Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-02-24

one of old 81 Seaver's boys, the oldest
ono. Jonathan, and he died sudden. AL
at once well. it must be something like
half.a. dozen years ago. and left his wife
and so many children-f five chidien OF
else six, don't know which,"
"You don't say ~ calculated Mr.. Ave
rill. passing his honey plate for the third
time. No, evidently he had not lost his
sweet tooth
Alter supper. mother washed up the
dishes and talked, aud Mr.. Averill smok'
ed his pipe aud listened II was the iirs,
time ever allowed anybody 10 smoke
ia my house, but had nothing TO say
now. even filled his pipe and lighted
ii for him. And then he told the story oI
his lile. which had been full oi strange and
interesting adventures. lie was evidently
a man who did not read much. and who
could not have written well. but he could
lalk not always srammalically, perhaps,
but always with force aud fascination.
/, seemed that years and years ago. his
lalher and my mothers father lived in n
town in the valley OF the Kenneh"r. Ny
mothers father was q large ia'mcr and
Nt Ayerill's lather was very small Tar.
mer with very large family. So, the
youngest son. sam, came TO work tor my
grandfather. My mother and my aunt
Augusta were young girls-thcy were
twins. and suppose by the way they
looked now they must have been pretty
then. My moiher was early engaged
and married to my father; but there was
Augusta. aud there was sam; aud where
one Was you might usually find the other
near at baHI. sam never SAID anything.
he was not OF demouslra;ive Kind. but
he knew how he leli. and he supposed
Augusta knew too.
SO the years budded and blossomed
aud brought forth fruit, until at last sam
went down TO Connecticut to take charge
OF saw mill for an uncle OF bis. lie
wrote to Aunt Augusta and Aunt Augusta
wrote TO him; aud now and then he came
To Maine On business, always going 10 my
grsndlather's before he went home. and
carry ing himself toward Augusta like an
accepted lover.
Alter few years he found himself pos
sessed OF twelve thousand dollars, and
Immediately went TO work TO spend it.
He went abroad. 10 England and Rome
and Egypt aud Paris and Germany and
Sweden and Russia and everywhere--
When he came home at last il was with
only fifty dollars in his pocket. SO next
he went out among the copper mines OF
Lake Superior. and in time WAS again
possessed OF twelve thousand dollars.
Now | will come home and marry
Augusta, aud settle down." said he to
himself Bnt he didn't say it to any body
else. Ii never occurred TO him that was
necessary.
Meanwhile my Aunt Augusta had not
not stood like rose in "A pot, waiting Tor
the gardener to come aud pick it. She
east out her roots aud threw up her
branches and bloomed aS though il was
enough TO fulfill the laws OF being and
beauty for Their own saAes.
. In that simple neighboIhosd work was
supposed to be the chiet cad of every
body. So Aunt Augusta learned vest
making, and then She went to Coos,
where her bro, her Nathan lived. and set
up Tor herself.
Coos was little crumb OF town in
those days; but it held up its head and
had its stores and its mills, and its shops,
and It's great white meeting house on u
hill, with galleries on three sides and
square pews aud high box pulpit.
The first Sunday alter Aunt Augusta
went there, she climbed the hill, oI
course, and went in the front pew with
Uncle Nathan and his wife. She was
lashiouably dressed in black Grape
gown, scarlet shaw and white slli
bonnet with pink roses inside. Hel
cheeks were as pink AS he roses. aud
her eyes were rs black as her gown.
There was no need that Mr. keeleI
should point her out TO the young men,
but he took the pains to do IL. Mr..
Keeler. the minister. WAS little lank
man, as plain and gray as a door bug
and so afraid Of the pomps a1d vanlties
that he wouldn't wear buttons on his
coat. No sooner had his eyes iallen on
Aunt Augusta. settling herself in the
front pew like variegated tulip, than
he dropped The subject he had started
upon for his sermon, and began 10 preach
against conformity 10 the world. lie
was a sincere. earnest man, and ne
preached with all his might. emphasiz
ing and illustrating his words by point
ing finger at the scarlet shawl and pink
roses. So if any body had neglected lc
look at them before. they looked then.
Among those who were obedient tC
the ministerial foreiinger was AbneI
Stanton. the village blacksmith.
Abner Stanton's heart was good deal
like his iron-.not easily melted-buI
when il once had been hammered into q
shape. there it was, fixed and sleadlast
Aud TO day Aunt Augustus eyes weni
through it like red hot arrows as be
peered around at her from behind one
of the pillars in the gallery.