Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1870-11-03

""hiuu Iiluu llb'ihS Icl pUl
it round me, responded Job, in his dr.
II way.
Il They were seated al the pleasant tea
table now. Enoch had come in, an
5 Lucy was the centre OF Cvcrybodys at
/ tcnliou in spite Of Lord Byron's chuil
Il ish opinion, she was perfectly charmin;
! while engaged with her knife and fork
l Tell me, Enoch,' inquired She ar
c there any nice girls in this ncighbor
hoodE don't care liz for young mcl
: (lhcrc was sly twinkle in her oye) -
= they are horrid, conccitcd creatures
but | shoaId like to get acquainted will
II nice girl
Nancy Rayuor is our next ncighbor',
, daughter, said uncle Dorset; '&ui she
is as likely u girl as ever was raised
, here in Srockburn.'
She has got what | call good man,
ners,' put in Aunt Dorset, dishiug out
the stcWcd qninccs. Most Of the girls
nowadays are too brazen to suit my old
fashioned notions.
Ask Enoch about her, said Job with
u droll wink.
%, yes struck in Uncle, 'Euoch and
Nancy used to be very thick and can't
tell whether It's her fault or hs'n that
they don't hitch horses any more
Euoch co orcd as he bent over his
plate, aud Lucy cast a mi3chievous lit
tie glaucc ut him.
Nancy don't come here near as Of
ten as she used to- said Aunt Dorset,
pouring out the old genllcmau's cup Of
tea and pnttiug in what he called 'loOg
swcetung.' 'She amt the kind of girl
to let any young man think she's love-
sck-shc's an iudcpendant little piece it
she does look as if butter wouldn't melt
in her mouth, All the Reynors are
hard -hilIcd.'
Enoch looked really annoyed now,
aud kept his eyes fixed on his plate to
avoid Lucy's wicked little ganccs.
Suddenly he looked up, and said to
her; IF you get acquainted with Nancy,
you can wave your pockct-handSerchief
out OF the window | believe you like
that sort Of things Now it WAS Lncy 5
lurn tu cast down her eyes.
The house was full of fnn aud music.
just as Uncle Dorset had predicted Lu
cy kept things pretty we'll stirred up
aud plotted against Aunt Dorset's steady
jog-trot, cid fashioned ideas. She want
ed TO have her fingers in evcrybody's
pie. She mcddIeA with cooking, and
made lltIle mortified CAKES, that nobody
could eat.
Pears to ne these buscuits have got
the measles, said Uncle Dorset, one
morning, as he broke one open decora-
ted with a number of yellow eyes.
4 made them, dear, said Lucy, look
ns 50 pentcnt. 'Yon know I've been
brought up in dreadful Ignorance bat
nov am learning to cook, for expect
to marry poor man-poor man--per-
haps armer,' And she cast such a
glance at Enoch that Aunt Dorset took
the alarm That same forenoon, while
Euoch was down in the Evans LOT,
mending fence, to keep Squire Brig
ham cattle ont. his anxious mother ap
peared wish her apron over her head,
look here, Euoch, laid she; 'tho +.
ncighb rs have got it round that You
are going to N Ike match with Lucy
Malcolm. wouldn't be qnite so per-
ticSerlcr toward he: if | was you. II
never turns out well for first sscousin, to
m rrry.'
The neighbors may mind their own
business said Enoch, augrly, as he
away at Il board.
'rur, tut, returned his mother, who
had u temper of her own. 1T takes a
nrt 10 ca'ch II Airl; aud shou dn't
wonder you aud Lucy were we'll match
ed. 10 SPEAK plain, don't think You
have treated Nancy Reyoor right, and
the day may come when you will fnd
what true heart is worth
In spite of all this, Aunt Dorset
liked the creature. Lucy compelled
liking from those who did not wholly
approve of her She was disorderly |,
and upsetting, and shocked the old
|adys method and regularity; but still
she would bear, more from her than any
body else. Job liked Lncy's spirit of
fun. She was not too big to play tom
BOY, and to follow the boys into the
ield and ride home on load Of pump
lins, looking like little queen amid
ler golden treasure. She had seen {
Nancy Rayuor in the singers seats at {
church of Sunday morning but that ;
vas as near as the two girls had ap- {
oroached each other. In response to s
Iucys teasing, Aunt Dorset had invit- $
ID the neighbor's to tea but on the af- |
Of the day appointed Nancy S
lad sent to say that she must be ex c
used; on account of a bad headache. &
lob comforted Lucy by saying that a
Nancy would surely come to the husk- c
ng-bee; bat Nancy as she lay awake
lights, with the tears wetting her h
heeks, thought to herself that she b
would not 90 and witness that girls q