Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-07-25

4
them very painful. Mrs. Croft had lorbidde
Pennie to tease her with anything that VIZ
distressing; but amusing bits she had pc
mission to read aloud. A visit Of Oms
Pasha to the English camp, review OF til
cavalry to entertain him description
hi-Bazouks, she listened to indiflerently
But when Pennie came to the commissaria
arrangements, and quoted, ''rations of goo
tough beef, and good energetic biscuit" tn
hosptable soul grew deeply attentive.
'sGood tough beef, and good energetic
biscuit" echoed she. The Lord provid
'em good energetic teeth to tussel wi it,
An allusion to a crock of butter (only seei
not tasted) touched her tenderly. ''Poo
fellow, wish in my heart he had some o
my Saturdays churning. never saw but
ter come more beautiful-five pounds and
three quarters of it. Go on, Pennie, love
If there is any more about how they feed the
soldiers"
There was not much more only line ol
two descriptive of u Guardsmen riding along
the road with lamb at his sade-bow, and
u brace of geese dangling over his holsters
and then brief mention of the Light Divi-
sion as looking like Highland caterans, when
they returned from foraging expedition,
driving flocks and herds before them into
the camp.
''Then ragged robins they are" laughed
the widow. 'Tell that to your cousin Dickl
1t will cure him, may be, of the martial fit
he's taken in his head since Jessie has been
iorbid him. Silly fellow, to want to marry
such feckless lass. If that's all, Pennie
I'll go and be seeing after Bessie i the kitch-
ell. There's cheese-cakes to make, and re-
member what ! said about your Aunt Lister
and the gels coming in to tea."
With that, exit Mrs. Croft, and Pennie re-
sumed her perusal of the newspaper.
There was no change at Mayficld. Pen
ME felt that evening as if she had not been
an hour away. Her Aunt Lister, Joanna,
and Lucy arrived between four and five
o'clock; the matron sumptuous in Waterloo
blue satin turk, the maidens clean and stiff
in pink nuslins fresh from the ironing board.
Pennie had on China silk dress made in
Paris, buff, embroidered with white. Her
cousins admired it as modish, and becoming
besides
"Yes,' said her aunt, "that cheesy color
f's5ialsd f'cso5aiald I'll 1lsncy you'd growed, refih'Y''isTs
may be ii is only that skirts is worn longer
in France than here. For my own wear,
like a skirt that can step clear away in
over the ground; and | never allows my
gels to go draggle-tailed.
"And you'll never see my Pcnnic go drag
gle-tailed," interposed Mrs. Croft, warmly.
"If there ever was q lass particular to be
without speck or spot or any such thing, it
ia her. Neatest little lass, she is, that l
know. But won't say that she isn't extrav-
CANT wi so many pairs o fine thread an silk
stockings in the wash every fortnight, and
her cambric frills, edged wi Valenceens,
that is out of sight, is clearer than my best
company handkerchiefs.
"No praise to her making god OF hei
perishablc body" returned Aunt Lister with
some piety. " Calicos good enough veal
for nv lasses and me till we puts on tht
long flannel shroud all of us must go to oul
long homes in."
'sDon't talk like that, mother who's go
inr to die?r exclaimed Joanna, testify
When I'm my own missis, I'll wear linens
and I'll have edging, though it does take
sight of getting-up."
aWait till you are your own missis
Joanna; l see no likelihoods of it at pre-
sent" replied Mrs. Lister. "And it ism
many husbands you'll find to be liberalle
than your own father, can tell you tha
, miss. "
, Joanna tossed her head significantly, an
Mrs. Croft suggested that Lucy would
getting off first, may be. Lucy giggled, an
said she didn't expect it. "Nor me ayther,
added her mother. ''Lucy looks over hlg
Gaskills good-natured fellow, audwi NAL
> Joanna no doubt comfortable, but her faith
and me would like TO sec him settled on
q bigger farm. It's a poor house and po
land that he has from Squire Curtis, wi
there was place hcreabouts to let, that
q could have an eye to her bit at first. u
n is SO needless Often"
And so the old talk went the old round
q from dress to marrying, from marrying
marketing, from marketing to money;
,r and fro, hithcr and thither, in all the de
|, bles and twists and turns and winds of ru
ii feminine gossip. Pennie stifled her inclil
ton to yawn, repeatedly, and tried to b.
~ her part in the dull personal chat with SO
ly little appearance of interest. But long
ut fore nine o'clock came, and her mothers
" itors took their departure, she had lap
nv into silent wcarincss and abstraction. III
it went away, persuaded in their own MI
that she was fretting after Mr.. Tindal
Mt "Poor little lass I'm sorry for her." S
nm her Amt Lister, as she turned with
mi daughters into the fields near Rood; "i
we sore heart anybody may have that hs
,rv son at the war"
or- Joanna and Lucy glanced askance at Il
ar mother and at each other. By that sill
vas the tongue, that naming of a son for "a To-
I they knew that in commiscrating Pennie
the had a closer thought for an old grief OF
on. own. For there had been once at the Grt
ack another son besides Dick, an elder son, 1
to reckless, handsome lad, who scandal
y its proprietors by his wild life, and woul
the up by taking glass over much one satu
,erc at Norminster market, and enlisting
soldier in the dull unadyenturous seas'
our peace.
YOU His father had refused to buy hin
and "Nay," replied he, to the petition til
me would "l'll wear none of my brass in
,bch ing forfeit for such ne'er-do-weel He
rful- sup as he has brewed, for me"
me- His mother stood by her husband, and
The being straight made young fellow, v
good seat on horseback, was drafted
said dragoon regiment, then stationed in d
ma and no more was heard of him in Esl
ON His name was forbidden mentioned Q
early Grange, for he was considered to have
lown disgraced his family. But the lad had