The Republican journal., 1875-05-27

poplafS. we nau always Dcen very nappy
in our quiet, cozy way till one winter,
when there came a great unhappiness to
me- and who should be the cause of it
bat gentle Aunt Plenty herself
David Earle WAS the son of our nearest
ncighbor Now Dave and had known
each other like brother and sister ever
since the days when we quarreled over
the largest apple, or amicably made mud
| pies and built dams down IN the pasture
| brook. We had grown up the very best
of friends, and when Dave came home
| from college for the summer vacation, we
| had seemed to be nearer and uearer than
ever before. Many a happy walk we had
in the dim. fragrant pines beyond the
meadow, while the wind made Wierd,
sweet music in the trees above our heads.
Many a pleasant row on the wide river,
with the great black stones shining up
through its golden shadows, and bits of
light and shade fitting over its surface.
Often we sat together, strangely silent,
in the wide, low window-sea watching
the trelnuions moonlight lying over the
sweet, old fashioned garden. les we
certainly had been better friends than
ever.
The night before Dawes return TO col
lege, | was iii my chamber with a bad
headache Truth to tell. its severity was
owing ia measure to the fact that Dea
con Morse was in the parlor below.
The Deacon was ian extremely worthy
man. ts Aunt Plenty often told me, but
OH he was so prosy! He would sit by
the hour killing, between his thumb and
finger, the white moths that crcled and
tluttered about the lamp How used to
pity the irail downy things in his relent-
less grasp, He never said much, but at
intervals he would let fall a remark on the
prospect for crops, or the necessity OF Il
revival in the church.
lie always sat bolt upright his feet
planted squarely on the floor as if he
never intended to change his position. On
this particular evening. rs | said before,
had gone to my room on preteNt Of a
bad headache Instead, however, Of going
to bed at once, knelt down by the open
window, listening to the loud, shrill song
of cricket and katydid, waiting for
Dave, for intended to sacrifice my tcel-
ings and, despite my headache, take Il
farewell wall, with him out in the sweet,
still night As if to punish me for my lie,
no Dave appeared, and when the tall clock
in the entry tolled out ten, watched the
burly form OF the Deacon departing, and
tears of yeXation would fiji my eyes in
spite Of myself Suddenly, Aunt Plenty en-
tered, saying. ''why Ernie, child haven't
YOU gone to bed vet, sitting with the WIN
dow open, too, when you know what fogs
the moon always brings. Get undressed
right away, and take Il good dose of this
catnip, we shall have YOU down sick the
next thing,n then She added. rs walked
to the glass and began pulling out my
hair-pins with vicious Jerks, ''David Earle
came in through the back porch to ask
YOU to 90 to walk. but | told him that you
could not see anyone, SO he went away;
he's going of ut four tomorrow morning,
you know Down tumbled my hair and
hid my face from Aunt Plenty, SO She did
not see the tears which rushed to my eyes
Dave had been here, and had not seen
him it was too bad too bad 4! his last
night. too; was ever anything so veNing?
II wonder, Ernie,'' said Auntie calmly,
''if it isn't your hair that gives you such
headaches 1t is so long and thick. Mary
Ann Bird had to have hers cut YOU re
member, on account Of the dreadful pains
in her head. | must ask Doctor James
about it. Get into bed, dear, aad let me
tuck You up before | 90. Good night"
and the dear Old lady departed to ponder
on the causes of headaches in general, and
mine in particular.
1t had long been plan OF Aunt PlentY's
to spend q few weeks with Mrs Thomp
son, an old school friend at Newbury, and
to stop, on her way home, at Amherst,
and bring Aunt Maria and the two girls
back to Hampton to make us Il visit She
intended to 90 in September and tor this
reason we cleaned house very early that
fall 1t was only a week after Dawes de-
parture for college, that Aunt Plenty, Miss
Mary O'Connor, queen Of the kitchen, and
|, began the usual semi-yearly farce OF
beating and shaking the well-kept carpets,
and scrubbing and rubbing the already
spotless windows and paint Dirt. or no
dirt, Aunt Plenty believed in going through
with the forms.
was putting down the carpet in what
we called the keeping room chamber"
| had Just tackled down one side, when
Meta Kimhall came to borrow the pattern
of my English walking Jacket. | had a
grand hunt tor that, and then she wanted
my sacque-Wrapper pattern, and. by the
time got that, Lotte Adams came over
to return my Bazaar, and talk about the
back to my work it was already dusk. and
down in such Il hurry, that | ran u tack
deep under one nail, and almost banged
another off with my hammer The next
week Aunt Plenty went to Newbury, and
| kept house alone till she came back,
bringing Aunt Maria and her two gay,
Jolly girls, Louie and Nell. and while
To
think of Dave.
Away down i'll my heart there was a
feeling of wolul disappointment that !
did not hear from Dave, Just u line to tell
me that he was sorry not to have said
goodbye, if nothing more. but not a line
did get. The days and weeks went by,
Septembe. faded into October, and Octo
ber into gray November Then came De-
cember and the holidays, and with them
| fresh from college, came Dave | expect
ed he would come bustling over directly,
in the old, boyish way, and so put on my
black silk and quaint, gold cross and chain,
in honor of his arrival; but the fire blazed,
danced and slid away into Goals and ashes.
The piano with "Doon the Burn Davie"
laid open upon it. remained SILENT and at
last, stole eff to bed thinking hard things
Of David Earle. The next morning Dick
| Underwood called, and invited me to a
dance, gotten up in honor Of Dawes com
ing home | accepted his invitation, and
determined to look my very best. ''Dave
Earle shouldn't think my heart was break
ing for him, by any means" SO went
to The dance, and wore white dress with
facings of bride-blue silk, and my hair in
perfect mist Of crimps and curls. Dave
was there, and asked me for dance, bit
my card was quite tull, and was glad Of
it. l laughed and tlirted with handsome
Dick Underwood, and paid no attention at
all to Dave The days were full of gaiety,
for the vacation was short, and the young