Ellsworth American., 1877-12-20

! n'S 'amiiy- Dut just III tIls tttne nls TWO
daughters came to town to make visit to
| a friend.
What were their names, grandpa ~
asked little Nell. in her soft voice.
"Wellspet, We'll name one of them Edith
and the other Ellen. They always called
each other "Dittie" aud "Nellie." Edith
was the prettiest. She had long light hair
aud blue eyes and fair skin, and altogeth-
| er was just about the sort of girl Young
| fellows picture themselves falling in love
with some day. And, l assure YOU the
Young fellow I'm telling you about did so
the very first time he saw her."
| And was Nellie pretty too?" asked the
Nellie on grandpapa's knee.
We'll" continued Grandpa, in a consd-
eribg tone, mot exactly. She had brown
hair and eyes. and trim little figure, and
looked altogether good and honest and
sweet. Still. | guess most young men
would have given her sister ten glances
where they gave her one. At all events,
my young man did; for he looked at Dittie
all the time. and hardly saw Nellie at all.
There were not many places OF smuse-
ment IN those days. but such as they were.
| they seemed very brillian mt TO those country
| girls. who had never been In the city be-
| lore. And you rarely see cousin so polite
! as Cousin Tom-sO ready to devote all his
| spare time in taking them TO this place and
that place. and hunting up shows and en-
| tertslnments Dr them. They wrote home
I To their father how Kind he had been: their
| letters were fun OF him; and in return
/ papa wrote and sent his regards. aud
! Cousin Tom must surely come aud spend
! his Thanksgiving with them In New Hsmp-
| shire. lon may be snre Cousin Tom was
I ready enough Ia accept the invitations; for
he had never -een girls 81 pretty or So nice
before; and by this time had quite made
/ up hi mind to fall in love with his cousin
Edith
1T WAS arranged The young ladies'
went home late in October and the day
before Thanksgiving. II nothing prevented.
Tom was To present himself In --. the
place they lived AZ In New Hampshire.
wv hat place was il, grandpa:' persisted
Jack.
suppose we call II Westfeld." replied
grandpa, with twinkle. "A. it happened
tins Nonng clerk employer had som" bus.
lueS> Ia he transacted in the town oi Elgin
only twelve miles from Wesihrld-and as
Tom waagoing - near, he decided To en-
trust II "a hinI, only. it unlurAily happened
this business must be attended 10 The Mon
day before Thanksgiving.
Bat never m nd that" said the head of
the firm. I'm give you fortnight, leave
and you had better be oil next Tuesday !:
that will bring you To Eigin on SATURDAY
night. You can DO the bu>iu-s, Monday.
and ne tree to 80 to Your friends by Mon
day evening. Then YOU need not report
yourself here TN next Thursday week
How will that answer
1t su-wctrd wonderfully well. except
for one little thing, and that was Tom did
not Ike the idea OF pre-enting himself at a
strangers house two days before he Wa,
.sp"c.ed However there was no time To
write. Nails travelled rar~ly to that part
OF the country. "There'il be a tavern or
some thing" rom said to himself IN go
there aud see how the land lie, before |
tnAAe my appearance.
so In the best Of spirits he started Tor
his torty-eigbt hour, OF staging. An. boys,
you may talk a. much a. you like of the
advantages of steam. but there was never
ANYTHING equal TO those old fashioned stage
height Oh lnn,an summer. AMI the country
all good and misty, and the air solt aud
balmv, with just the little twang OF last
nights frost in Il 10 give zest -Four good
horses aud seat on top. phew you'll
never see anything like H. Well, Tom had
grand time, got to Elgin safely, did his
business Monday moruing, and the same
afternoon. Just as the sun was setting, roll
ed into We.tdeld. in farmers wagon,
which he had hired to bring him over.
The wagon set him down in front OF a
black smiths shop, and droTe of. leaving
him 10 shin for himself. OF course the
first thing he asked tor was the inn; but
there was none, il appeared. lie ielt at a
loss what to do, and seeing just then a
pleasant-looking. elderly man, jogging past
in substantial gig, he concluded to stop
him and make some Inquiries.
Can you tell me, sir, ii there Is any
place in this village where can get a
nights loiging?"
The stranger took = look at him and an
swered Yankee fashion with another ques-
tion.
You are a traveller. then!
Yes I'm come up from New York to
spend few days. and find you've no tav
ern here"
New York. eh: You don't happen TO
know "A cousin OF mine there, named Tom
| Somers. do your
That's my name, sir.
.Ah,r said the old gentleman. with a
| laugh i thought | couldn't be mistaken
| In your nose Its a good a family label
| all the world round. But wha, on earth do
you want to had tavern for:
| Tom explained.
/ Nonsense, eail MS cou>lH- ouhi
/ right in. You can't come too soon The
| girl. will be glad TO see YOU They couidh
| saw enough about you when they came
/ home
".If YOU are sure that shan't put you TO
| anv Inconvenience
Inconvenience! not bit. Jump righ'
in. say. We are country folk and don't
nut ourselves out for our friends. l gu
1 must take u, as YOU find US. Dutie was
| deep in some furbelow or other when i
came off. but Nelly will see you. Bless heI
Iittle heart. She's never too busy to do
ANYTHING that's wanted, if il only makes
somebody else comfortable.
so on they drove. and after half a mile
turned in an open gate, and stopped In front
Of largc. low, comfortable homestead
! The old gentleman sprang out ike boy
and opening the door began 10 call III d
loud voice. 'Dittie--Nelly-sir
..rhi. way. Tom. Here's the keeping
| room. aud there's "A fire-or ought to be
Well. plttie, what's the natter Why
don't you come aud speak to your cousin
| TomT
And Tom stood and stared. for the fig
nre before him was very little like the ex
ouisite fairy he had been dreaming about
| for a month back. Dittie was cuddled ~
| In a corner OF the hearth with a candle be
| side her. and her lap full of a blue silk pet
tjcost, upon which she was sewing. He'
pretty hair was all tucked out OF the way
and looked rough and careless. Her dress
was sort Of faded bed gown. evidently
nut on 10 a hurry, and as she got up and
sbuffled unwilling!y forward, there coult
be no doubt that her slippers were down a
the heel.
Now, children, il there Is one thlns
- Yard 4
above another woman cannot aHoru U
he II IL untidy. No matter how beautiful
she is, il spoils it all. Venus hersel
couldn't make an impression In an old bee
gown with her hair rumpled and cola
swry. And as Tom stared at his lady-lov'
-sulIen and mortified, and in this unprom
Using guise-he felt his sentiment for he
oozing out the tips of his fingers; AM
what's worse, 1t never came back again
Remember that girls!