The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-04-04

same lStleSS air ana far-aWay look Mis-
Antiss had watched all the afternoon
Ruth, don't Annie look rather spin
dlin'?'' Miss Antiss said, during one o
Annic's frequent excursions from tn
| room.
"Why, do you think SO? She's beer
sewing hard, harder than wanted he
to. Perhaps you see her so seldom tina
you see a change mUre'n do. DO 20,
think she looks sick?'
"No; only kinder holler-eyed ant
pimpin. brung over some o. my roo
beer; you'd better see that she drinks i
and don't set indoors too steady. Maxi
her puttcr in the flower-beds or some
thin of that kind" Miss Antiss hasten
ell to say, for if Annie's trouble was .
heart-ache, her mothers hustle ant
and worry about health and loss of ap
petite would be more than she could en-
dure; so she spoke carelessly, but being
the family and general oracle of TIL,
neighborhood, her words received thu
attention they deserved.
"Annic favors me more than the res
on you,' she said to Lizzie, who fell tt
wondering what possible resemblance
there could be between Annie's ripping
mass of brown hair, violet eyes anC
small, elegant figure, and Aunt Ann.
"My hair used to curl when was
young Miss Antiss went on. my
mother couldn't abide it, but father
thought it was pretty; so he used to lei
me wear it hangin' down sometimes
and I'D curl it then. One night, when
l was asleep, mother took the shears
and just sawed it all off. Didn't fee
bad when woke up!'
"Why, what horrid woman she
must have been!' said Lizzie, Jumping
down from the window sill to set the
chairs around the table. "I'm glad
didn't have her for my MOTHER
Don't speak disrespectful of your
gre't-grandmother, 'Liz'b beth. She was
Il proper smart woman, and did more
weavin' and spinnin' than any other
woman in the country almost, but she
didn't believe in dancin' and curlin'
hair, and she fit the worlds ways
allus.''
"Tea's ready" said Annie, bring.
ing in the teapot, land fathers com
ing
Farmer Ford was stalwart, sun.
burned man, whose kindly brown eyes
beamed much warmer welcome than
his quiet Il hope see you well, Aunt
Ann"
Supper passed off in a more general
conversation, in which Miss Antiss
took her own large share; and as
farmers retire early, the night was not
very old when Annie and Aunt Ann
were shut up in the spare room to-
gether. To have a quiet talk
with Annie had been Miss Antiss'
chief reason for riding seven miles
in the hot sun that day, but she
made herself ready for bed in an
unusually silent mood, nor did she
speak, until, awful and wonderful in 4
three-storied night-cap and a frill on
her night-gown collar that reached to
the end OF her shoulders, she perched
herself on chair by the bed where
Annie was lying with her pretty hair
spread over the pillows.
"Visitin' at the Union and talkin'
about old times makes me feel so lone.
some like. What wild thing | was
when l was girl! 1t don't seem as Ct
anybody could sober down as hav.
sence. Did you ever wonder, niece
when you've hcerd me tell how many
beaux I've had, how | came to be an ole
maid? Well, somehow, feel just like
tellin' about it tonight.
when was eighteen KEEP compa
ny with Joe Edwards-that's Squire
Edwards down to the Corners hin
that owns the saw-mill. | was rea
good-lookin' in them days You favor
me, Annie; but, then, there's nothing
like havin' to fight your own way in
this world to dry up Il woman's blood
My! what Il dance led that Teller!
set greet store By him, too. He was /:
real good-lookin' Teller in them days
dreadful pleasant and free-hearted; but
he was awful easy mad and turriblt
proud. He'd spanked me most year
to AL the singin'- schools and huskin',
and quiltin's and dances that l coult
run away ter. Gals is so fifty; some
times they bite their own noses off.
with their eyes wide open, too. Sich :
dance as led him! just think on it
Annie-one night, when he asked t.
see me hum from singiR' school, toll
him yes, if he would walk behind jes
where did; it had been a-rainin', ant
was dreadful muddy. Hum l went
walkin' through the middle of ever,
puddle, an the deepest mud-holes
could find, an he arter me, ready Il
follow me anywheres.
"We was a-talkin' of bein' merriet
in the fall; the day warn't set; but wa!
a-spinnin' an wcavin' an bleachin' m,
pillur-burs and sheets. I've got EN- lait
away yit. There was anuthcr fellel
used ter hang round me in them days
he's dead and gone now, but it made
Joe dreadful provoked to have me no
tice him. because he warn't very Std
dy, and, besides, Joe wanted me all t.
himself. Sometimes, to plague him,
used to laugh and talk with him, though
never thought he could hol' Il candl
to Joe. One night we went to an ap
ple-bce at Peru Village. We all wen
in chaises because it was a-rainin'. Al
the way Joe was tryin' ter make m
promise not to have nothin' to say tc
Frank Brodman that night; but l wa
like some other gals, silly and giddy
and a reg lar spittire inter the barg in
So l fired up, and SEE l, Joe Ed
wards, amt bound yit, and I'll tall
to jest who please
"' Very well, Ann he seq, talkin
slow like, Jest as you please; but m
wife sha'n't make so free with Brod
man. Better wait till you git you
wife, spit out, and jumped out of til
shay, and run inter the house cen
Almost afore he could draw up. A
the evenin' was dreadful cool to him
and smilin' to Brodman; and the COO
er Joe looked and the sterner he Sc
his mouth, the more l laughed an
carried on. He didn't come a-nigh m
only once, and then to ask was read
to 60 hum. said yes keerless like
but meant to make it all up goir
hum. When the wagins come to tn
door, started on ahead, and jumpe
into a shay standin' there. Joe ha
drove black boss, so l was sure
was his'n; but pretty soon heerd
wagin drive off as if the ole boy and a
was arter it. Somebody come an
jumped into my wagin; and who shout
it be but Frank Brodman! l guess
was pretty still all tho way hum.