The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1871-02-21


of precious time. only run over for 3
minute while them pillow-esses was on
my mind.
Don't be iu haste; your est won't be
lonely" said, with a pretty sarcasm
worthy Of Niss Althea herself was
ashamed Of Il before her scsut skirts were
out Of tie doorway.
You have too much patience " iih her;
lt ceases 10 be virtue. said, answering
the rcproaeh in mothers eyes. "Nou
don't even resent the slight. she puts up
ou your girls"
That's because she las, none of her
own; is the pity Of il that smooihs my
feathers when they begin to bristle, said
mother gently. we were girls together
Althea and and YOU don know what
manner Of woman might have sttlened
into II had lived on toast aud tea sil
these wears, aud lain awake ON winter
nights to hear the wind blow round a
lonely house"
Mother said !, dashing sideways At
the subject which tilled my thoughts, do
you think some women are preordained
from the beginning Of the world to be
old maids<'
1T may be- SO, but am sure that no
woman was ever single except by her own
choice, there comes to every woman at
least one chance Of marriage, II -he has
the presence of mind to grasp it.
"Marrisge' yes, but suppose she wants
love- / am twenty-five aud no one ever
said, II love YOU"
"Some things 20 without saying" said
Stephen Frazer, appearing suddenly at
the south door II went oil and left the
eggs after all, and 80 came back for them.
/ | have overheard no treason except Syl-
Was last speech. Does every man have
one chance of marriage, tooF
"Ycs, verify, Steven; one chance OF
somebody's loving him for himself let
him be ever so awkward and disagree
able"
That's good news said Steven,
"Tye half mind to tell you story
I said mother meditatively.
"With all my heart; the eggs can wait.
"You know what rough husk my
/ brother shuabel wears to all the world,
but you may never know the warm heart
/ l. . 4 10 nIs la
/ that from boy, but he used TO suffer
1 from the most intolerable bashfulness. lie
was ia fame if girl looked at him; If
she spoke, his tongue Glove TO the roof Of
/ his mouth. never pittied anybody so
much in my life. 1t seemed to me that
ho only needed to begin to pay attention
| (as the phrase is) TO some nice girl in
particular 10 find out that there is very
1 little in any woman to make a man afraid
of her
~ lay in wait for Shuabel's opinions,
till discovered that he had faint liking
for a girl who was every whit as bashful
as himself. | was foolish enough to take
the girl into my plot, which dazed what
wits she had when ever Shuabel went
near her, and all the more SO because she
really preferred him to any one else.
IL worked his courage up TO the point
of asking her to let him go home with her
one dark night from quilting and was
describing my success to your father, as
we were taking the longest way home
when Shuabel passed MS alone, walking
vary fast.
81 knew my plan had fallen though
when caught sight ofhis whimsical face
| had invented the mildcst Of formulas
for him TO use, and he declared he march
ed up to her like n martyr 10 the stake
and repeated il without the least mistake
And what do you thing she said
3. No, thank YOU; I've got rubbers.
Then Shuabel He'd and never drew
breath til he was safe at home.
"iic laughed till the tears ran down hi
face. at himself and her, but from tha
day 10 this, he has let all women seycrel
alone. If she had had her wits about he
that one night lie might have made he
j baupy all her life, instead Of both grow
ing more rugged and stianecked till the
die. They had had their chance an
' lost il"
Il "Did she never have another aske
Steven with manly curiosity.
1t Not to my knowledge. She has live
alone. with only a cat for company, wit
! 80 little business of her own that 81
J must periorce mind other people" sn
they didn't like it."
- "You must make one exception to yoG
II rule, mother. II is impossible that an
e. one should have ever held out the gho
&c of a chance to Miss Althea. She was q
t. old maid 10 her cradle"
D. "My dear sylyie, it was Althea Pra
C. and no other, whose uulucky rubbe
made your uncle shusbel All old bachelo
Her cheek, were as pink, and her tong
no sharper than your., in those old tim
when we were girls together
Come, Steven, take the eggs and .
4 vour way, sud don't entice me to tellil
love stories at this time ia the morning
Mother went into the pantry, aud IL
IN same little puff of wind. or one like
au shut her in.
-. I felt Stevens eyes Ike hot sunlight
- f. ltt E.5. trDfae was st. steady