American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-09-13

Elam's mother, and, in consequence,
Elam having no sisters, had inherited
the good old lady's few old-fashioned
trinkets.
Elam, too, had always been very kind
to Libbie, and once-before he went to
boarding-school- to call her his
little wife. But alasi She had been
able to go to school only Il very short
time during her life, having always had
blind father to look after, and her
reading was queer, and her writing pc
culiar, and she often said g them" when
she should have said "those,'' and Just
as often used event in the place of
- gone,'' and it was the hardest work
for her to remember that two mega
tives are equal to an affirmative;" and
she knew nothing of music or singing
save few, old Methodist hymns which
she was wont to sing, as she sewed, in a
sweet bird-like voice; and she had never
waltzed nor galoped in her life, and
wasn'ta bit d" stylish in her simple cal
icoes and muslins.
Truth to tell, she was scarcely pretty,
but she had a winsome face, and made
You think of dandelions and daisies
friends of the grass and the clover
Elam had liked the little woman i'm
times gone by very much-still liked her
very much-but she possessed none of
the graces and requirements he had re-
solved his wife should possess Miss
Steele seemed almost the realization of
his dreams-as near, indeed, As he could
ever hope to come-and poor Libbie felt
that her fate was sealed the first time
they drove past her home in his buggy,
looking smilingly in each others faces;
and laying aside the gray silk dress she
was making, for fear the tears might fall
upon and stain the shining fabric, she
wept with all her heart and soul full fiji
teen unhappy minutes.
A month had passed since the fair
matchmaker had brought the young
farmer and her not-as-young sister to-
gether, and all sorts of gayeties and
pleasures had been crowded into that
month. Picnics, drives, singing-parties,
dancing-parties and reading parties, at
each and all of which Miss Steele had
queened it with her elegant costumes,
her regal manner and her many-for a
country village Accomplishments.
81 wish she were little younger"
said Elan to himself one lovely August
morning as he passed out of his gate on
his way to call on his lady-love; "for,
to confess the truth, l would like to have
my wife my junior; but she is SO hand
some-1 never saw such hair and teeth
and so dignified and so clever, I'm
sure couldn't do better, and I'll pro-
pose this very day. All, Libbie, good
morning., and with little twinge at
his heart, for which he could not ac-
count, he strobe past Trumpet-vine Cot
tage, where poor, pale Libbie Cher
cheeks used to be as red as roses, he
suddenly remembered) was standing.
ostensibly tying fallen vine-branch to
one of the pillars of the porch, in reality
waiting to see him pass.
As he entered the front door of Ray
mond House (Which stood Hospitality
open) Little Girl-nurse was in the
kitchen having chat with the cook,
and the brothers had all gone fishing
with whom he was great favorite,
came joyfully running to meet him.
"Vey's out,'' she said in her sweet,
baby way, few minutes to Mrs Mills's
(Mrs. Mills was the next neighbor, about
quarter of a mile away She's goin'
oh hn- Il 7
to go, but mamma said sick dirl vos
ware; SO me stayed home. Tell story
Elan lifted the pretty little thing upon
his knee and gave her kiss. "I'l tell
you story directly" he said. i" How is
Aunt Delia?''
"Nacky Aunt Delia-don't love her
any MORE" tossing the shining head.
Don't love pretty Aunt Delia?''
I" Amt pretty. Hers WITCH
ga witch' Why, what do you mean,
Little GirlP''
You'll never tell" said Little Girl,
standing up on his knee and grasping
his head in her dimpled arms.
Never!" promised he, shaking him
self free.
Ware vos comp'ny last night-lots-
six, four, two. An vey put two strange
chilluns in my bed-hollid chilluns-
one had holes in her stockin's, an man.
ma said 1 must seep wifi Aunt Della. An
/ woked up when Aunt Della coined up,
an looked at her, an hers witch-a
hollid old witch. Vare's one in my
Santa Claus glib me Christ
mas"
&c But chy do you think she's WITCH"
asked Elan, laughingly, as the child
broke off in her story to kiss him on the
very top of his nose.
"'Cause," said Little Girl, with de-
cision, "she is. She looked off her
hair, an ven she washed her face she
had no red cheeks, an only one eye
brow; an all her teef fell out, an vos
so 'fraid frowed myself out ov bed an
ruined to my mamma. Wouldn't-''
But Elam hastily placed her upon the
floor, and, telling her he had forgotten
and must go home again,
fled from the house, taking path that
did not lead to Mrs. Mills's.
And the Raymond family, much to
their astonishment, saw no more of him.
70 He had been called away unexpected
y,'' his old servant told the messenger
they sent with a note of inquiry