Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-12-25

before him, Yes 10 must have q
lesson, and liessy has bit upon just
tho thing, How much ] shall enjoy
his criticisms either way I"
80 she wrote 10 her melee she had
never met In person, that she would
she would cook tho first dinner, and
refreshed her Imagination by looking
at Bessle's photograph.
She had well called her proud,
pretty little thing, Such sweetness
and such pride are seldom combined
IN tho same eountenance, Every tea
iure was replete with beauty ofils kind
the nose straight and o,licate, the lips
firm, Jet tenderly archod the eyes
smiling aud lu,troas the face per
iect oval add to crown all the soft
wavy hair thrown carelessly from the
low brow, and braided 10 a MASSIVE
coronel, This was the picture OF
which Walter had written just two
years ago, as followe;
II IL not half AZ beautiful as the original,
color motion aud grace are wanted. But
oh, Aunty she Is thousand times too
lovely and too good for me. Shall l ever
bc worthy OF snch treasure 7"
"And now. since she had condo
scended to step down from the pedos'
tai Of worship, and care aud cook tor
him, no must needs find fault with
every effort she made to please his
fastieious palate she said indignant
y. w'll give him lesson" Aud
she INDUCED her sense Of amusement
by contemplating the sort OF punish
ment she intended to mete out to her
erring nephew
The thirtleth of December came, and
when Walter retarned home, at
night, he said;
"I had a telegram this morning
Aunt Prue will be here by the seven
o'clock train tomorrow. | suppose
you have everything ready I"
"Quite ready" was Bcssy's reply,
"and very anxious to make her con-.
Portable. Would you like to see her
room 7"
"wel, yes don't care if | DO, said
Walter, who hod oo'ne home in An OK
ceptionaIly good humor; and taking
little Imla upon his shoulder, the child
crowning with delight, he followed
his wife up stairs, thinking very prob.
ably he might be able to suggest
some Improvement. 1t was his way
rather to suggust alteration, than to
speak we'll OF what was already done.
"Don't you think you've looped the
curtains too low?" he queried. "And
isu't It rather childish TO tie them
with blue ?"
T thought blue was your tavorite
color" said Bes'y, who had fancied
her arrangement ofthe bay window a
master piece.
"Yes ; but-you see the hanging
balket in the center being necessarily
composed of green plants and vines,
makes the contrast unpleasant"
"True enough" said Bessy, with
the least possible tinge of sarcasm in
her voice. 81 might have looped
them with green. But then you see
I have draped the toilet with blue and
the carpet happening to be blue and
fawn, perhaps the contrast mi ght
have been still more unpleasant. Shall
take the basket down You know
you said your Aunt was fond 0
plants"
"Perhaps, if she is, she may not
like them in her bad room. However
let the thing be-" he added, gracious
ly. 81 would loop the curtains foot
higher, though"
"And spoil it ALL" said Bessy al
most petulently, for she often OF late
found herself inclined to 'snap' under
the constant succession Of mildly IT,
ritating criticism, in which her hus-
band indulged.
"No-render the effect hundred
times prettier. But no matter. / am
q man, and 1 suppose my opinion
goes for nothing. Still l would like
TO see the curtains changed"
Little Lula meantime applauded
her mothers handiwork with loud
accla nations. '.Pitty, pity !" she
cried, pursuing up her rosy mouth, and
her baby'hands, as she look
from point to opoint
"Would'n1 blue have looked better
upon the bed 7" asked Walter, whose
wide glance could find no fault in oil
the other arrangements.
ut seems to me white is more ap-
propriate.' Bessy rade answer but