The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-11-23

will bring you to Elgin on Saturday night.
You can do the business Monday, and be free
to go to your friends by Monday evening.
Then you need not report yourself here till
aext Thursday week. How will that an
swer?
sit answered wonderfully well except for
one little thing, and that was, Tom did not
like the idea OF presenting himself at stran-
gers house two days before he was expected.
However, there was no time to write. Mails
travelled rarely to that part of the country.
'lhefe IL be tavern or something Tom
said to himself IN 90 there and see how
the land lies before make my appearance
80 IN the best of spirits he started for his
forly-elght hours of staging All, boys, you
may talk as much as you like OF the advanta-
ges of steam, but there never was anything
equal to those old-fashioned stage rides, when,
as in Toms case, it was the height Of Indian
summer, and the country all gold and misty,
and the air soft and balmy, with just the little
twang of last nights frost in it to give zest.
Four good horses and seat on top! phew!
you'll never see anything like it. Well, Tom
had grand time, got to Elgin safely, did his
business Monday morning, and the same af-
ternoon, just as the sun was setting, rolled
into Westfield in a farmers wagon which he
had hired to bring him over.
"The wagon set him down in front of a
to shift for himself. OF course the first thing
he asked for was the inn !; but there was none,
1t appeared. He felt at a loss what to do, and
seeing just then a pleasant-looking elderly
mau jogging past in substantial gig. he con-
| Guided to stop him and make some inquiries.
"'Can you tell me, Sir, if there is any
place in this village where / can get nights
lodging?
''fne stranger took look at him, and an
swered, Yankee fashion, with another ques-
ton.
You are traveller, then ?''
eyes. I've come up from New York to
spend few days, and find you've no tavern
here.'
New York, Ell? You don't happen to
know cousin of mine there named Tom
Somers, do you?'
"'That is mig name, SIR EnsF 80 dee
"Ahp said the old gentleman, with a
laugh. Il thought couldn't be mistaken in
your nose. It's as good as family label all
the worldround. But what on earth do you
want to find tavern for?' M
"Tom explained. ea fs~elsg
Nonsense said his cousin. Jump right
in. You can't come too soon. The girls
will be glad to see you. They couldn't say
enough about you when they came home
III you are sure l shan't put you to any
Inconvenience? sua5
Inconvenience! Not bit. Jump right
in, say. We are country folks and don't
put ourselves out for our friends. You must
take us as you find us. Dittie was deep in
some furbelow or other when 1 came off, but
Nelly will see to you Bless her little heart!
She's never too busy to do any thing that's
wanted, fit only makes somebody else COM
Portable shsS F+a 3s HssfsHsefH'
$50 off they drove, and after half mile
turned in at an open gate, and stopped in
front of large, low, comfortable homestea d.
The old gentleman sprang out like boy, and
opening the door began to call in loud voice,
Dittie- Nely-girlsp
"'This way, Tom. Here's the keeping
room, and there's FREQ ought to be.
Well, Ditto, what's the matter? Why don't
you come and speak to your cousin Tom?'
: "And Tom stood and stared for the figure
before him was very little like the exquisite
fairy he had been dreaming about for a month
back Ditto was huddled up in a corner of
the hearth with candle beside her, and her
lap full of a blue silk petticoat, upon which
she was sewing. Her pretty hair was all
tucked out of the way, and looked rough and
careless. Her dress was a sort of faded bed
gown, evidently put on in a hurry, and as she
got up and shufied unwillingy forward there
could be no doubt that her slippers were down
at the heel. Es
Snow, children, if there is one thing above
another woman cannot afford to be, it is
untidy.- No matter how beautiful she is, it
spoils it ALL Venus herself couldn't make an
impression in an old bed-gown with her hair
rumpled ana her collar awry. And as Tom
stared at his lady-love-sullen and mortified,
and in this unpromising guise-he felt his
sentiment for her oozing out at the tips of his
fingers: and what's worse, it never came
back again. Remember that, girls
"'We didn't expect you SO soon,' was all
Ditto could find to say in the confusion of
the moment.
"'But we're very glad, Cousin Tom.'
Joined in another voice, and then he became
conscious for the first time that Nelly had en-
tered. She carried candle in each hand,
and when she had set them down and given
Tom welcome and found a chair for him
and her father, she moved about the room,
giving bright little housewifely touches here
and there-poking the fire to blaze, and
making things look neat and cheerful. Her
dress was only a common print, but it was
fresh and sputless; her hair was glossy as sat
in; and the neat little collar and bow of rib
bon made the simple garb as becoming as a
richer material. All the time she was arrang-
ing the room she went on talking in pleas
ant voice, asking questions about the journey,
and diffusing that atmosphere of home and
welcome which is so acceptable to stranger.
"Dittie slipped away, but Tom forgot to
miss her, he was so well entertained. By
and by she came back in a smart gown, with
her hair curled; but somehow Tom couldn't
think her as pretty as he used to. The vision of
the shabby dressing-gown and rough locks
was too recent to be forgotten.
swell, supper appeared, and irst-rate
supper it was. Tom was glad to see it, for the
journey had made him very hungry. Nelly
poured the tea. It appeared she was house
keeper; and as she sat there, looking sweet
enough to sweeten the cups without sugar,
Tom saw for the first time what a dear little
face she had, and how honest and true her
brown eyes were. Her teeth, too, were like
pearls-she showed them when she laughed,
and that was pretty often, for Ditto seemed
sulky and silent, and she was anxious to make
up for it and have Cousin Tom feel at home.
"Next morning Dittie still looked subdued
and distracted, with none of the lively ways
she had worn in New York. Tom found af-
terward that her head was full of the blue
silk gown which she had set her heart ON fin
ishing for Thanksgiving
''Soon after breakfast she went away to
work upon it, leaving Tom in Nelly's hands,
which was inconvenient; for Nelly had all sorts
of things to do that day-apples to pare and
pumpkin to stew, and pies to bake, and /
don't know what ALL
However, there was no help for it. She
made bright fire in the keeping-room and
brought some books for Tom, and told him
that she must leave him awhile, and if he
got lonely he would have to come out in the
kitchen, for there she must be. And of course
Tom had no idea of sitting alone; so he soon
came wandering after her, and spent almost
the whole day there, helping and hindering !;
for, though he pared some apples and beat a
great many eggs, Pm afraid his long legs and
his conversation were a good deal in the
way.
However, Nelly did mt let him know it, if
they were. And it was so pleasant to watch
her at work that he would have been sorry
enough to have been ordered off. She was
the quickest, most skillful little creature in
all her ways, and yet so orderly and systemat-
ic Whether wnisking some dainty mixture
with big spoon, or welding the rolling pin,
or touching the oven door with white
knuckle, to see if the heat WIS right, all she
did seemed graceful and charming. Ah, l
can tell you children, a girl never looks half
so well as when she is doing plain, useful
work in the incest and prettiest way And
when those pies came out of the oyen," SAID
grandpapa, smacking his lips, "you never
saw the like" ''They resembled snow-fakes
fried to rich brown, only they were great
deal betterp'
''Not better than grandma's," broke in a
chorus of indignant voices.
''We.' said gran lpa, looking wickedly
about, ''grandma's pies, as it happens. are
the only ones ever saw which were eractly
ike NelLy's, ard just as good.'