Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-03-22

feelings and expectations with taking for
granted manner that rasped upon him
sometimes. and made him reticent to oh.
stinacy. She was not wise In this, and it
contributed its share towards costing her
trouble in the end. The other mother
piled him some too, though not 90 directly.
and between them he had taken the lit in
his mouth and was ambling a trlAe, just
for the pleasure Of having his own head.
Matilda was unconscious OF all this az she
spun in her chamber that day, though even
then circumstances were combining to
change the amble to curvet.
She had sweet SERIOUSNESS in her heart
and in her eyes, and something like shad-
ow fitted now and then across Ler thoughts.
But Nathan was coming that evening to
drink tea with them, and afterwards to walk
with her in the lane and she made the
wheel fly fas. that che might finish the
stint imposed upon herself and 80 gain time
after the early milking. for the dressing of
her hair, and the careful afray,ng of herself
in the diinity pstticoat, clock stockings, and
sky-blue lawn, all Of which lay already so
neatly folded upon the snow white cover
let of her bed. Should she wear rose in
her heavy braids, or knot Of blue violcts
cOlored like her dress! This was the ques :.
ton that was upcrmOst in .her thoughts, as
she recle1 up the last skcin preparatory to
fetching home the COWS.
The reel had snapped, and the thread
was just being tied round the sxein, when
the mothers eager; gialish voice was heard
calling from the foot of the stairs, "Tilly,
lilly look out of the north window and
see what you will see :"
Sho f,s noncrb n,x1 H. -.
to the head Of the stairs tho next moment
cries anxiously, "Oh, mother, what shall
I do! The cows are not even fetched
home, aud then there is the milking, and
then my hair is to do, and all my things to
put on What made him come 80 soon,
| / wonder!'
"A pretty wonder, to be sure as if you
didn't know well enough. Girls didn't
make believe SO much when was young!'
and then che tells her that the cows came
home Of themselves, and are already milk
cd and that she has nothing to do but to
comb her hair and slip on her dimity pet
ticoat and blue lawn. nj
Matilda had run back to the window
again by this time and was slyly peeping
out. Nathan had never looked so smart.
She hardy recognized him at first, indeed,
in white trOwsers, q rose in his hutton hole,
and such a shining new hat. He was
come for purpose this evcning-that was
plain. Her heart was all of q futter' 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 ehe stood on
tiptOe before the small looking glass, not
half satisfied-she was looking such a
fright--her cheeks on fire, and the hand
kerchief across her bosom of q tremblc
In vain she tried TO hum, we are march
ing forward to Quebec the tune ran in.
to quavers and broke off in spite of her.
SELF and as she set aside her wheel, hop
ing by "a little busy delay, to regain her
self-passession, the wheel pin came rat
tling to the floor, and the spindle turned
itself about and puncturcd her arm till it
smarted and paincd her not little into
the bargain.
At last she came down stammering and
blusling. we were not expecting yOn so
soon, Nathan, she said. and that accounts
for my not bcing ready to see you
oh. it makes no dfcrcuce!' Nathan an.
swcrd. playing with his watch-key i
have been entertained by your mother all
the same
He did not smile, nor speak with that
lightness that would have given the words
another meaning than they Of themselves
expressed; and as the large eyes Of Matil-
d. rested upon him her hot cheek grew
cold in an instant.
Il did not mean to say you had missed
me, or any ything OF the sort, she said. d.
rectly looking down and picking at the
frill Of her apr0n-'I only meant to excuse
myself for what seemed bal behavior.
Excuses don't amount to much that cv-
or found, says Nathan, still twirliug his
key, and tipping his chair with rude indc'
pcndence.
why, Natty, Natty' what has come
over you'll says Mrs. Hastings, lifting her
hand playfully i have a great mind to
box your ears for speaking SO to our lilly
don't you see you almost made her cry. '
Made he. cry What for. should
like to know' Here, lilly, here's an or
ange 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 it were
u gift she did not much prise. He had
called her lilly before only when they
were alone, and then with timidity and
! tenderness of meaning, not at all with the
of hand indifference 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. Il thought everybody liked them
that knew what was good.
Maybe l don't know what is good. she
answered; amy how, don't care much
for them
Il do, says Mrs Hastings, trying to
make matters better. 'Ain't this beau-
y! Where did you get it!'
Oh. Uncle Tom brought out whole lot
of 'em this afternoon.
Indeed your Uncle Thomas is at your
house then Amy of the folks with hlm!
Yes. Aunt Mary, and one Of the girls.
(Which one p says Mrs. Hastings
the youngest
Matilda, for some cause, she could not
have told what herself, had fixed her eyes
upon him when he said one of the girls,
and was still looking at him. His eyelids
lowered Of themselves, and his smoothly
shavcn check colorcd vsibly as he replied
that it was Lamsie who was come with
her mother
Lsmsie didn't know there was a
Lams,c says Mrs. Hastings. as she
Strengthened the table cloth and adjusted
the tea things 'and I'm sure thought
knowcd ali your Aunt Mary's girls:
Nhioh one Of 'em is il