Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-10-25
NO. $685.
Gales and Skftfhfs.
Aunt Ann.
Continued from Yesterday


frequent excursions from the room.
"Why, do you think so? She's been
sewing hard, harder than wanted her to.
Perhaps you see her so seldom that you
see change more than | do. Do you
think she looks sick ?" &C.,.
"No; only kinder holler-eyed and pinp-
ing. brung over some NV my root beer
you'd better see that she drinks It, and
don't set indoors too steady. Make her
putter in the tlower-beds or something of
| that kind" Miss Antiss fastened to say,
for if An1ie's troubles was a heart-ache.
her mothers hustle and worry about
health and loss of appetite would be much
more than she could endure; SO. she
spoke carelessly, but being the family and
general oracle of the neighborhood, her
| word received the attention ii deserved.
"Annie favors me more than the rest
of you," she said to Lizzie, who fell TO
| wondering what possible resemblance
there could be between Annie's ripping
mass of brown hair and violet eyes, and
small, elegant figure, and ASnt Ann.i~
"My hair used to curl when | was
young" Miss Antss went on. t.Mother
couldn't abide it, but father thought il was
pretty; so he used to let me wear II hang
ing down sometimes. and Id curl it then.
One night, when | was asleep, mother
took the shears and just sawed it all of.
Didn't | feel 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 disrespcctful of your gre't
grandmother, 'Liz'be,h. She was proper
smart woman. and did mo spinning and
weaving than any other woman in, the
country, almost. but she didn't believe in
dancing and curling hair. and she fit the
worlds ways allus." aaa8oaaa
Tea is ready" said Annie, bringing in
the teapot. land father is coming.n .
Farmer Ford was stalwart, sun-burned
man, whose kindly brown eyes beamed
| much warmer welcome than his quiet 81
hope see you well. Aunt Ann" .sss1
Supper passed off in a more general
conversation. in which Miss Antiss took
her own large share; and as farmers re-
tire early the night was not very old when
| Annie and Aunt Ann were shut up in the
spare room together. To have 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 won
derful in three-storied night-cap and
| frill on her night.go collar that reached
to the end OF her shoulders, she perched
herself on chair by the bed where An
ME was lying with her pretty hair spread
over the pillows. as s.s'. ~
| "Visitin at the Union and talkin' abeut
old times makes me feel so lonesome like
| What a wild thing | was when I was
girl. 1t don't seem as if anybody could
| sober down as have sence. Did you
ever wonder, niece. when you've heerd
me tell how many beaux I've had, how
| came to be an old maid' Well, some
| how. fell like telling about it tonight"
when | was eighteen kept company
with Joe Elwards-that's Squire Edwards
| down to the Corners, him that owns the
| saw-mill. ] was real good looking in
| them days. You tavor me, Annie, but
then there's nothin' like havin' to fight
your own way in the world to dry. up a
womans blood
| "My, what dance | led that feller
| set gre't store by him too. He was a
real good-lookin' feller in them days.
dreadful pleasant and free hearted; but
he was awful easy mad. and turrible
proud. He'd sparked me most a year to
all the singin' schools and huskin's and
| quiltin's and dances that could run away
ter. Gals is so fifty; sometimes they bite
their own noses off, with their ewes wide
open too. Sich dance as led him
Just think on it. Annie-one night. when
he asked to see me hum from singin'-
school, | toll him yes, il he would walk
behind jest where l did; it had been
a-ranin', and it was dreadful muddy.
Hum went, walkin' through the middle
of every puddle, an the deepest mud
holes could find, and he arter me, ready
10 follow me any where's, '9aIs. "a nAid
| I'VE was a talkin' of bein' married in
the fall the day warn't set; but ] was
a-spinnin' an weavin' an bleachin' my
piler-burs and sheets. I've got 'em laid
away Wit. There was anuther feller used
ter hang round me in them DAYS; he's
dead and gone, now, but it made Joe
dreadful provoked to have me notice him,
because he warn't very stiddy. and. be-
sides, Joe wanted me all to himself
Sometimes, to plague him, used to laugh
and talk with him, though never thought
he could hol candle to Joe. One night
we went to an apple-bee at Peru village.
We all went in chaises, because it was
a-rainn'. All the way Joe was atryin'
ter make me PROMISE not 10 nave nOtllD
to say ter Frand Brodman that night but
| was like some other gals, silly and gid
dy, and a regular spitfire inter the barg'in.
So fired up, and sez I. Joe Edwards.
l amt bound yit, and I'll talk to Just who
please
| "'Very well, Ann he seq. talkin' slow
like, Just as you please but my wife
shan't make so free with Brodman.' Bet
ter wait till you gityour wife, spit out,
and Jumped out of the shay, and run inter
the house een-a'most afore he could drsw
lup. All the evening" was dreadful cool
to him, and smilin' to Brodman; and the
cooler Joe looked and the stearner he sot
his mouth. the more laughed and carried
on. He didn't come a-nigh me only
once, and then to ask was l ready to 90
hum said yes keerless like; but ]
meant to make it all up gon' hum. When
the wagins come to the door. l jumped
into shay standin' there, Joe had drove
a black horse. so was sure II was his'p;
but pretty soon heard a wsgin drive oG
rCcrntnds5 ~, tnr,th ~ - 81 AaA q