The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-03-28


wool within it two of the cunningest mites
of chickens you ever laid eyes on. II hate
them" said she: "they make me crawl; but
they will amuse the dear child They're
African bantams" And so they did amuse
him and delight him. as he lay on his lounge
in the bow window, and watched them grow
ing up, full of business. And that was the |
way, by the way. that we came to have chick
ems round the front p; azzas One night, a |
year afterward, when the bantams were |
quite grown people, somebody dropped over |
the fence a pair of big black Cochins, that |
stalked about if the earth was too good |
to tread on, or as if they were |
afraid of crushing a bantam with the |
next step. OF course we knew where |
the COchins came frOm-for nobody else in |
town had any-but no one said word. |
Only it was sport on the next day to peer
round the corner and see Aunt Helen with |
a piece of bread in her hand, in doubt
whether to have anything to do with those
fowls or not, twice extending her hand with
the crumbs and snatching it back again, and
at last making one bold effort, and throwing
the whole thing at them and hurrying into
the house. But from that moment the ever
hungry Cochins seemed to regard her as
their patron saint. She never appeared but
they came stalking gingerly along to meet
her, and at last one even made so bold as to
fly up and perch on the back of her chair, on
the piazza OF course he was shooed off with
because Mr.. Thornton had at that moment
been passing, and had seen this woman who
would never keep hens presenting the tab
leaux.
1t was two or three days after that that
Aunt Helen, coming home at twilight from
one of her rambles by the river bank, was
observed to be very nervous and flushed,
and to look much as if she had been crying
"Its all right" said our Ned. coming in
shortly after her. ~ know all about it. I've
been setting my eel traps; and what do you
think-she met old Thornton"
"Nedw
"she did indeed. And whafll you say to
that mans cheek. He up and spoke to her."
ooh, now, Nedl Before your
Fact! Before me- No, indeed; L lay
low, said Ned, with chuckle "But, bless
you, they wouldn't have seen me if had
stood high"
''For shame, Nedl oh, how could you
and Aunt Helen!'
"Guess you'd have been no better in my
place." said the INSCRIPTIONS boy. "Rut
there, that's all. If l couldn't listen, of
course you cant"
"0h now. Ned, please!" we all chorused
together.
well, then. He stood straight before
her. Helen said he, have you forgotten
meH and she began to turn white. Il have
had time enough, sir said She"
ooh, you ought not to have staid, Nedr'
You may find out the rest by your learn
ing" said the offended narrator. Il should
like to know how | was going to leave.
Only I'll say this, that if Aunt Helen would
marry old Thornton to-day She wouldn't
touch him with walking stickl
To our amaZement on the very next after
noon who should appear at our gate, with
his pheton and pair, but Mr. Thornton; and
| who, bonneted and gloved and velled, should
issue from the door, to be placed in that
phaton and drive off with him, but Aunt
Helen. Ned chuckled, but the rest of us
could do nothing but wonder.
"Has she gone to be married?' we gasped.
And ILL and Harry began to cry.
"Well, I'll tell you," said Ned, in mercy.
"He said there'd never been a day since he
left her that he hadn't longed for what he
threw away"
ooh, how wickedr'
"She told him so. very quietly and severe
ly-I tell you. Aunt Helen can be severe
and to be silent on that point Forever?
said he. And ever said she. 1T is impos-
sible,' said he. And then he went over, one
by one, a dozen different days and scenes
when they were young; and if ever fellow
felt mean, was the one"
Il should think you would, we cried,
with one accord.
Now look here" returned Ned. eff you
want to hear the rest, you keep that sort of
remark to yourself. 1t was too late for me
blamed if say another word if you don't
every one acknowledge you'd have done just
as did"
ooh, Ned, do tell the whole That's a
good boy"
swell, she just began to cry-I never saw
Aunt Helen cry before. And then it seemed
as if he would go distracted; and he begged
her not to cry, and she cried the more;
and he begged her to marry him out of
hand-l know just how to do it now; only
it doesn't seem very successful way
and she shook her head; and he implored
her, by their old love- he said, and she
wiped her eyes and looked at him, and gave
a laugh-a hateful sort of laugh. Our old
lovep said she. Then said he, If you will
not for my sake, nor for your own sake, nor
for the sake of that old love, marry me for
the sake of the mOtherless children, who
need you more than children ever needed
mother yet, and who-who are driving me
| crazyP And then Aunt Helen laughed in
earnest, good, sweet, ringing peal; and the
long and short of it is that she has driven up
to the Thornton house to-day 10 look at the
cubs and see what she thinks about them
Maybe she'll bring them down here-shes
great on missionary work, you know"
well, declared" was the final chorus.
And we sat in silence good half hour; and
by the time our tongues were running again
Aunt Helen had returned, and Mr.. Thorn
ton had come in with her and sat down
upon the piazza step at her feet, but not at
all with the air of an accepted lover-much
more like tenant of Mohammeds coffin,
we thought. And, as / began TO tell you,
we were all sitting and swinging there, when
Aunt Helen exclaimed about its being a
scene of domestic comfort. As she sat down
the big, black Cochin hen came to meet her,
and Aunt Helen threw her bit of water
cracker, a supply of which she always car
ried about her nova days. ,
'Why. where's your husband?' said she
to the hen.
There he i ;" said Ned. "Hes been up
alone in that corner of the grass the whole