St. Landry democrat., 1879-08-23

very old, either. Ny grandfather and
grandmother we've married in Gig ghteen
hundred and twelve; then they were
twenty and sixteen. My grandfather is
eighty.fve now. 7 don't believe you
are much over eighty, auntv."
Gales wife was highly impressed. She
had entire faith in Mildred's calculations.
"Don't you reckon she are, miss 2" she
said.
Mildred reiterated her conviction.
Aunt Cynthy reissued from the dairy,
cream pail in hand. Having established
character for mathematical genius,
Mildred rejoined her. Gales wife looked
after her admiringly. It seemed such a
fine thing not only to know ones age,
but other peoples as we'll.
Rosalind was still on the piazza when
Mildred reached the house in time to
answer. "Here!" when Ruth Mason,
her hostess, asked, "Where is Mildred p
In her sweet sad voice. Ruth was the
mean between the two extremes of
Rosalnd and Mildred in the sense that
both were her cousins, although not each
others. She had Mildred's dark, dark
eyes-grave in her case. But then mat
ters and things were grave at Fair Hill
just then.
The tea-bell rang, and they followed
its sound. Mrs. Mason, with snowy hair
and cap and kerchief, presided at the
urn. A clock that was two hundred
years old ticked in one corner. The bill
of fare, of course, included Maryland
biscuit. 1t remains mystery why these
should have been better than had they
been eaten out OF Maryland. A small
colored boy, with his eyes shut, waved
a long brush of peacock feathers, and
represented a nearly obsolete type,
replaced by the patent fly machines 0
modern times. This Office, however, was
almost sinecure at that time of the
year.
After tea the party returned to the
parlor, where a wood fire blsEed. Rosa
lind dropped into picturesque old
fashioned chair, which dated IS far back
as the clock. Her lovely arms. with
their coquettish elbow sleeves, fell into
her lap, Her little crossed feet revealed
dainty strapped slippers. There was an
exquisite rose-leaf flush on her face.
Gilbert Rosse, who had ridden over
from neighboriug Rossemere, drew up a
chair beside her, fascinated apparently,
manlike, by toilette and graes. Ruth
took low seat in a corner of the fire.
place out of the sight of the blsze,A Mild
red fitted off to the kitchen where Biazed
another fire, of giant size, ever which
hung a coal-bIsck>kettle. Aunt LINDA
was the presiding genius of this precinct.
Its yellow walls were darkened by smoke.
Mysterious shadows haunted it. Two
tallow dips served to illuminate the
center merely OF large table, where
Aunts Linda and Cynthy were supping,
the small colored boy at respectful dis
tance.
81 seen de ole lady jes now, Milly,"
says Aunt Cynthy.
"You don't say go p responded Mil
dred, with spontaneous interest.
" "Suthin on her mind, sho'. She keep
a lookin' at me an a lookin'. Cap wild
frill, spinnin'-wheel an. all. Can't
make her out nohow. Des is tight times
fur de Masons. Re exon dat's de reason
she show herself 60 often. De ole place
be ssle, sho' as late, onless piracle take
place."
Mildred assented. It was as Cynthy
said. This might be her last visit to
Fair Hill. There was a mortgage on
the farm for a thousand dollars, which
would be foreclosed in December unless
the money was forthcoming, which
seemed unlikely. Mrs. Mason had tried
to raise the sum far and near, but with
out success. It seemed incredible, but
the beautiful homestead, represented by
this uncomfortable amount would doubt
less he sacrificed in default of it.
Mas'r Bertie Rosse toolin' roun'
arter Mics Rosalin'. Say she hab money.
Oh, well reckon Miss Rute kin STAN it.
Mas'r BERTHE want Miss Rute to marry
him right now, an lebe her ma an de
boys shift fur deyselves. But Miss Rute
she say no. She say ef she are wort
Waitin' fur; an she nebber marry SO
longs her mas all upside down like.
s, reckon Mas'r Bertie he tryiu' to
console hisseli."
All of which Mildred knew already
Gazing into the bright blaze, she won
dered how it would all end. Rosalind
was bewitching.
Still talking, Aunt Cynthy went
bacx into the dining-room. "Dar she
are now," she said. "she hab left de
'pinnin' wheel. She are walkin' up an
Town, up an down, dar by de clock.'
The clock stood in recess beyond a |
amb which ran along all the rest of that |
ide Of the room. 1t contained q closet,
nd in the parlor, on the other side of
he wall. deep Fireplace. But these
wo recesses having been taken into con-
Iteration, there still remained space
naccounted for in the middle of the
amb. Mildred, staring over at the wal.
uzzled out this fact.