The Van Buren press., 1873-06-03
MISCELLANY.
Grandma's Mistake.


But the worst Of 1t was that she did not
know it, but always insisted she was not
81 tell We, she would squeal out in {
way that proved at once that sne was
deaf, else she never could endure the
sound Of her own voice, "my hesria'
| jest as good as ever twas. It's all in tn,
way folks has O. mumbln' and chevin
their words nowadays. that l can't heal
nothing. Course amt deaf-it never
run in the family. My father and moth
er both lived to be over So and could
hear as well the day they died as | can
and not one Of us thirteen children ever
was the least grain hard O hearia.' My
mother was 3 Ptiggins, and the Prissins
never was deaf set. Father did have
one sister-Aunt Randy We used to call
her, Miranda Stebbins; she married
Luke Butterfield for his second wife; hi,
first wife was she that was Charity Miller
wal, Aunt Randy was little hard o
hearn', but it all come o gi.tin cold az
ter the measles, when she was a gal. y
And grandma having cleared her skirts
Of the sin and disgrace Of being deaf,
would dig the end Of her knitting needle
zealously into the sheath pinned on her
side, and 60 to knitting again.
1t was net often that grandma was
trusted to entertain company alone eth
er Mrs. Freeman the younger or one Of
her two pretty daughters usually assisted
in the business But grandma had a.
strong faith in her gift Of cdifying as when
she was fifty years younger, and never
hesitated to try it. One fine spring af
ternoon young Mr. May, getting sleepy
over his law studies, threw the books
aside and sauntered out to call on the
Freeman girls Now it so happened that
Mrs Freeman was at the sewing circle,
and the hired girl had gone home sick, SO
Lucy and Belinda had the kitchen work
to do Lucy was up to her dimplcd el'
bows in batch Of bread and Belinda was
giving the dish cupboard a thorough
Overhaulng and putting to rights, SO
neither Of them heard the door bell.
Neither did grandma, though she was
passing through the hall and saw it ring
ing, SO she was quick wittcd enough to
open the door, and found Mr. May, all
smiles and bows, on the steps
Good afternoon, ma'am he said po-
ltely, raising his hat, are the young la
dies at home?"
" Pretty well, thank yc," squealod
grandma; though my rheumatic both
ers me some. Walk right into the sit
tin room," for Mr. May often called
there, so she knew him well by sight and
felt quite hattered by his polite saluta.
ton. Mr., May hesitated, but there were
two other fellows just coming down the
sidewalk, and hs dared not risk another
question and answer, SO in he went.
Take this chair, and grandma was
surprisingly active in hauling up a big
arm chair for him snow amt that com
fortable7 That cushions tho best o hen
feathers. I've seen live geese feathers
not a mite softer | worked the cover
myself since was 10 years cid, but I've
got a sight hsndsomer enc that worked
when was gal" And down on her
knees at the lower bureau drawer plump
ed the old lady, and drew out once gay
bat now faded samples wkereon divers
lDpOSslDle DlrNs ANU Ho"cls "eie
wrought In worsted.
There, said she, spreading it over
his kneos, II did that all afore | was 10
Gals an't what they used to be, v
ITS very pretty said Mr., May.
thinking he must say something in praise
Of it II called to see tho young ladies'
Are they at homei"
Not but dreadful little of it at home,
mestly did it at school. Such things
was taught in school in them times, and
| think if they was now in place of alze-
bry and bottomy and seoh nonsense it
would be better, don't you think 50 ?"
II dare say" was tue reply, and while
grandms carefully put away this souve.
mir OF old times, he tried to study his
way out Of tho fix. She must be very
deaf, he thought, " but I'll try once
more "
Where are Misses Belinda and Lucy ?"
he screamed when she had settled her
self In q chair.
"Yes, sir, Tryphena Newton has been
ut work here all wintor, but she's gone
home with a sore finger, and I'm AFRAID
she'll have fclon ont. Anyhow, it be-
gins lust US James wifc's first husbands
sisters fslon bsgan-she was Sal Mari
0agc-and she had proper hard time
ont She was keeping the destrics
school and boardin' with US when she
took it. The girls do all the work now,
but they're smart ~ lection, though Be
lindas trihc the best for business. May
bs you're cour,in' one on ON, v she con
tinued looking up at him with what was
meant for a rougish smile.
Hang it was Mr.. Mays mental
ejaculation, q" but the girls will probably
bs in soon. I'll relieve her mind Of that
notion. Oh! no, indeed" he replied,
loudly, Il am only young man. just
studying law, you know. j."
Next Sunday morning" cried the
old lady, fairly starting out OF her chair
with surprise. Now you don't say 80 /!
AT mectin' Of course. Now how sly they
havo kept it from me!'
"You misunderstood me, he scream
I'd in terror. 81 didn't say 30.
Belinda, too? Woll, I'm glad IFS
her for your sake Cause she wouldn't
say no to so good an offer. Belinda's
- ..ai .oa Cho's named sftcr mo