Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-02-08

he was not in love- Presently the little
side door leading into the stall was open
ed, and the fiutter of woman's dress
came to his ear, such flutter as only one
woman in the world could make by a
quick and cheerful step. In an instant
Eunice Mayhem stood before him. She
had thrown an old cloak of red and black
plaid around her, and pulled the hood
about her rosy face. There was pretty
petulance and sauciness in her air, which
stopped just this side of pertness, and was
very alluring.
"What, you here, Gilbertw said she,
with a most delighted air of surprise,
"sitting all alone, ON three-legged stool,
and glowering like on owl in an ivy
BUSH"
"I generally am here" returned Gil
bert; "but what has brought you here,
Miss Mahew?" and his voice caught on a
lump in his throat.
81 am here, Mr. Freeman" am she
saucily emphasized the Mr., "to hunt
hens nests. | know it is little-late, and
hens don't lay this time of year, and can
never find their nests when they do lay;
but, YOU see, want the eggs to make
pound cake and Washington pie with
early in the morning, for Jane Forests
surprise party"
"Ohm stammered Gilbert. He could
think of nothing else to say, and so let
his eyes drop on the floor. Eunice did
not appear to be in any very great hurry
about the eggs, for she seated herself
composedly on bag Of oats quite near
where Gilbert was sitting, and wrapped
the old plaid cloak about her. Her pic
turesque face never looked so irresistible
and roguish as within the puckered edge
of that old hood The tip of her tidy
shoe peered out from under the skirt of
her dress, and her little white hands were
just visible where they lay folded in her
lap. She looked as if she had all day be-
fore her, and was ready for good talk.
"Now, Gilbert, if you'll stop Missing,
1 will stop Mistering," said Eunice.
just want to know if you mean to go to
James surprise party?'
mo, l don't" returned Gilbert, Curt
ly.
"Well, that's fiat" broke out the young
lady, tapping her little foot impatiently.
" But it is just exactly what / expected.
And pray, why should you stay here look
ing like hearse when other people are
enjoying themselves ?"
II don't care. for such things very
much, and what is the Use I haven't got
any folks. There is no one who minds
whether go OF stay"
"Oh, suppose you mean sisters?" said
Eunice
"Yes," blurted out Gilbert, feeling that
he was telling the largest kind of a whop-
per- 81 mean sisters, Of course"
We'll, it is. sad thing not to have sis
tiers to go about with Une," returned
Eunice-" Of course it is, but that is nc
60, II,
ing as solemn as the grave. / haven,
myself up and mtpe while the young
folks are going abotit on htisking bees,
and quilting parties and sleigh rides
would that be sensible ? If you haven't
sister of your own to go with, you
must console yourself with the sister
of somebody else. never before heard
OF q young rlian who wanted to leave
this world on account of sisters that
were never born. Young men are not
apt to be too attentive to those they are
actually blessed with"
~ wasn't thinking OF sisters only"
said Gilbert, feeling ratheF sheepiah; and
turning his face away "but l am alone
in the world have no folks of my own.
If there is no one to take particular in
terest in us, we lose heart in things"
Gilbert stammered, and Eunice caught
him up in her sprightly fashi6ni $50 you
sit here in sackcloth and ashes because
you haven't got folks. You are mourn
ing, suppose, for your great -grandmoth
er, who died of deadness seventy years
ago If you haven't got folks why don't
you adopt son,e@my folks, for instance
There isn't any sense in your trying to
make out that you are lonely and desc
late"
ga man wants his own folks" returned
what have because | wish to be pitied.
with little toss of her curly head. II am
not in the habit of pitying people just be
cause they are obstinate and unreasona
BILE. And, besides, it is growing dark
and really must SO and look for those
hens nests Only will say, Gilbert Free
man, think you have acted in most
ungrateful manner. Here poor father has
been laid up all the season with rheuma
tism, and has put the whole of his bust
ness in your hands. He thinks there
never was another such man made. HI
| would trust you with tlncounted gold
and mother, soft-hearted little woman
could not love you better if you were hel
own son. And now, in spite of all of it
you 60 on croaking as if nobody took any
| interest in you, and it does not matter
whether you live or die. / callit base in
gratitude"
$50 do l." put in Gilbert, humbly.
"Why do you agree with me2" retortet
Eunice. ''Do you wish to exasperate me-
still more?"
NO." replied Gilbert, from depth O
abjectness almost pitiful because he wa
such a big, strong fellow II only want
ed to hear you scold. would rather hea
| you scold than the sweetest music tina
ever was made"
IS 1t was growing deep dusk, now; bu
Gilbert could see that Eunice flushed
What nonsense" said she, iumpin
up from the bag of oats; and then sh
gave little forced laugh, and stood frs
on one foot and then on the other, like
nervous bobolink, and added, with an ell
chanting innocence, Really, it is ge
ting quite dark, and must go and hun
those hens nests"
Let the hens set to night, Eunice,
said Gilbert, and he, too, got up and too
hold of the side of the bin, as if h
wanted support.
"Will Milton Spencer be at the SUI
prise party?' he inquired, abruptly chang
ing the subject. and making a positive e.
fort to ask the question.
"Of course he will" said Eunice, an
matedly. "a party would be no party &
all without Milton. He is the life of ever
company, and the most agreeable youn
man in the village. The girls are quit
wild about him, assure you And the
he is SO well educated, and has read S
much, and can recite Latin poetry, thoug
don't see what's the good of it.
course we admire all those rigmaroles i
foreign and dead languages we don't III
derstand word of. When Milton looI
at me with those nice brown ewes, an
: says, Miss Eunice, how tempus dol
5 fugit, it is beautiful. Besides, he know
t all the college jokes and songs, and i
has no near connection, | believe. E
l was brought up by my uncle; but he don
S think it necessary to go off alone by hir
Y self, and croak like crow in the ton of
( rine tree. He circulates around amor
< folks, and people like him. If yC
/ want to make friends you must s6o
e yourself friendly"
i 1t is just possible Eunice knew eac
!, one of her words in praise of Milton Spe
a Ger was like a particularly sharp need
s thrust into the tenderest snOt in Gilhar-