Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-01-02

| Hail Columbian when in burst Aunt
Nancy of aglow with excitement and
exercise.O
whats the matter, wife?" asked the
old farmer, breaking off from Heaven
born Band" with a suddenness that caus-
ed Maud instinctively to follow his ex-
ample. "Anything wrong?"
| 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 1 shall do,
| it's beyond me to imagine. [ can get
! along well enough in the regular Christ
mas dinner; but one pair OF hands ain t
! 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 Nancy!" said Maud,
! cheeriiy, "don't worry about that!
/ don't believe but I'm just as good cook
as Sallie Brown; and l 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
| Inc make cake or pie once i'll a while,
! but tell her was born with knack
! for it, and ought to put it 10 some &C
count; but don't get much 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
found Maud duly installed assistant cook
| in the house of Seymour. Mrs. Avery
would have wrung her hands in holy nor
| 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 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 de5ut,
was tightly coiled round about her dainty
! little head, and, altogether, Uncle Hiram's
! criticism was just.
"You don't look so Gifted; but, &C
cording to my way o thinkin', you are
good sight prettier."
Aunt Nancy was busy in an animated
lecture on pumpkin pies, a 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 a hurried CHOW,
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 a 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 ali 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 Reconstructed 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 do1e. 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; "Im here, Aunt
Nancy, and you ought. TO feel considerably
hattered, for, tel you, I was sorely
tempted to remain in the city"
''Humn' said Uncle Hiram, refectively
/ II hope you amt got no sweetheart?'
The other laughed-a hearty, magnetic
augh it was.
"Why, Uncle Hiram, when I was here
before, you wouldn't be satisfied because
I hadn't such a possession. You talked
maurimOny from morning till night.
What has changed you?"
"Ohn' said the old man, lowering his
voice to an appalling whisper, plainly per
ceptible to the blushing listener, "Tm 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
"Oh!" interrupted the other. $50 you
propose turning match maker; but it's no
use, Uncle Hiram. [ haven't exactly a
sweetheart; but | know young lady
whom should very much like to see in
that role, and if can't get her, l won't
have anybody"
"Who can she be ?'' wondered poor
halfconscious Maud, while the old farm
er sighed his disappointment, and then
asked with some interest: els she city
girl ~
ooh, yes!' returned the other "But
don't let that prejudice you against her,
Uncle Hiram. She's not a bit vain or
affected, and want you to be real good
friends if-pshaw! l am talking at ran
dom. My partner, John Marvin-you've
seen him, uncle-is following her up at q
great rate, and if he don't marry her, it
will be the first 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 sigh, the hand
some fellow walked to the window, and
looked out
"Lor' bless met' said Aunt Nancy,
something's burning bet Maud there
has forgotten them pies left in the oven;'
and open flew the doors between the two
rooms, and, all of a furry, the cid woman
approached the corner where poor, hap
py, embarrassed Maud had shrunk away
out of sigAt.
"Why, what's the matter. chi.d?'
with curious look at the scarlet, quiv
ering face "Come into the sitting
room, an be introduced to my nephew.