Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-17

SITS all your imagination, UrsulaW
"No, it's not and if they are the least
bit scorched they will spoiled for Aunt
Darling"
"But, Ursula"
The crcaking sound of an opening door
beyond suddenly dissolved the Hte-G:tste.
Ursula almost pushed Harry Clifford out
of the kitchen.
"You'll be on the piazza tonight when
they have all gone to the concerto" he
persisted in asking through the crack in
the door,
"Yes, yes, any thing-cvcry thing; only
go~
And Harry went, beginning to realize
that love-making and preserving do not
asSimilate.
"Your pearl brooch. my dear? Oh, |
remember now. gave it to Harry more
than week ago to have mcndcd. | dare
say it's done by this time" and DR.. Darl-
ing turned expcctantly to our hero,
"I-lm very sorry" began Harry
"but the brooch disappeared in the most
unacountable manner from my vest pocket.
hlON L pun ~ ullCIG-
eyes," dryly interrupted the elder gen
tleman, 81 remember seeing you put it
there, and you assured me at the time that
you never lost any thing. So the brooch
is gone, ell ?"
eyes, Sir, it is gone, But Mrs. Darling
may rest assured" Harry added, with a
glance toward that lady, "that | will re-
place it at the very earliest opportunity"
ooh, it is Of no consequence at all ~
said Mrs. Darling, with a comtenance that
said plainly, 1t is Of the very greatest
consequence perhaps we shall find it
somewhere about the house."
b. the days slipped by one by one, and
the doom of the pearl brooch remained
involved in the deepest mystery. Harry
Clifford bought another one and presented
it to Mrs. Darling, with a little compli-
mentary speech. Mrs. Darling laughed,
and pinned it into the folds of the thread
lace barb she wore at her throat
"But it's so strange what can have be-
come of the other" said Mrs. Darling.
1t was in the golden month of September
that the old doctor and Mrs. Darling made
up their minds to invite Miss Bradbury to
tea.
"Wc'll have pound-cake and preserved
blackberrics," said Mrs. Darling, who al
ways looked at the material side of things.
And if Harry don't come to terms now,
he never WILL" added her husband, who
didn't.
"Get out the best china and the chased
silver tea-service, Ursula" said Mrs. Darl-
ing.
"And wear your pink French calico,
child; it's the most becoming dress you
have" said her uncle, with loving glance
at the bright little brunette.
And Ursula Percy obeyed both of their
mandates.
Miss Bradbury came--a handsome, snowy
young lady, with smooth "soccty" man
ner that made Ursula feel herself very
countrifed and common indeed
Delicious preserves these" said Miss
Bradbury.
"They are of Ursula's making" said
Mrs. Darling, And Harry Clifford passed
his plate for a second supply.
{" remember the day they were brewed,
or baked, or whatever it is you call it,"
said he, with an arch glance at Ursula
Suddenly old Dr. Darling grew purple
in the face, and began to cough violently.
Every one started up
Giles swallowed the spoonm cried Miss
Bradbury.
"Oh, OH" he's got the apoplexy !"
screamed Mrs. Darling, Historically.
"Uncle! dearest nclem piped up poor
little Ursula, vaguely catching at a glass
of water.
But DR.. Darling recovered without any
more disastrous symptoms.
at isn't the spoon, and don't come of
an apoplectic family" said he. "But upon
my word, this is about the biggest black
berry ever came perilously near swallow
ingm And he held out his wifc's pearl
brooch, boiled up in the blackberries
There was momentary silence around
the table; and then it was broken by
Mrs. Darling-one Of those blessed old
Ladies who never see an inch beyond their
own specialized noses.
"My goodness gracious !" said Mrs. Darl-
ing; Chow could it ever have come into
the preserved blackberries p? don't
see"
"But I do" said DR.. Darling, looking
provOkingly knowing. eyes; see good
many things now that didn't see before"
And Harry, glancing across the table at
Ursula, was somewhat consoled to perceive
that her check was a shade more scarlet, if
that were possible than his own.
lie followed the old doctor into his office
when the evening meal was concluded
Ursula did not know how she ever would
have lived through it, were it not for Mrs.
Darling's delightful obtuseness, and Sophy
Bradbury's surface charm of manner-and
plunged boldly into the matter.
"Doctor-" he began, valiantly; but
the old gentleman interrupted HIM.
"There's no need of any explanation,
my boy" he said. 81 know now why YOU
didn't want to marry Miss Bradbury.
And don't say that [ blame you much
only | came very near choking to death
with Ursula's blackberry jam !"
And Doctor Darling laughed againuntil,
had his spouse been present, she would
surely have thought second attack of
apoplexy among the inevitables.
"Little Ursula !" he added. "Who
would have thought of it? Well, you
shall have my blessing"
The pearls were all discolored, and the
gold of the old-fashioned brooch furnished
with the alchemy of cooking; but Ursula
keeps that old ornament yet, more tender
ly treasured than all the modern knick-
knacks with which her young husband
loads her toilet-table. And every year,
when she preserves blackberres, DR.. Darl-
ing comes to tea and makes pondcrous
witticisms, and pretends to search in the
crystal preserve-dsh for "boiled brooch "
But then jolly old gentlemen will have
their jokes.