Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-08-01
WHAT IS IN HILDA HYDE'S BUNDLE.

'Mlss Hllda Hyde. who died at the
almshouse on the 18th instant, at the age of
80 years, had been there sixty years. 1t
was her home, and probably the only one
she clearly remembered She was regu
lar attendant upon church services and Of
ten carried With her to the meetin house a
bundle, which she laid in the pew by her
side, but never opened it "-OldviUe Ga.
zette.
Would you like to know ? I can tell
you and ean tell you about Hilda Hyde,
for l have seen her ever since I was boy,
when we first moved to Oldville.
You know that kind of girl, with glossy,
yellow hair that tumbles down over her
face, and blue eyes that look out at you.
slanting from deep, shady lips, and the veil
Of red blush over her cheeks. It is sun
ny hair that loves the sunshine, else she
would not be running out so often into it, or
would not so often let her hat slip down
50 defantly in the blaze Of sunlight.
It is Hilda Hyde that am describing, OF
that kind of girl? I hardly know. for I
never saw Hilda when she was a girl. -
You see that was sixty years ago But my
grandmother knew her, and she was telling
me about her, and about the color of her
hair and eyes, one evening. And when grand
mother talked of Hilda, I thought Of An
nctte as she had looked that afternoon.
Reuben and had come home with the
oxen, just before sunset, and we were on
our way up to the barn when Annette came
flashing out of the house in this way =
Reuben is my cousin He came to live
with US when his mother died He was
half a head taller than [, and that measures
the distance between US all over And to
gether we had all the care of the farm
worked in the field together, and had thu
same books
And Annette had only been staying a
|; the next house this summer, and she was Il
% back in the autumn She came out in.
to the yellow sunset, as I tell you, VI
through little garden walk by the side o
her aunt's house.
els there anybody who wants to drive
me over to GRAVITY this evening? Aun
Mary wants me to 60 over with a message
to Kate, and uncle says I may have tht
horse and wagon if can fn1 driver"
Of course Reuben and [ both started
to meet her when she came to speak t.
us.
Zone at once" che said. laughing 90
stop minute I'll settle who shall go"
So she drew two bits of straw from tn
barn window.
s'Don't look, George" she said, reprov
ingly; for could not help looking to Sc
the sunlight dancing on her hair, the las
rays, around the barn corner
sYou are not to see which straw is th
shortest, for the one that draws the longes
is to 20 with me !" and she held out both Q
her hands, with the. straws crushed in be
tween them.
"You sbsll draw said Reuben, so
drew the shortest, and went back to th
oxen.
It was moonlight evening, and it wa
that evening some of the children had aske
grandmother about Hilda. We used to SO
her Sundays, and the next Sunday sa,
her, an old, old woman, thin, with clea
eyes, looking forward, and she always cam
into the pew in front of ours, and set be
bundle down by her side It was deacon
Gordon's pew His was one Of the oil
families, and when she was a child Hid
used to come to this pew SO she came still
even though it was from the almshouse.
For her mothers house used to be mex
the Gordon mansion, and when Hilda wa
young girl she used to be in and out
the Gordon's house as though she were on
Of the daughters Indeed, Madame Gol
don always sent for her when she had con
pany, to help her make the jellies and cak
for the evening, and always told her, whe
she was through. to go home and brush u
her curls and come back to the party with