Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-01-17

sky-Dlue lawn, ull OF Whlcn lay Already 80
neatly folded upon the snow-white c0verlet
Of her bed. Should she wear rose in her
heavy braids, Or a knot of violets colored
like her dress? This was the question that
was uppermost in her thoughts as she reeled
up the last skein preparatory to fetching
home the cows.
The reel had snapped, and the thread was
just being tried round the skein, when the
mothers eager, girlish voice was hearleall-
ing from the foot oftbe stairs, "THly,TIly
look out the north window and 81 what You
will eeY"
She ran fast enough and coming back TO
the head of the stairs the next moment cries
anxiously, "Oh, mother, what shall ] do? 7?
The cows are not even fetched home, and
then there is the milking, and then my hair
IL 10 do, and all my things to put onl What
made him cone so soon, ] wonder?'
ga pretty wonder, to Dr spre! as ifyou
didn't know well enough Girls didn't make
believe so much when was young!" And
then she tells her that the cows came home
Of themselves, and are already MIXED, and
that she has nothing to do but comb her hair
and slip on her dmity pctlicoat and blue
lawn.
Matilda had run back to the window
again by this time, and was slyly peeping
out. Nathan had never looked 40 smart.
She hardly recognized him at first. indeed, in
white trowsers,a rose In his button-hole, ,and
such shining new hat! He was come for
n purpose this evening-that was plain. Her
heart was all of II lutter, so that her long
hair tumbled down over her pretty white
shoulders as often as she wound It up, and
she could not clasp her belt till she had tried
over and over.
When all was completed she stood on tip
toe before the small looking-glass, not half
satlsded--shc was iqoling sgch fright
her cheeks on fire, and the handkerchief
across her bosom OF trcmblc. In vain she
tried to hum, ''We are marching forward to
Qucbec"-thc tune ran into quavers and
broke off in spite of herself; and as she set
aside her wheel, hoping by little busy de-
lay to regain her solf-possesaion, tlle ''yAeel-
pin came rattling TO the floor, and The spin
die turned itself about and puncturcd her
arm till it bled smartly, and panied her moi
little into the bargain.
AT last she came down stammering and
blpshing. ''We were not expecting you SO
soon, Nathan she said, ''and that accounts
for my not being ready to see yon.4
''Oh, it makes no difference?" Nathan ull.
swered playing with his waich-key; 81
have been entertained by your mother all
| the same
lie did not smile, nor speak with that
lightness that weuld llaEe given the words
another meaning than they of themselves
expressed; and as the large eyes Of Matilda
rested upon him her hot cheek grew cole
| in ON instant
81 did not mean to say you had misset
me, or anything Of the sort, she said direct
ly looking down and picking at the frill O
her apron-'I only meant to excuse mysel
for what seemed bad behavior
Excuses don't amount to much that evel
found, says Nathan, still twirling his key
"Why, Natty, Natty. what has come oyel
you?" says Mrs. Hastings, lifting hor l,anl
playfully; II have a great mind to box
your years for speaking so TO our Tilly-
don't you see you almost made her cry
"Made her cry! What for should like
to know? Here, Tilly, here's an orange to
make up, and taking one from his pocket
he tossed it into her lap.
She thanked him coldly, and laid the or
ange aside on the table as though II were a
gift she did not much prize lie had called
her Tilly before only when they were alone,
and then with timidity and tenderness OF
meaning, not at all with the of-hand indif-
ference with which he had spoken it now.
1t all comes Of his going to college, she
thought.
"Don't you like oranges ?" he said, after
a little. II thought every body liked them
that knew what was good"
"Maybc don't know what is good" she
answered; "any how, don't care much
for thcm.'
"I do says Mrs. Hastings, trying to
make matters better "4Aint this a beauty
Where did you get it?'
"oh, Uncle Tom brought out whole lot
of 'cm this afternoon
"Indeed your Uncle Thomas is at youi
house then2 Any of the folks with him ?
"Yes, Aunt Mary, and one Of the girls.
(which one?" says Mrs. Hastings-''the
youngest" ?"
Matilda, for some cause, she could no.
have told what herself, had fixed her eyes
upon him when he said one of the girls, ant
was still looking at him. His cyelids low
cred of themselves, and his smoothly shaver
cheek colorcd visibly as he replied that i
was Lamsic who was come with her moth
er.
"Lamsie ? | didn't know there was
Lamsie!' said Mrs. Hastings,as she straight
ened the table-cloth and adjusted the tea
things "and I'm sure thought knowed
all your Aunt Mary's girls. Which one Of
EN- is it,"
'sThe Oldest, believe" says Nathan; and
then he says, including Matilda with his
glance, " she is going TO stay out week, il
she can put up with our country fare SC
long, and hope you will have chance to
get acquainted"
81 hope so," says Mrs. Hastings but Ma
tlda felt as if the tone were patronizing, and
said nothing.
1 90 frl,nxr oil IfyfT1 uirlc " cax,e