Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1875-11-23

SsAst 80 y ~ y s4sSts'
.'No; don't tell her Sue, !" cried Katie.
stopping her. oompanion's mouth with q dim.
pied white hand.
"I.et's hang up Nish> bone over the door
for Winny, and see if the right one comes in
under it frst."
.sBut supposiug it's the wrong oae-Dr.
Gray may come frst-what then?" asked
Winny.
"Why, whoever it is we'll give mp our in-
terest in him. You'shall have tie first man
who comes in under the wish> >bone=-shan't
she, Sue p and the ripples of laughter,
reached Aun. Rhoda again, and made her
sigh.
Such dinnesY Old Gobbls in state az
one end, chicken,pio that melted In ones
Rhoda's famous canned corn and peas and
beans then the minneapolis aud pumpkins
pies and plum,puddipgl Ah, Aunt RhodA
knew what girls liked, aud helped them
beautifully and thore wasn't merrier table
anywhere round the country that day than
Aunt Rhoda's. To be sure, when they first
sat down Aunt Rhoda was trife pale aud
looked as though very little would mako her
cry instead of laugh, but the girls kept back
the tears, and with their happy faces before,
her she put her sad tho'ts away. o.
'tAnd now, girls, this is Winny's wish>
bone, and we'll hang it right over the parlor-
door, and we'll all watch to see who enters
first )" and Katie Crafts, the tallsst Of the
three, mounted chair and hung old Gobble's
breast bone over the ,parlor door.
It soon grew dark enough for lights, and
they we're all sitting round warm blazing
FIRE listening to Aunt Rhoda tell how Joel
came to go to sea, when steps were heard,
coming up the walk and knock at the door,
announced the arrival of some of the ex-
pected guests,
"Now, Winny, take good look at your iu-
ture husband" /" whispered Katie; and As she
spoke tall, handsome, sun-browned man
rushed into the room aud took Aunt RhodA
in his arms aud kissed her again aud again.
'And to think it's Joel after ALL" said
Aunt Rhoda, after the excitement Of his un-
expected return had subsided aud she had
finished hugging and crying over her boy and
introduced him twice over to all three girls.
''Why, who else would IL be, mother p
Surely you wouldn't welcome any other man
as warmly as you have me W and Joel looked
at his mother in very natural sort Of sur.
prise. .,- -.--.,-,
"No-no-but old Gobble, you know
and Winpy's breasts bone" Aunt Rhoda be-
gan, in her usual bcwildering mixed-up FASH
ion.
'tOh, auutie-p please p whispered Winuy
in beseeching tone and then auntie laughed
and stopped short, and just then the two
young gentlemen and DIR. Gray arrived, and
Jocl forgot, in tho introductions that followed
aud tho merry games that made the evening
all too short-forgot his mothers mysterious
half explanation of her strange. wonderment
that it "should be him after all ~
"Let us know if il comos true, Winny,"
cried the girls as they bade their friend good
by, and Winny shook her curls at them and,
echoed, IF it comes true !"
That night when she had gone up to her
room Winny thought to herself, as she combcd
out her long brown ringlets: "What an i'm
provemcnt tho sea must be to ugly boBs.-
Hero is second cousin Joel handsome man
and he used to be hideous boy l. Not SO
old either. He can't be more than, twenty
seven. was FIVE when he used to take me
to tho barn>yard to see him milk. Nino years
is big gap when one is fy6 Wonder If h0
thinks l have changed r. and Winny held
the candle close to the glass and scrutiniRed
her pretty, dimpled, rosy face very closely.
Strangely enough Joel's thoughts seemed
to run the same way that night.
"Wha. pretty girl Winny has grown into.
How the years change" he said to his mother
after Winny had badc thOm good night.
"Indeed she is-and as good Rs pretty. ]
only wish had daughter just like her."
answered Aunt Rhoda, warmly.
Would you like daughter, mother r.
asked Joel, taking up Winny's picture thAa
lay on the toble and studying II intonily.
"Yes-one just ike Winny, Joel-aud i
you'll look on top of the parlor>dooT may bS
you'll fnd ono, replied Aunt RhodG 10 her
rambling, queer modo of speech and With
these words she kissed her boy good night
and went to bed. -,
"What on earth does mother mean? Isshe
crazy :? Look on top of the parlor door for ..
daughter! Well, I'll look r. and, Teaohing
up his hand, Joel found Winny's wish bonS.
cab, ha! That's the answer TO the riddle,
sit7 1 am agreed I'll keep il for tails.
man s" aud with a laugh to himself 81 the
thought, he put old Gobble's bone in his yest
pocket.
Joels ship had como homo quite uuszp poet.
edly, but it staid longer time in port than
he thoughtit should-long enough for him 70
fud his mother daughter and himself wifs,
con top of the parlor. door, too" he declared
ever after.
When old Gobble's sons and daughters be-
gan to run around tho door>yard that spring,
Winpy wrote down to her girl friends
''DEAK GIRLS I'm old Gobble's breast
bone heart beat for me! Come SEQ IL il has
not "cone true" for on Easter Monday .
wedding will take place at Aunt Rhoda's and
it is altogether the result Of your eating the
Thanksgiving turkey and your hanging up
Winny' wish bone..''' .'L. De B."
Hearth and Home.
Fun AT HoME.-Don't be afraid Of q liz.
tie fun at home, good people don't shut mp