Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-10-14
THE RED EAR.
BY AUGUSTA LARNED.

Everything must be put off until Lu-
cy Malcolm gets here. the boys are
ready to break their necks for her. We
mustn't let her know how much this
visit has been looked on. It will make
her too important.
They say there is lots of music in L1-
cy, returned Uncle Dorset. Every
body called him Uncle Dorset. "She S
just that trim-built, Ight-steppen' cree
ter her mother was before her. What
grand, good times we boys used to have
together when she was young"
'Yes, said his wife, with slight air
of inquiry. ''You and Horace was both
of you snitten with Lucy Parkes. Ev-
! erybody knows that well enough
mo, replied Uncle Dorset, wagging
his good-natured old head, .sit was Hor-
aces sister 1 was after but was always
willing to crack a joke with Lucy
Parkes."
'Wal, said Aunt Dorset, the aggriev.
ed tone shading off a little. sit always
looked as if it was nip and tuck be-
tween you and Horace. I"
| The old lady did not really mean it /;
but the truth was she had always been a
| little jealous of her brothers wife, and
now, almost uncensciously, the feeling
was transferred to Lucy Malcolm. She
did not relish the idea of her coming to
Stockburn. and turning peoples heads,
as her mother had done. She had not
seen the girl for five or six years; but re-
port said Lucy had grown to be a pretty,
arch, dark-eyed little witch, with a spice
of mischief in her composition that
made her quite irresistible. In the mild
ri, Z, IL,
were getting in the corn, drawing with
an ox-team the rusJling shocks to the
barn
THE old swaIlow-haunted barn,
Brown-gabled, long and full of seams,
Through which the moated sunlight
streams" I"
eve will have a husking-bee when
Lucy gets here" said Enoch Dorset, as
he stood up on the load, pitch-fork in
hand, his tall, well-knit from swaying a
little, and showing clearly. clad as it was
in a comfortable flannel shirt and trow-
sers of Jersey blue.
"Goliy so we will, said his brother
| lob from the threshing-foor. "If Cous-
in Lu is as lively as they say she is, it will
| be a general training most of the time
while she stays.
Job was not as good-iooking as Enoch.
His hair was lank and his face was sal
low but there were funny lines round
his mouth, and he had dry way of say
ing things, and taste for drollery of
ali sorts, that made him a favorite. He
kept his wit sharpened at Enoch's ex-
pense; and Enoch was rather open to
ridicule, for he had sneaking fondness
for hair-oil, and fancy neckties, and
scented poczet-handkerchiefs, and Sc
cretly believed himself to be the best
looking fellow in Stockburn.
"Hullo - said Enoch, standing still on
the load, with that easy sway of the hips,
and shading his handsome brown face
with his hand, as he looked up the road
where it rose a little until the spiral
.Lombardy poplars in front of Elkanah
l.Raynor's house showed gaps of sky be-
! tween, like parted fingers, and the old
chimneys were nested in a bower of
fruit-trees, yellow and russet now. The
road down which Enoch was gazing
was by no means a common country
road. The fences were all of the best,
and the foot-paths were shaded by fine,
stocly naples, that were carpeting the
wagon-track with hecks of fame color.
Every house in Stockburn neighbor-
hood was snug and neat, with a well-to-
church in the township, was what peo-
pie called ''crack" street.
There the stage coming round the
| turnpike corner, exclaimed Enoch. as
his eyes followed cloud of dust
cousin Lucy !" shouted Job. And
he threw down his fork and dashed away
to the house and in a minute more I'm
Gle Dorset, bare-headed, with his broad,
good-natured old face smiling all over,
and bustling Aunt Dorset, with her cap
strings flying, hurried out into the front
yard.
There was a face at one of the win
dows of the Raynor farmhouse as the
top-heavy stage, with its six horses, and
Tapping leather curtains, and piles of
trunks strapped on behind, went creal1-
ing on past. The house was too much
shaded for health, and the face was in
shadow. 1t was a young face, with an
abundance of soft hair, regular features,
and large blue eyes, that ought to have
been patient and loving but there was
an unnatural compression about the lines
of the mouth, that made it look a little
stern. Now, as the stage passed quickly
| by, affording to the watching eyes at the
window a glimpse of a fascinating, girl
/ ish countenance, lovely in its bloom,
with little blue veil futtering from a
jockey hat, Nancy Raynor's head bent
down on her work, and it seemed as
though something said in her ear I:
He will love her know he will love
her"
$50 it appeared that Lucy Malcolm 5
arrival was causing some heart-burning
in Stockburn neighborhood. All uncon-
scious of this, Lucy-the roundest.
! plumpest, merriest little maiden ever
seen-tripPed out of the stage when the
driver had brought his horses to. There
was pair of sparkling black eyes
adorning her rosy face, and her laugh
rang out as clear as a silver bell. Lucy
had various parcels, bags, and books,
which she shed about as such little
minxes will and a young man, who
\ had got down from the stage to assist
her in alighting, gathered them up and
handed them back. He was evidently a
town-bred man, with white hands, and
downward look, and too little chin, and
a caretully-kept moustache. Lucy took
her things from him in a pretty, petu-
liant sort Of a way giving him a curt lit
tie bow and the next moment they
were all on the ground, and she had
her arms hugged tightly round Uncle
Dorset's neck.
Don't you mean to give me one of
them, Cousin Lucy r. inquired Enoch,
! leaning in one of his naturally graceful