Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-12-20

elJner tOtnlgnt or tomorrow morning, an
he'll be company for you. He's as likely
a young man as you'd wish to see."
Maud began to wish she had staid at
home Farmer Seymour and his wife
Nancy she really liked; but their ''likely
young" relative she had no desire to cul-
| tivate. But her dissatisfaction soon van
ished under the influence of the pleasant
December sunshine, and the strange quiet
and peaoefulness, which was part and par.
eel of this New England homestead.
The likely young man was not forth
coming that evening, and Maud noted his
non appearance with a sigh of relief
Zone evening without strangers"
she murmured, in satisfaction. "And
that is considerably better than
none at ALL" and so, at "Uncle
Hiram's" las she had been desired
to call him) request, she seated herself at
the old piano, and sang for hours the
simple airs which the old gentleman Sc.
| lected. "Bonnie Doom" and "Old Hun
| dred, +" "Pop goes the weasel" and Lien.
nox," followed each other In quick sue
cession, and she was Just in the midst of
| Hail Columbian when in burst Aunt
Nancy, all of aglow with excitement and
exercise.
"What's the matter, wifeS" asked the
old farmer, breaking off from Heaven.
born Band, p" with suddenness that caus.
| ed Maud instinctively to follow his eX.
ample Anything wrong9"
"Oh, dear! yes," said the old woman,
energetically removing her wooden hood.
"Sallie Browns sick, and can't come to.
morrow to help me in my baking, and
there's nobody else in the neighborhood
can get, and what on earth I shall do,
it's beyond me to imagine. l can get
along we'll enough in the regular Christ
mas dinner; but one pair of hands amt
nowhere in the baking that's got to be
done beforehand" and the poor woman
very disconsolately gathered up her wrap
pings and rose from her chair.
"Mercy, Aunt Nancyp said Maud,
cheerily, "don't worry about that!
don't believe but I'm just as good a cook
as Sallie Brown; and was going to ask
you, anyway, to let me help you to-mor.
row. Mother laughs at me, because /
| like the kitchen, and bribe our cook to let
me make cake or pie once in while,
but tell her / was born with knack
for it, and ought to put it to some ac-
count; but don't getmuch chance home,
and I'll be perfectly delighted if you'll
play am Sallie tomorrow.
To this arrangement the old lady made
few objections, and the next morning
in the house of Seymour. Mrs. Avery
would have wrung her hands in holy hOr.
ror at the picture presented by her lovely
daughter on that eventful day. Her soft
quilted merino wrapper Aunt Nancy
Immediately vetoed as too nice for the
''mussy" work on hand, and, for lack of
anything else, brought forth one of her
own dark calicoes. Three of tiny Maud
Avery could have occupied it comforta-
bly,, but by dint of a pin here, loop
there, and a general taking-in all over,
she at last declared it able to 'stay on"
This was then enveloped and covered by
a voluminous white bib apron, which,
although serving to hide sundry plaits,
etc, did not take from the general dump.
mess; her abundant wavy brown hair,
concerning whose reality there had been
standing disputes ever since her debut,
was tightly coiled round about her dainty
little head, and, altogether, Uncle Hiram's
criticism was just.
"You don't look so citified; but, ac-
cording to my way o thinkin', you are
good sight prettier."
Aunt Nancy was busy in an animated
lecture on pumpkin pies, box of ginger
in one hand and box of cinnamon in an
other, when her liege lord hurried in
| with the information that Hugh was COM
ing up the road. Both boxes were drop
ped in jiffy, and, with hurried "Now,
child, don't forget! only half of the
pumpkin is to be seasoned with ginger,
| cause some folks don't like it and some
folks do" she rushed to the front door.
Maud was vexed with herself, for at
the mere name of Hugh, the hot blood
rushed to her face in torrents.
"What goose you are, Maud Avery!"
she murmured, scornfully, closing the
| door between the kitchen and the sitting
room the while. whats Hugh Wethe-
rill to you, any more than any other man,
that a chance name should set you to
| thinking of him, and make you blush
like school girl? Bah! I'm ashamed of
you!" and very deliberately she pro-
ceeded to the measuring of her different
| spices; but the sound of deep voice in
the sitting room upset all her composure.
| The box of ginger dropped into the pan
of undivided pumpkin; the cinnamon
| followed suit, and, all in a tremor of en-
barrassment, the self.constituted kitchen
maid sought in desperation for some way
of escape. At that moment she would
have gone straight back to New York
city without changing her dress; but it
could not be done. She could not get
out to the highway without being seen
from the adjoining apartment; nor could
she get upstairs without passing through
it. She was literally cornered.
"Yes," came from the next room in
that familiar voice; "I'm here, Aunt
Nancy, andy you ought to feel considerably
iattered, for, tell you, was sorely
tempted to remain in the city"
Hump said Uncle Hiram, refectively.
" hope you amt got no sweetheart?"
| The Othar IanUha6-a baartu 70
laugh it was.
| why, Uncle Hiram, when was here
before, you wouldn't be satisfied because
| hadn't such a possession. You talked
matrimony from morning till night,
What has changed your"
"Oh!" said the old man, lowering his
voice to an appalling whisper, plainly per-
ceptible to the blushing listener, "I'm of
the same mind now; but don't want
you to take up with anybody, and we've
| got the incest little woman here visit
ing"
"Ohl" interrupted the other. $50 you
propose turning match maker; but it's no
use, Uncle Hiram. haven't exactly a
sweetheart; but l know young lady
whom should very much like to see in
that role, and If can't get her, l won't
have anybody"
halfconscious Maud, while the old farm
er sighed his disappointment, and then
asked with some interest: Is she city
girl ?" ..r rs
ooh, yesp' returned the other "But
don't let that prejudice you against her,
Uncle Hiram. She's not bit vain or
affected, and | want you to be real good
friends if-pshawl ] am talking at ran
dom. My partner, John Marvin-you've
seen him, uncle-is following her up at a
great rate, and if he don't marry her, it
will be the fist time he ever tried for
anything and didn't succeed; so, you see,
there's no great cause for worry" and
with half smile, half a sigh, the hand
some fellow walked to the window, and
looked out.