was frisking
about, and hopelessly entsngIed her precious
ball OF homespun yarn-deaf and blind to
everything but her own thoughts.
"I wonder" she began, and then stopped.
a After ali" she mentally resumed the next
minute, +" there can't be any harm in it, if /
just slip on my hood and shawl and 60
through the orchard path, across to Squire
BrowneITs- Not that I'd go in-not bit Of
| il; but "a merely take peep in at the keep
in room window as I went past. would
like to see what sort Of face ii was that has
bewitohed James so completely; but he must
never be any the wiser for it7n
She pOndered a second or two longer, then
rose hurriedly, extinguished the little candle
that stood in shining brass candlestick on the
mantle, listened to Peters suores, and muf-
fling shawl round her head, withdrew the
bolt Of the kitchen door, and crept out into
stsrless gloom Of the November nightl
It was but short distance, under the
branches Of the gnarled old apple trees and
into the turnpike road. Aunt Miriam felt a
little conscieuce-stricken as she lifted the
wicket of Squire Brownelrs gate, and stole
noiselessly up the chrysanthemum bordered
walk; she couldn't help wondering what Ed
er Oliver would say if he were to become
aware that she, the sagest old lady in the
congregation, were prowling about here like
a thief in the dark.
" Its all for James's sake, - said the vener-
able DAME under her breath, as she pushed
aside the great aweetbrier that hung over the
panes, and peeped slyly into the window.
Mrs. BrOwnelI sat in big armchair by the
Gre, her feet sWathed in flannel; the squire
was smoking his pipe over three-days old
newspaper; and before pine table, at the
other end Of the room, stood rosycheeked /
girl Of perhaps seventeen, the sleeves Of her
crimson merino dress rolled up above pair
Of exquisitely dimpled elbows, and her hands /
buried in a wooden tray of -four, engaged,
in fact in the operation which housekeepers
call setting a sponge" So much at home
did she seem in the culinary art, that Aunt
Miriam said to herself very decidedly, This /
can't be the city visitor; wonder where she
is 2" when her doubts were all dispeIled by
Mrs. BrOwnel's voice:
MiIlicent, wish you'd write out the re-
eeipt for the cake you made for teal don't
see where you learned to be so handy about
the house I" ...r.
Why, grandGnammsl" said the young lady
gaily, you seem to forget that my mother
was educated under your eye. She does not
believe that French and music are everything
a girl needs to learn. Now do put those
stocking down-IT see that they are duly
mended, by and by"
Aunt Miriam turned away from the win
dow more bewildered than ever, but with a
very satisfied feeling stirring under the heap
Of prejudices that had filed her kind old
heart. If this were the much talked Of Nj
ieent, things might not be so very bad, after
all And MiIly worked away at her spongue,
the merry smiles dimpHng over her face, ut
terly unconcious of the audience Of one"
who was now contemplating a retreat.
But the adventures Of the night were not
At close. As Aunt Miriam groped her way
towards the path, lanenting the pitchy dark
ness of the night, and the cracking of the
crisp leaves as her not very elastic foot shuf-
led through them, every pulse in her frame