Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-02-23

| efzaC ner throat, Wnlle ADner stanton
locked at her with admiration in every
hair of his head
s'If you were sister of mine, you
should always sit in rocking-chair and
wear swamp-pinks !" said he.
.'Abner Stanton is most excellent
man, quoth Uncle Nathan, when he had
gone his way. ''an esquire and the head
man in town. He's all wheat and nc
chaff. He'll make a first rate of hus-
band, and the girl who gets him will
get prize.
Aunt Augusta made some fierce clip
pings with her great tailor's shears. but
she said nothing, and presently went up
stairs to answer Sam Averill's letter.
The next day Abner Stanton called
to see Uncle Nathan on business, and
she sent her letter to the office by him.
So the months drifted along, one after
another, like pictures in magic lantern.
Abner Stanton came often on one excuse
or another. or on none. He brought fow-
ers, and berries strung on grass, and
sweet fag-root and birds eggs. He was
never intrusive with his love, but made
Aunt Augusta conscious of it every step
she walked, and with every breath she
breathed. 1t was below her, above her,
and all around her. He often brought
her letters from Sam, and carried hers
for him to the Office
''All things are fair in love-" said he
to himself. So now and then he forgot
to mail, or to deliver one, dropping it in
the fire instead. At last, as his love
grew hotter and more impatient. he kept
them back altogether. and still never al
lowed Aunt Augusta to lose sight or
thought of himself.
Thus the time passed, until Sam Av
Grill having made and lost and made
again his twelve thousand dollars among
Augusta and settle down"
Suddenly one day he appeared before
my Uncle Nathan, travel-worn and
brown and shaggy. My uncle received
him with great cordiality.
"Sam, I'm glad to see you :" said he.
Chow have you Jared all this great, long
time ?''
Fair to middling. Where's Angus
ia % returned Sam.
"Oh. Augusta She is all right. You
go to the tavern and fix up. and T. find
Augusta. l will be around in an hour
or so, and call for you. Augusta will be
proper glad to see you, and soil the rest
of the folks. [ don't know when there
has been such surprise in Coos before"
So Sam went off with his honest heart
to find razor and wash bowl, and my
uncle Nathan did very mean thing. He
went straight to Abner Stanton. cab
ner, said he, going into the smithy, out
of breath, Sam Averill has come, and
you must 60 right up and get Augusta
to name the day, or you will lose her.
will keep him out of the way as long as
| can"
Abner dropped his hammer, without
saying word, and went up the street,
rolling down his shirt-sleeves as he went.
An hour after uncle Nathan came home
with Sam Averill
"Here is an old friend you will be
glad to see, Augusta said he, opening
the door of my aunt's workroom. where
she sat stitching the pocket of a primrose
colored vest, and looking fresh as a hun
dred primroses herself.
sit is Sam y said she family, start
ing to her feet and dropping her work.
1t was Sam. Sam come at last, with
his long-smoldering love and his tardy
speaking.
"You are too late An hour too late !"
said my aunt Augusta, when he had told
his errand East. 81 have just engaged
myself to another man.
"You haven't done right, Augusta"
said Sam. "You belong to me; you have
always belonged to me, and you ought
to have waited till / came"
"You didn't say anything" returned
my aunt with little pride "How was
to know what you meant ? You never
spoke word
81 took it you knew my mind" re-
turned Sam. Il never thought Of any
body else. / never should think of any,
body else, and it didn't occur to me that
you would. You must marry this person
now you have promised him, of course
But it isn't right and it never will be-"
Mr.. Stanton is worthy man just
as good as gold, clear through to the
core. | have always liked him, and you
never said anything" repeated my poor
aunt Augusta u will be your friend,
though. just the same"
They said no more there was moth
ing more TO be said, and in month my
aunt Augusta and Abner Stanton were
married. Sam Ayerill stayed till after
the wedding, and then he went off, and
had never been heard Of again until to-
day, BY aunt Augustus family.
He went to California. throwing his
whole life into work his work prosper
ed. and he had come back now with
houses and lands and gold and mines
a rich man HI Ead anx.. ta.I> ~ Cd