The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-02-01

the corner and see Aunt Helen, with :
piece of bread in her hand, in doub
whether to have anything to do with those
fowls or not, twice extending her han(
with the crumbs and snatching it bach
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
vigor-with a little more vigor, perhaps,
because Mr. Thornton had at that moment
been passing, and had seen this woman
who would never keep hens presenting
| that tableau.
1t was two or three days after that that
from one of her rambles by the river bank
was observed to be very nervous and
| flushed and to look as ii she had been
crying
Its all right" said our Ned, coming
in shortly after her. Il know all about it
Eve been setting my eel traps; and what
do YOU think she met cid Thornton"
Ned !"
'.She did indeed And what'l you say
TO that mans cheek? He up and spoke to
her -
"Oh, now, Ned Before you p
Fact Before me? No, indeed; lay
low" said Ned, with chuckle "But.
bless you. they wouldn't have seen me If
| had stood high"
For shame, Ned! Oh. how could you
and Aunt Helen"
"Guess you'd have been no better in my
place. said the unscrupulous boy. ''But
there, that's all. If | couldn't listen, of
course, you can't"
'.Oh, now, Ned. please! !" we all chorus
ed together.
~ ell, then. He stood straight before
her. Helen, said he, 'have you forgot
ten me p and she began to turn white. Il
have had time enough, SIR said she"
"Oh. you ought not to have staid, Ned!'
You may find out the rest by your
learning" said the offended narrator 81
should like to know how was going to
leave. Only I'll say this, that if Aunt
11ClCH NoulNl Oltl llolIlOll
She wouldn't touch him with q walking
stck'
TO our amaZement, on the very next
afternoon who should appear at our gate,
with his phmton and pair, but Mr.. Thorn
ton; and WHO, bonneted and gloved and
yelled, should issue from the door, to be
placed in that ph;eton and drive off with
him, but Aunt Helen. Ned chuckled; but
the rest Of us coulddo nothing but wonder.
HAS she gone to be married ?" we gasped
And Lii and Harry began to cry.
well, I'll tell you," said Ned, in mer-
cv. ''Ie said there'd never been day
since he lett her that he hadn't longed for
what he threw away
"Oh, how wicked"
'She told him so. very quietly and Sc
verely-I tell you, Aunt Helen can be Sc
vere-and to be silent on that point. For
ever % said he and ever,' said she. 1T
is impossible said he. And then he went
over, one 10y one. a dozen different days
and scenes when they were Young and
ii ever a fellow felt mean, was the one"
II should think You would" " we cried,
with one accord.
Now look here" returned Ned "If
you want to hear the rest, you keep that
sort of remark to yourself 1t was too
late for me to show myself, anyway. And
I'll he blamed if I'll say another word if
you don't every one acknowledge You'd
have done Just as | did,
'Oh, Ned, do tell the whole! That's 4
good boy !"
Wel she ast l% hegan GHto to 'rNl .llt never
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--i know just how to do it
now; only it doesn't seem q very success
tul way-and she shook her head; and he
implored her, by their old love, he said
and she wiped her ey es and looked at him
and gave n lauSh--a hateful sort OF laugh.
Our old loven said she. Then said he,
ii you will not for my sake, nor tor 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 Il mother yet, and who--who
are driving me crazy' And then Aunt
Helen laughed in earnest. . good sweet,
ringing peal; and the long and the short
of it is that she has driven up to the
Thornton house to-day, to look at the cubs
tIu SGc WIluI huC tHllIho ttpott tii'ii.
be she'll bring them down here-she's
great on missionary work, you know"
"Well, l declare = was the final chorus.
And we sat in silence Il good half hour;
and by the time our tongues were running
again, Aunt Helen had returned, and MIR.
Thornton 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 a tenant of Moham-
mend's coffin, we thought And. as | be-
gan to tell you, we were all sitting and
swinging there when Aunt Helen exclaim-
ed 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 carried about
her nowadays.
.Why, where's your husband ?'' said she
to the hen.
There he ls." said Ned. Hes been
up alone in that corner OF the grass the
whole day, calling and clucking and in
viting company; but the rest havn't paid
the least attention to him, and are picking
and scratching down among the cannas"
''Oh, but he's been down there twice,
Ned" cried Harry, land tried to whip the
little bantam, but it was drawn battle"
"Well. he ought to have little vaca-
ton, and scratch for himself a WHILE" said
Aunt Helen. "He has picked and scratched
for his hen and her family in the most
faithful way all summer"
"And SOS the banty," said Ned. The
bantam's the best; he's taken as much
care of the chickens as the hen has, any
way and he never went to roost once all
the time the hen was setting, Mr.. Thorn
ton, but sat right down in the straw beside
her every night"
"A model Spouse" said Aunt Helen.
"They are almost human" said Mr..
Thornton And SO we sat talking till the
tea bell rang, for Mr.. Thornton was going
to stay to tea, he boldly told us; and we
saw that he meant to get the young peo-
pie on his side by the way he began to
talk to Ned about trout and pickerel, and
deep-sea fishing; but when he got to eel
traps. Ned's face was purple. and he
! blessed that tea bell | fancy. However