The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1876-01-21
aust soPnRrS117s sroRY
~
PIETRO.

AUNT sOPnRENIE7s STORY
Do you see this bit of ashes-of-roses
silk It is a scrap of Rhoda Daniels
wedding dress; and it was twenty years
after it was bought for her wedding that
Rhoda wore it to be married in.
Let me tell you the story.
At sixteen wears old Rhoda was a
beauty, and no mistake. Fair as
blush-rose, and with a pile OF yellow
cnrls on her shoulders such as would
drive the young ladies frantic with envy
nowadays, bright as a button, and
modest as daisy, there wasn't her
equal nowhere around Plnmside. We
were plain class of people, believing
IN virtue and subriety. Rhoda wasn't
spoiled in bringing up, though she was
a teauty. She could make butter with
the best OF the old wives, she was al
ways seen at church; she spun and
wove her own wedding sheets
She was brought up with Lot Lam
bert He was five years older than she.
The two loved each other truly and
honestly, and all the friends were will
lug, and one year after they commenced
keeping company regularly the wedding
day was set.
I hen it was that Mr. Lambert, Lots
father, made Rhoda a present of her
| wedding dress, an ashes OF roses silk,
brought all the way from Ionaon. It
was not often that such a dress was
seen in our place All Rheda's friends,
for miles about, had a look at it; every
body admire it, and | presume some
OF the young girls envIed Rboda
Then, too, Lot Lambert was rather a
catch" at Plumside; be was tall,
straight, bright eyed fellow, the only
sou Of his father, who was the richest
man in the community, and he had
given Lot house and farm in prospect
of his marriage.
Tie house was Just on the other
side of the road from Rhoda's old
home. The new fur itnre came, and
Lot and Rhoda put down the carpets
and set up the things. and they keemed
| just as good as married
But there came quarrel between
the young forks, the beginning of which
was a word dropped by the village
gossip, old Huldah Lane, about some
remarks Lots friends had made on
| Rhoda's father.
Mr.. Daniels was drinking man. IN
those days everybody drank, more or
less; but Alr. Daniels, though a hard
working and an honest man, kind
Ieighbor and good farmer, was too
fond OF his cups; and it was source OF
great mc rti6cation to Rheda. She was
sensitive ollthe subject, and when she
| heard that Lots Aunt Nancy, who
bad brought Lot up, had said that che
might do better than to marry topeT's
daughter, pretty as Rhoda Daniels was, .
she sent word to the old lady by Lot,
that ssthe toper's daughter should not
marry Lots relations, il he married
him" "a message which Lot refused t.
carry, and denied that his good aunt
had made the reported remark.
| That was the beginning-it ended il
the breaking off OF the marriage. How
many lies were told, and how many
heartaches the young folks endured
before they became estranged by the
interneddlilg of busy bodies, catl't
exactly tell u. But the marriage
was broken off
IL made talk for three months in The
country round about.
The new house was shut up. There
it stood, with all its new furniture, fol
year. Lot and Rhoda would pas
each other III the road without speak
ing.
Rhoda grieyed, hut she was proud
and uirelelting, like her mother, anC
made no offer of reconciliation. Lot
SO, was proud and passionate, and, a
the cid Of the year, to show, perhap
: that he was not heartbroken for Rhod;
Daniels, he married Mercy Ray.
T She was go0d enough girl, but Lo
Lambert never loved her.
She bore him chldren that died
! hey lived together until they weT
middle aged people.
{ But Rhoda did not marry. She ha,
: other offers, presume, but Rhoda'
trouble changed her. She no longe
!. cared Tor society; she kept close at hom
7 with her father and mother. Whe
Mrs. Daniels sickcned and died, sh
devoted herself. more than ever to he
father, who was mncn broken down b
= the blow of his wife s death. 1t wa
Rhoda who kept him from the publ.
house and from falling into deeper di
e sipation. hen her aunt died, ard le
i two young childun, and Rhoda too
: them to bring up.