The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-05-17

snei lhes Hlahe lie CRAWL; but they
will amuse the dear child. They're
African bantams." And 50 they did
amuse him and delight HIM, as he Jaw on
his lounge in the bay-window and
watched them growing up, full of bust
ness. And that was the way, blythe
way, that we came to have chickens
round the front piazzas One night. a
year afterward, when the bantams were
quite grown people, somebody dropped
over the fence a pair of big black Coch-
ins, that stalked about as if the earth
was too good to tread on, or a. if they
were afraid of crushing bantam with
the next step. OF course We knew where
the Cochlns came from-for nobody else
in town had any-but no one said a
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 any,
thing 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 ever hungry Cochin 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 50 bold as to fly up and
perch on the back of her chair on the
piazza. Of course he was shoocd off
with yigor-with little more vigor, per
haps, becaus: Mr.. Thornton had at that
moment been passing, and had seen this
woman who would never keep hens pre-
senting that tableau.
In two or three days after 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 cry
ing.
It's all right" said our Ned, coming
iii shortly after her. Il know all about
what do YOU think-She met old Thorn
ton"
Ned"
She did indeed. And what'll you say
to that mans cheek? He up and spoke
to her"
ooh, now, Ned. Before youn'
Fact. Before me? No, indeed; |
lay low" said Ned, with chuckle.
''.,But, bless you, they wouldn't have seer
me if had stood high"
E" For shame, Ned, Oh, how could YOU
and Aunt Helen,'
Guess you'd have been no better in
my place." said the INSCRIPTIONS boy.
But, there, that's all. If | couldn' t
[ listen, of course you can't"
Oh now, Ned, please we all chorus
ed together.
Well, then. He stood straight before
her. Helen said he, have you forgot
ten me" and she began to turn white
i have had time enough, sir, said she"
oh, You ought not to have staid,
/ Ned"
o You may find out the rest by your
! learning" said the offended narrator, % |
! 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
stick
To our amazement, on the very next
afternoon who should appear at our gate,
with his phaeton and pair, but Mr.. Thorn
! ton; and who, bonncted and gloved and
yelled, should issue from the door, to be
4 placed In that phaetOn ana 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 gaspcd. And Lii 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"
"Oh, how wicked"
She told him 50, very quietly and Sc
verely-I tell you Aunt Helen can be
sevcre-and to be silent on that point.
Forever said he. And ever said
she. 1t is impossible said he. And
1 then he went over, one by one, dozen
/ different days and scenes when they
were young; and if ever a fellow felt
mean, | was the one"
Il 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 be blamed if I'll say another
word if you don't every one acknowledge
you'd have done just us L did"
oh, Ned, do tell the whole? That
a good boy
Well, she just began to cry never
saw Aunt Helen cry beforehand 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--I know just how to do
it now; only it doesn't seem a very sue
cessful 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 hate
full sort of laugh. Our old love- 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 childre
who need YOU more than children yer
needed a mother yet, and who-who are
driving me crawl And then Aunt
Helen laughed i'll earnest, a 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 and see what she thinks about them
May be she'll bring them down here
she's great ON missionary work, you
know
"Well, | declare" was the final
chorus. And we sat in silence a good
half hour: and by the time our tongues
were running again, Aunt Helen had
returned, and Mr.. 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 tenant of Mohammed's coffin. we
thought. And, rs | 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 carried about her now
adays.
Why, where's your husband?" said
she To the hen.
There he is" said Ned. Hes been
up alone in that corner of the grass the
whole day, calling and clucking and in