Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-04-17

busy with the past" at least nothing
but the people. I suppose that pretty
young oma we just passed, in the
bright-yellow dress, was a little thing in
short frocks when [ went away-what
lovely eyes she had!'
Eyes; that was lilly Morton; she was
a slip of a girl, only nine, when you left
the village. She is nineteen now, and a
wife"
GLOW old it makes me feeli" MUIR
INJURED Blanche.
"Yes, you look DID," I answered, de-
murely. 81 should take you to be al
most twenty if I didn't know you"
"Hushl 1 won't have any of your
fattery, just as I'm beginning to fancy
myself improving, too !; there's Miss
Hoxie's little red house by the mill
stream, and the bit of a wooden bridge"
"Miss Hoxie is dead" I responded;
cleft all her money to Bessie Trow-
bridge. Bessie is older than you, very
rich, and people say" I whispered,
"that she worships the very shadow of
-" nodded toward Uncle Dash.
[ was not prepared for the look that
came into the face of my friend. She
crimsoned, bit her lip, caught n~ervously
at the ribbon that confined her hat, and
[ thought, as I turned away, my confu-
sion almost equal to her own, that there
were tears in her eyes. We were silent
after that, and Uncle Dash pointed out
the new mill, the recently-built steeple,
and the various improvements. When
we arrived at the parsonage, he helped
us out of the carriage, and with the
words, "Take her into the parlor, An
ne,s led the horse by a side-path to the
barn.
We stopped a moment in the brown,
old-fashioned porch, to praise the roses
hanging in great clusters from trellis
and pillar her we went into the wide,
cool hall, filed with the odor of the
honeysuckle that chung to the garden
walls.
Nothing is changed" ~half-laughed,
half-sighed Blanche, looking at the solid
furniture and all it's somber surround
ings. "Oh, dear, how things do need
tightening up! Anne, Daisy Lodge is
paradise to this. How I wish you would
let me stay there! It's cosy little rooms
just suited me. I'm going back"
"NOt to-day, my dear; so try and be
contented," | said. "Make yourself as
happy as possible while I go up and see
Aunt Hannah"
eyes, I'll read a cheerful chapter in
the Book of Martyrs" she rejoined.
Aunt Hannah was very Ill. 1 saw that
at a glance. She scarcely lifted her Ian
guild eyes as I went toward her. She
was a little woman, and the drapery of
the great easy-chair almost hid her
from sight. After a languid welcome,
she said:
"I thought I heard another voice"
Eyes, aunt" L replied; "my friend
Blanche Heath was at my house on a
visit, so l brought her with me-"
"Good gracious, Anne that horrid
Heath girl !" cried Aunt Hannah, her
little yellow face puckering in a hundred
Wrinkles, and the borders of her cap
shaking with sudden indignation. 81
did hope she'd never come back. She
amt a-going to stay, l trust? You know
[ never could bear her"
"She must stay as long as [ do,
aunty," I said, quietly.
"Of course; you always do have your
way, but / tell you what, I'll get well in
a hurry. 1t don't suit my notions to
have her here, a young, wild thing, and
your uncle a single man. Oh, I under
stand it all-the designing creaturel"
"Now, don't you worry a bit, Aunt
Hannah, said 1, determined not to be
annoyed. blanche is quite sure of be-
ing an old maid, and / don't think Uncle
Dash will ever trouble himself to ask
any woman to have him. Besides,
Blanche is ever now too young and toe
pretty to be cooped up forever in this
old-fashioned place"
"Humph! you mean it's too good fol
her, or you ought to. don't forget bel
tricks, or the trouble she brought OF
folks, calling the rector names, riding
wild horses, and dressing like a circus
woman, the hussy! However, as l sale
afore, you will have your way only
thereU be a talk; you know what
place this is for gossip; ;" and back she
sank helplessly, adding, ENORMOUSLY
"Do make me some cruel. I'm starv
ing, and [ can't eat a thing that Grace
cooks"
Poor old Grace! she had outlived he,
usefulness, and Uncle Dash would no
for a moment hear of changing her for
more competent cook but in this mat
ter I was as helpless as she, for grue
was something I could not make. Gus
tards, and pies, and bread, and all sort
! of ordinary cooking, I could manage
= but not Cruel SO I hurried down stair
to Blanche. She was an adept in prep
arations of that kind, for she had live,
: years with an invalid aunt so, at m,
> request, she went into the kitchen ant
: donned one of Aunt Hannah's whit
> aprons, turned her sleeves over the fair
round arms, and went to work. Sh
: stood over the fire, stirring in the oat
4 meal, when Uncle Dash came into tn
kitchen for some paste, and stoppe'
. short at sight of her.
, canine has put me into harness." sh
: said, laughing and blushing. 1 wa
u looking at him, and wa conscious of
quicker beating of the heart, a strange
! suppressed tri amph at the expression i
his eyes.
Z "What does it mean :" I said to my
$ self.
= looked back at her her glance wa
fixed upon the white mass she was s
busily stirring.