Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-03-12

ody. The man listens with pleased
look on his face, the woman twitches
her elbows and looks nervous, as
though the sweet notes rasped her
senses.
"Dell's awful noisy" she remarked,
a she walked over and glanced up the
stairway. Then coming back she
looked cautiously at her husband and
said, "Nathan, do you know that Dell
is twenty years old next month ?"
81 hadn't thought Of it much,' he
he answered, "but now, let's see
Brother Caleb has been dead since
'4S. Dell could just toddle then,
Yes, he died in '48, and his wife, poor
thing, followed him the next year.
I didn't think it was so long. l re-
member when I brought the little
thing here. rode a-horse-back and
carried her in my arms wrapped up in
my overcoat all the way from Ferry's
Landing home, and she never whim-
pered. She's been heap O comfort
to us since, Jeanette"
Eyes; I amt nothin. agin' Dell.
She's a dutiful girl. But I've been
thinkin' that after spell we'll be
gone, and who'll take care of her
then ?" said the woman.
'Somebody, I reckon, that'll be
glad of the chance" said the old man,
menily.
"Somebody has asked for the chance
Already" said the woman, in a whis-
per.
''Has, eh ?" said the man, looing up
in surprised way. Then resuming
his work, he continued: "Well, that's
the way, the world over; the young
ones will leave the old ones when the
time comes. I shall hate to lose Dell,
though
"Don't fret, Nathan Perry" and the
voice grew louder, "she amt goin' to
leave"
"What do you mean Jeannette?'
81 mean that Dell didn't say YES,
to Ambrose Yerrick's question:
'It was him, eh?"
eyes. And Dell is mighty short
sighted not to take him. There amt
another such a rich man in the county
He'll never cat apoor mans bread.
She'll never get such another chance" "
Any further remarks were cut short
by the appearance of the girl herself
She was not beauty. Her mouth
was too large and her nose too small ;
but her complexion was good and hel
eyes large and "kind looking" and
her brown hair hung in long curls
about her plump shoulders. But hel
chief attraction lay in her CHEEKY voice
and lively manner
She was no exotic. She had
bloomed and blossomed like prairie
rose; and her mind, though far in ad.
vance of those around her, was il
sympathy will all.
Her aunt was not the most amiable
of women. Indeed, she was decided
ly the reverse, as Dell and Mr.. Perry
had long since discovered. Scolding
was her element, and no matter ifDel
galloped over the prairie on Gyp's
back with her hair "a-hyin',' Or walk
ed demurely by the side of her uncle,
the old lady was suited with neither.
The latest vial of wrath had beer
poured on Dell's head on account Of
her refusal Of the "splendid offer
above alluded to-. But the old lady
had not concluded that chapter, a;
Dell Perry soon found out.
Mr.. Perry having finished his mend
ing left the kitchen. Mrs. Perry had
been turning over in her mind the
subject in question, and so confronted
Dell in this manner:
'Dell Perry, | want to know why
you will not marry Ambrose YerTick
He's splendid man.. Owns land and
stock without end. And he's been
gittin' new carriage, too. He drove
past here last night when you was
over to Mrs. Clark's. He had that
team of grays of his'n, and l tell you
the gov'nor himself couldn't have been
finer"
A curious expression played around
4 IL - Al 4 4
only winked at little Wren that sat
twittering and twisting on the honey.
suckle bush, as if to give vent to some
feeling of merriment.
Aggravated by the girls silence
her aunt put the question again.
'Dell, tell me why you don't marry
Ambrose Yerrick 2
because do not want to, auntie.