The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-05-02

they must have had quantities of
them, first and last
Leaving the nuts on the floor, Flo
lifted the pan, holding it in both
hands, marched down to the sitting
room where Miss Nancy was sewing,
"Please, nam, will you tell me a
story That's what I've come for"
Flo said, peeping roguishly ont from
behind the pan. "Thero's delight
full one connected with this I'm NOR
rally certain" pointing 70 the draw
ing, and dropping herself and pan
on the floor at the same time. "Do
you know there is something very
familiar about the twist of that j? /
DO not remember where | saw it, but
seen it | certainly have"
81 dare say" Yol are acqainted
with the person who drew it? There
is story connected with it rs you
surmised, but whether You would be
interested in it from my telling !
don't know. However, | will do the
best | cam" said Miss Nancy, taking
q new needleful of thread, while Flo
composed herself with an expectant
countenance. Nancy went on:
Twenty-Five years ago the house
was not the quiet place it is to-day;
we were all at home then, father,
mother, Will, John, Dilly and |.
Dilly was not my sister, but o second
cousin, left an orphan year Or two
before, and offered u homo with us
She soon became very dear to us all,
for she was u veritab!e sunbeam, al
ways bright and CHEEKY, and the
busiest little mortal that ever made,
use of her two hands.
Oue spring day my father received
a letter from friend of his, asking
as a personal favor that he would re-
ceive as % summer boarder u rising
young artist, q personal friend Of the
writer. He wished to make studies
of ourbeautiful scenery. After somo
consultation we decided to send an
answer in the affirmative, an | ac-
cordlngly n few weeks later the ex-
pected guest arrived.
He was made welcome in a hearty
country fashion, and shono to his
room. While he was brushing eff
some of the dust of travel, mother
and l prepared supper. Even Dilly
herself could not have flown round
with greater alacrity, or felt more
perfect satisfaction in contemplating
the tempting meal than I. Mothers
cookery was fine art; all! when shall
[ SEQ the like again? The traveller
ate as if he had appreciated it, and
mother hovered around him urging
this and that upon him, until he eX-
claimed, with IL boyish laugh, "Why,
my dear Mrs. EndIcott, do-you mean
to kill me, outright? I have not
eaten so much for six months as |
have tonight. Your cookery is Won
derful."
Mother was as free from fault as
any one | ever knew, but if she had
a vanity, it was the supernal quality
of her cooking, so saw at once that
she had taken him into her motherly
heart and that henceforth he would
be to her as one Of Of US. The next
morning | accompanied him over
the farm, pointing out different OBJ
iects of interest on the way. The
sun grew very hot and we took the
shortest way across the farm into the
back door yard. AS we approached
the house we heard q voice singing
"Robin Adair."
"What sweet voice. who IS it?
said my companion. g-sf.
"It is cousin Dilly; she has good
voice, although it is not all cull iva
ted | said carelessly. [ had taken
singing LESSONS two terms.
Just tten we turned the corners OF
the house aud surprised the singer
in the act of setting up row OF
milkpans in the sun. Her sleeves
were rolled up to the elbows, DIS
playing her fair, round arms; her
curly hair was blown about her face,
and the swift color which roSe to her
cheeks at the sight Of the stranger
rendering her, as J. was forced to CON
fess, more beautiful than ever
Nothing ever seemed to injuro her
complexion, while burnt and tam
ned SO easily that | was Obliged to
wear q vail nearly all the time. L
performed the ceremo ony OF introduo-
ton rather stitlly, | AIN afraid, TOR
it yexed me to see the admiration SO
plainly depicted on the artists face
I will not linger on tho summer
that followed; suffice it to say that he
soon ceased to be a stranger to ID.
think I never saw any one enjoy lie
so fully; he entered into everythihS
with so much zest. Fishing, boat
ing, haying, picnicking, milking, bcr-
rying, egg hunting, driving to mill
or to market, helping John over
| mathematical mountains or through
Latin slough', beating eggs for
mother, helping Dilly in the dairy
work, practiclng songs with me, ard
vet never neglecting his own work,
| for which he had come. His versa
tility was something wonderful to see.
"It beats all natur' to see that iel-
lar drive" said my father one day
So the days and weeks and months
glided by till October had come, with
Ths III next day our artist was to leave
ns: John had gone month before to
college; and we were all feeling very
dismal 1t was rainy day, and
we had not seen much of our friend [
for he was giving the finishing touch