The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-02-21

| AOnu AC1 uCCp POChCt, WOI0 tWO mdiu
moth white potatoes, staring at hen
with all the eyes they had. Of course
the whole room was in litter, but Miss
Roxy was equal to the occasion.
"Well, to be sure, 1 did make mis-
take,n she said; "but them's some oi
'Bijah Mays seedlings, and a mealiel
pertater you never see"
So saying, she deposited them upon a
little shelf near by, and seated herself at
the quilting-frame, which was now
nearly surrounded by women.
/ stood at Miss Roxy's elbow, and took
full survey of the scene. The dear
old ladies, how they chattered---about
the minister and the deacons, and Miss
Anne Lenshaw, the minister's niece, who
was on q visit. ,ss,ez-. sa4A
" They do say she plays the peaner," "
spoke up one merry old body, g /
wonder if she could blow the horn to
bring the men-folks to dinnerT sal
cor mend her husbands stockings ?''
added another.
"Tmothy's John goes there some
times" said another. Miss Roxy
chuckled, and cast side-glance at me
and though was only little pitcher, ]
resented the action, through my fealty to
Aunt Sally.
"What does he see in that city gal,
with her stuck-up waysp queried some
body. My ears burned, and my eyes
snapped, Why shouldn't a city girl be
as good as a country girl any day?
:" Is she here p asked Miss Roxy.
ooh yesl she's in the other room with
Miss Pettis."
Now "Miss" Pettis was the minister's
wife, and very sweet, refined little
woman, to whom Ihad taken great fancy.
at once had a strong desire to see
Miss" Pettis and the minister's niece ;
so, taking advantage of the moment
when Miss Roxy was talking to a friend
about somebody's false teeth, I slipped
unobserved out of the room into that
which the bloom and light of youth
made, to my childish eyes, something
like paradise.
There were the young people, chatting
and laughing; all their nimble fingers
going as fast as their merry tongues,
crossing and recrossiug the pinks, blues,
greens and yellews, following steadily
the lines of chalk traced in graceful evo-
lutions.
took my stand by the side of Miss I"
Pettis, who stopped just then to notice
me and to thread her needle. She was
very near sighted, and put the needle in
my hands to thread for her.
How proud / wasl And that was her
niece, the fine New York lady, with the
black hair, and the red, naughty lips.
What would Miss Roxy say when told
her she had a gold thimble 7-yes, real
gold; for while she rested, tapping the
quilt with one slender forefnger, the
girls were passing it to and fro to be ad-
mired.
Well, they worked and talked, and
old Farmer Simmons came in, dressed
in store clothes, in which he. looked
neither picturesque nor comfortable, his
white beard checked in its graceful flow
by an immense stiff collar. He tried to
say something, but coughed and failed,
and went smilingly out through the
other door, under the fire of thirty pairs
of eyes.
Presently Miss Prue, the old help"
who had been in the family " nigh on
to forty years." came to take from the
corner beaufet some dozens of silver
spoons-and there steamed in such de-
licious smell of goodiesl
And then came the bashful young
men, among them Tmothy's John.
Now Timothy's John was paragon
among the men. He had just got through
college, and was going to be lawyer,
notwithstanding his father was deacon.
With sort of triumph / saw him edge
his way along till he got behind Aunt
Sally's chair, where he never did any
thing but nod to the New York beauty.
Presently the summons was given,
"Tea's readyp
If only / could describe that teal
the hams, the chickens, the turkeys, the
tongues, the piles of fried sausage, the
pyramids of cake, the steaming coffee,
the fragrant tea, the mirth and jollity,
the bashful waiting of the men, the cry
of the old farmer, Help yourselves, or
you won't get helped!" the declining
sun sending in its shafts of gold; Miss
Prue, red to the roots of her hair, turn
ing out the tea and coffee; Miss Roxy
passing her comments on everything.
I was well supplied" Miss" Pettis
saw to that. Timothy's John smoothed
my hair, and told Aunt Sally that 1 was
her living image-aud by-and-by there
| was rush made for the lawn outside.
Then the girls grew wild, and ran races
and tried their strength. Soon the
candles were lighted inside, and the
quilting-frames put away, that the
young people might enjoy themselves.
Miss Roxy made it a religious duty to
be in bed by ten; SO she sent me for my
bonnet little past nine, and we walked
home by moonlight, I leaving the gay
company regretfully.
"Pm afraid quilting-bees are almost
SINFUL" said Miss Roxy, pressing hel
hand upon the region Of her heart
"that mince-pie lays uncommon heavy
1 looked up, but only saw the point o.
Miss Roxy's nose, as tie old green calasf
wobbled back and forth. But lay
awake in my little white bedroom til
Timothy's John came home with Aun
Sally-as l knew he would.