Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-03-09
Misrfll
50
Aunt Madeiine's Cross.

Uncle Fred, 4 promising member of the
Society OF Friends. ha, keen eye Tor
beauty. While admitting that drab was a
sign Uf remuneration Of the worlds vanilics.
delicate shades and warm, rich colors had
peculiar charm for him.
This was why his heart gave such leap
when lac first saw Madeline West. tn,
school teacher. The delicate pink OF her
cheeks. thrown into relief by her luNuriant
tresse> OF jet, in which glowed the brilliant
scarlet of the cardinal flower, the graceful
neck. with the bow of cherry ribbon at her
throat, formed picture 50 rich aS TO cap
tivate the fancy OF Uncle Fred. and throw
into the background the charms Of Debor-
al Rhoads and her prim poke OF A bonnet
Cousin Patience, a cousin of mothers
and Uncle Freis having no matrimonial
affairs of her own to engage her attention.
and beng past the age when such things
could reasonably be expected, naturally
took a lively interest in those OF others.
and often declared that she had looked the
meeting Uyei and She didn't know OF
Wore suitable person for Cousin Frederick
than Deborah Rhoades.
In truth, Deborah was looked upon aS a
member of great promise. She had taken
to wearing caps almost as plain as grand
mothers and had several times been ap-
pointed on committees and a. representa-
tive to the higher meetings
Uncle Fred was carpenter, and my
widowed mother and myself. her only
| child. lived with him and grandmother on
the old homestead. | went TO school to
Madaaewessh s f9a noa safe Gsh hat my 'en6 een6&i &
sstic eucomiums did not first drawUn
Fred's attention to her.
One thing | soon learned, that she be-
came wonderfully patient about little acci-
! dents To the house and furniture, after I'm
Gle Fred made 1t a point o: duty to attend
TO the repairs,
From the bottom OF my heart 1 believe
that this conscientious. drab-suited man
broke the windows and latches of that
schoolhouse himself. on purpose to have
the pleasure of repairing them. with pretty
Madeline West 10 look OIL the while.
was my uncle's own neice in one thing.
liked beauty, and Deborah Rhoades
| squinted. Often and often in school Save
| lifted my eyes from my book, and gazed
with delight on the beautiful face of Made
line West. the small. deer-lik head crown
| ed with wreath of partridge berries or
some brilliant wild-flower. and wondered
how Uncle Fred could think tor a moment
| of squirting Deborah Rhoades.
One day was studying my lessons in
the dining-room when heard voices und
er the window. Mother said something
| which | did not understand, aud Uncle
, Fred replied with earnestness:
! Il tell thee. Catharine, Madeline West
| is the best girl iu the whole world
| Then Pd marry her for all anything
| returned mother, with heartuess to
! which | wanted 10 shout amen
In few weeks it was pretty generally
| known that Frederick Moore and Madeline
| West were to be married. | think that
| grandmother secretly grieved at Uncle
| Fred's detection in marrying "out of meet
! ing" though she loved Madeline with all
| her heart. They were married at our house.
| Tor Madeline was an orphan, and support
! ed herself by teaching school and "board-
| ing round" among her pupils.
Many of the Friends commented grave
ly on my uncle's choice, shaking their gray
heads, yet giving a lingering look at the
pretty bride. Cousin Joseph Moore. a
brother of Cousin Patience. and bachelor
of thirty-tive. was one of the committee ap-
pointed to deal with Uncle Fred for marry
| ing against the rules of the society; and
he must have thought the offence very
Eeinous one. for he made three single Wis
its on the business, besides the one with
the committee, each time staying full an
| hour before he said werd in private to
| Uncle Fred.
Uncle Fred and Aunt Madeline, as
called her from the first, staid with US a
few weeks while II long untenanted house.
about half mile from Us was getting
ready for them. And when they went to
housekeeping their cottage was wonder
OF paradise. A marvellous carpet cover
ed the floor of their little parlor white
curtains, tastefully looped with cherry rib
oons, gave an air Of grace to the room; a
pair of delicate vases. an heirloom of Aunt
Madeline's, stood upon the msntel, and
We're always filled with some flower or
dropping vine; the white walls were eov-
cred with wreaths of rich autumn leaves.
framed With acorn cups and pine cones
and among all. graceing and crowning the
whole. the pretty wife fitted like some
tropical bird. followed by the grave. loving
eyes of the sedate man who seemed to be
in a state of acknowledgements that all
this grace and loneliness was his.
Ii was wonderful how really Aunt Mad
cline adapted herself to the peculiar ways
of the people among whom her lot was
cast; how She toned down the little gale.
ties that might have given offence, and
decked herself and her house in such a
way as to draw no disapproving comment
even from the most strict. Deboral
Rhosdes said nothing; but, in less thar
three months after the wedding. she pu
on a new cap just like grandmother's, and
in few Sundays appeared in public" by
making one of the most fervent and im'
plessive prayers ever heard.
One day, after she had been married
some six months. Aunt Madeline let dow
the luxuriant ringlets that. since her wed
ding dav, had been confined in comb
bound a wreath of partridge berries abOu
1 tuor nj rihhnn Qf ~