The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-10-26

MlllY, ana was silent.
Then Aunt Barbara, finding Milly
disposed to be grum, settled herself to
talk to the gentleman, and Milly
watched
40, what blue eyes he has! and such
big ones, too! l am afraid of them,"
said she to herself. 81 wonder how.
big his wife is, for he must be married;
he is forty or fifty, | guess thinks
Milly.
Then the big eyes are turned on her,
and the deep voice says:
Are you fond of reading, Miss Mid
| dletonP | have some of the latest novels
with me to which you are welcome to
while away your invalid hours" then
adds: 81 have also copy of Pope.
Should you like it?''
Poor Milly! Again her face burned.
"There swims no goose" flashed in
to her mind. He must have heard her!
1.-The horrid old gandern' then aloud
Thanks, | have all the reading l
can manage"
Then she contemplated the sunset.
The blue eyes smiled and turned to
Aunt Barbara.
Evening after evening passed, and
still Milly propped up with "that ever
lasting ankle" and every evening the
! blue eyes of DR.. Vanbourg smiled on
her while he conversed with Aunt Bar
! bara.
Milly fumed inwardly, but neverthe-
less liked to watch the "great ugly
gander'' as she styled him. But when
he spoke to her, she only answered po-
litely, then contemplated the sunset.
g | am not a baby, and will not be
treated as one,n she soliloquized (Milly
was fond of soliloquizing).
At last, one evening, when Milly's
ankle was nearly well, Aunt Barbara
was called away and she was left alone
with DR.. Vanbourg. OF course she
must be polite and entertain him, so she
said, sweetly: CDR. Vanbourg, won t
you tell me what your wife is like?''
The doctor looked astonished, and
Milly blushed and looked very foolish,
but the doctor was equal to the occa-
sion. He rose from his chair and went
toward her.
"Milly, he said, have no wife, but
l want one very badly. Will you come,
dear?' and he reached out his great
arms.
Poor little Milly! 1.-THE great big,
ugly gander," she said to herself, and
turned to him with flashing eyes.
81 won't be made fun of hate you.
Go away y and before either could
speak, but not before she saw the pain
ed, sorrowful look in the big blue eyes,
Aunt Barbara appeared, and all became
serene.
In few moments the doctor rose to
say good night. He went to Milly, and
taking her hand before she could refuse
it, said, so low that even Aunt Barb 5
sharp ears could not hear:
Il am very sorry, Milly, and hope
some day you will change your mind.
1t is fate, dear, | suppose Then
aloud: "Good-by, Miss Milly, hope
before long you will be able to climb all
the trees on the farm" and then in a
moment he was gone.
The next morning Milly heard that
DR.. Vanbourg had left for New York.
Did she laugh then? | am sorry to say
Milly cried-all to herself, though, in
her cosey little white-curtained room.
After that, life at the white farm
house was the same as usual, until one
afternoon, sitting in the great kitchen,
Milly was watching Aunt Barbara
making pies-not a romantic employ
ment, but the result was always good
and right in the midst of it letter was
brought in, post marked New York.
Milly's heart gave a jump, and,
woman like, she was dying with curl
osity in moment.
Aunt Barbara eyed the letter, shrug-
ged her shoulders and laid it aside. Mil
ly peeped.
Gould it be from DR.. Vanbourg?"
Then her face burned, and she pinch
ed herself under the table
mo, it is a lady's writing, evil
IDENTIFY"
Then she thought of her Aunt Laura
her fashionable aunt who lived in
New York.
"What does she want?n she asked
herself.
By this time the pies were in the
oven and Aunt Barbara, after washing
her hands and hunting for the scissors,
cut open the letter and read it deliber-
ately. Then she looked at Milly, and
oii1llihS I'LL Hdl'tCIt ~ W HcI. hlllH
devoured it.
Dear sister," it ran, chilly is now
a young lady grown, and l think it
time she saw something of the world.
Can you not lend her to me for the
winter? My daughters, as you know,
are all married, and | am alone. Let
her come the first of next month; that
will give her time to complete her win
ter outfit before the season fairly opens.
Do not refuse me-"
Then followed some family news that
Milly did not stop to read, but jumping
up, threw her arms around Aunt Bar
bara's neck and begged, go, please let
me go?' until the stern lips smiled and
her aunt consented.
Then for the next few weeks she was
in a dream. The "gander' disap-
peared from her thoughts, and every
word she spoke was of the coming winter.
October at last flew past, and one
bleak day in November Milly, fresh
and rosy, in her natty little travelling
suit, arrived in the crowded, busting
city of New York.
One night Milly was in fairy-land,
herself the queen. Admirers crowded
Al Il