Middletown transcript., 1876-12-30


corn flowers. and Roman sash figure
with gold. And you'll 60 around .
" the laundress. and hurry her up littl'
or won't you, George?-that's duck Of
ne brother land you know perfectly we
T. you've been yawuing your jaws off th
" last three-quartes of an hour
er "Wherc is it ?"
.; "Only in Mendenhall street-just
q pleasant walk And do give Mrs. Ba
q ker scolding, and ask her if she don
'e know better than to keep her customer
: waiting-although, of course. know
9 you'd do nothing of the sort. Men hav
: no moral courage There's the addres
r on card. It'll be such relief to my
It mind p
i Major George Appleton was an army
officer, home on furlough, and rather
9 at loss to know what 10 do with 81
much extra time. Rich, which wa!
another source of perplexity-hand.
some. which wasn't SO puzzling!
. And so he sauntered along, his hand:
in his pockets and cigar balanced be-
tween his lips, unconsciously advancing
to meet his fate
! Rap! rap! rap! The Major played
tattoo with his knuckles on the door
dear me, what a noise p said a
voice inside. Come in pa little
louder
The Major walked in, to confront,
not wrinkled old bag Of washer
woman, in halo of soap and steam,
but beautiful young lady dark and
brilliant as an Arabian dream, with
jetty curls pinned back in silken cas-
cade at the back of her head, and pair
of auting scissors in her hand
Major Appleton started back, all his
wits momentarily deserting him. 1t is
a curious fact that the more embar-
rassed one party in tete a-tete becomes.
the greater is the composure Of the
other. Anna Creighton should have
colored and suffered at being caught
thus, but she didn't.
whats your business, sir p she
asked, with the greatest calmness
"Its-it's about my sisters gown
Miss Appleton's, you know p'
"Ah!" !" sad Anna. II hope to have
it ready very soon. If you'll wait ten
minutes you may carry it home"
And she took second pair of futing
scissors from the stove. testing it's heat
by holding it dangerously near her vel:
vet cheek.
Major Appleton, not being posted in
etiquette and general decorum, saw no
harm in carrying home basket Of
newly y-laundried clothes. So he sat
down and waited, while honest Mrs.
Baker stared from the other room,
where she lay upon her bed-a captive
to rheumatic pains.
."She's in a hurry, you know" said
the Major, twirling his thumbs. and
thinking how very pretty the girl was
$50 am l, said Anna. makingSthe
futing scissors glide in and out in
most marvellous manner among the
clouds Of sunny muslin
"She wants to wear it," added the
Major.
"But l say-you know-you're not
regular washerwoman ?"
Anna lightly Strengthened herself up.
my father was colonel in the Reg
ular Army M grandfather was Hyde
Brighton, Of Breighton Manor, on the
Hudson. But we are reduced now. and
we need money and I am not ashamed
to work"
BY jove you're trump" said Ma
jor Appleton, starting up
Much obliged to you," retorted .
Anna. with sparkling eyes "Would
you mind holding the end of that sash 1
for me-just second while l finish this
loop?'
And when Minnie came up to see
how her sister was getting on, she {
found her aided and abetted by the s
Major of cavalry, who was heating the
alternate pairs of futing scissors after f
most scientific fashion. =
"Dear me-" said Miss Appleton, +
when at last her brother made his ap- i
chow long you have been p d
Eyes" said the Major, rubbing his /
lands, with an appearance Of great sat i.
sfaction. lit took US quite while to a
inish those last thirteen founces." f
"Us" You don't mean to say that n
ou helped the washerwoman 2" il
Eyes, l did," said the MAJOR; ''and f,
be frocks are down stairs, and I'm "
DING up for game of billiards" And
S he went, be murmured to himself, =
I thought all girls were alike, but
elieve I've discovered one independent p
-one at last"
X X x X X
"GraDdmamma. I'm going to be ~
Iarried I" ID
You. Nanny? Why you are but a p
nild!" OF
Anna Brighton was kneeling beside ~
er grandmother's chair, and the fairy '"
od-mother was stroking her curls with =. u
ne tremulous white hand, where the W '.
,tique jewels shone like drops of blood ~ ~
I'd scintillations of green fire -:
"I'm eighteen, grandmamma." RI
$50 you are! How the time flies -. -
ighteen years old But who's the NJ,
'ppy man? We see no society worthy ii,
ourselves, Nanny, and" W.
Pm sure you will like him, grand :.f
ANNA He is coming to pay bis re- mr.
ects to you tonight. His name is ma
ajor George Appleton. He is in the ma
the Cavalry, and be owns house on = .
adison Avenue, and-and he loves ~
3, grandmamma !'' 49,,
Nanny laid her black tressed head Al,
the old lady's shoulder as she spoke It'll
Q last words =.
"All natural enough, my dear but no, m
you love him p ~,
!" Yes. grandmamma ont rs
i