The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-05-31

AUNT CYNTHY'S OLE LADY.

Sloou ROSailnu fayfe. III d -Ni'e . ~ II ''-iN
with coffee colored laccs at her throat.
Aunt Cynthy was unjust. Rosalind would
be fine in any garb-a fresh young beauty,
who was aware of the fact, TO be sure, and
did the best she knew how by herself
There were two front dools to hospita-
BILE Fair HILL At the upper end of TIE
piazza issued directly Mildred Mason.
':Thars nag beauty" soliloquized Aunt
Cynthy, passing out of sight. Miidred's
white dress was frightened by scarlet
ribbons; she had scarlet shawl disposed
about her raven locks. l am not sure
whether she was pretty or not: but she
was attractive-a heavenlier gift even
than that of beauty.
1t was November: but it was soft,
bright weather still in the border States,
and celebrating as well. The wine of
the year was spilled abroad. The skies
were golden and crimson that sunset.
Aunt Cynthy re-appeared round a corner
Of the house, with 4 pail in her hand
bound for the dairy, the roof of which was
visible in the next field. Her woolly locks
were bound up in a handkerchief of the
autumn colors-yellow and red. Mildred
taking it into her head to go a-milking
also, and joining the old woman presently
suggested this fact to her.
''Yes, honey; but wars desc colors fur
4 better reason den dat. Dem as likes
yaller sees ghosts; an dem as de ghosts
likes red.'
Red is nay color. But don't know
about the ghosts"
"You's not dead yit, is you? You'll
fin out befo' youis. Now dat Miss Rosa
lin. Green? Reckon our ole Lady II glib
her a wide BERTH Ghosts can't abide
green
''What old lady?"
81 see her NOR en- huff times. Ole Lady
wild spinnin' wheel, all in white, wild a
cap wild frill roun' it. Fair Hill can't
git shet of her nowhow.'
Have you seen her often?''
Right smart often lately. Reckon
suthin gwine happen. OATS it. Ole Lady
tryin' ter glib warnin'. You shed see her.
by rights, Miss AIilly: you is Mason
yerself.''
In the dairy were two ancient serving
men, black as the ace Of spades. churning.
They saluted Mildred with wide ivory
smiles, but spoke not. They brought be-
fore Mildred visions of carved ebony i'm
ages at some persistent mechanical task.
Aunt Cynthy skinned the cream for tea,
and Mildred strolled father up the field,
into cabin. where sat a feeble old woman
mother of Gale, the head dairyman, who
inarticulated q greeting. Gales wife APP
peared from the background, saying.
Mother had a stroke las fall. An how
is you, miss? l is tollable.'
Mildred was well. and was glad to be
assured Mrs. Gale was the same. She stood
pensively regarding the two women with
her strangely beautiful dark eyes.
Mother are a light ole CONAN. miss"
Gales wife surmised. with subdued PRIDE
but with an air of uncertainty. Chronolo-
gy is rarely included in the philosophy of
Ethiopia. ''She war married i'll eighteen
hundred an twelve
Mildred first cried, ''Indeed!' then add
ed: ''That need not make her so very
old, either. My grandfather and grand
mother were married in eighteen hundred
and twelve; then they were twenty and
sixteen. My grandfather is eighty-five
now. don't believe you are much over
eighty, aunty."
Gales wife was highly impressed. She
had entire faith in Mildred's calculations.
Don't you reckon she are, miss?' she
said.
Mildred reiterated her convictions.
Aunt Cynthy re-issued from the dairy.
cream pail III hand. Having established
a character for mathematical genius,
Mildred rejoined her, Gales wife looked
after her admirably. 1t seemed such fine
thing not only to know ones own age.
but other peoples as well.
Rosalind was still on the piazza when
Mildred reached the house, in time to an
swer. ''Here-' when Ruth Mason her
hostess, asked, where is Mildred?' in
her sweet sad voice. Ruth was the mean
between the two extremes of Rosalind
and Mildred, in the sense that both were
her cousins. although not each others.
She had Mildred dark, dark eyes-grave
in her case. But then matters and things
were grave at Fair Hill just then.
The tea-bell rang, and they followed it's
sound. Mrs. Mason with snowy hair and
cap and kerchief presided at the urn. A
clock that was two hundred years old
licked in one corner. The bill Of fare of
course included Maryland biscuit. 1t re-
mains mystery why these should have
been better than had they been beaten
ont of Maryland. y small colored boy.
with his eyes shut, waved long brush of
peacock feathers, and represented near
ly absolete type, replaced by the patent
tly-macl,ines Of modern times. This Of
flee, however, was almost sinccure at
that tir,n of tho yaor. 4 taa 10 norty
returned to the parlor, where wood fire
blazed. Rosalind dropped into pictur-
esque old-fashioned chair, which dated as
far back as the clock. Her lovely arms,
with their coquettish elbow sleeves. fell
into her lap. Her little crossed feet re-
vealed dainty strapped slippers. There
was an exquisite leaf flush on her face
Gilbert Rosse, who had ridden over from
neighboring Rossemere, drew up chair
beside her, fascinated apparently, man
like, by toilette and grace. Ruth took
seat in a corner of the fireplace out of the
Wight of the blaze. Mildred fitted off to
the kitchen, where blazed another fire, of
giant size, over which hung a coal-black
Kettle. Aunt Linda was the presiding
genius OF this precinct. Its yellow walls
were darkened by smoke. Mysterious
shadow haunt it. Two tallow dips served
tac cciltIc ificlely pl Il large
table. where Aunts Linda and Cynthy
were supping the small colored boy at
respectful distant.
q seen de ole Lady ies now, Miss
Milly,' says Aunt Cynthy.
You don't say SOL responded Mil
ilred, with spontaneous interest
''Suthin on her mind, sho. She keep
.e-lookin' at me an a-lookin'. Cap wild
frill, spinnin' wheel an ALL Can't make
her out nohow. Desc is tight times fur
de Masons. Reckon OATS de reason she
show herself so often. De ole place be
sole. sho as fate onless miracle take
place
Mildred assented. 1t was as Cynthy
said. This might be her last visit to
Fair Hill There was mortgage on the
farm for ftauusand dollars, which would
be foreclosed in December unless the
money were Forthcoming, which seemed
unlikely. Mrs. Mason had tried to raise
the sum far and near, but without sue
cess. 1t seemed incredible, but the beau
tiful homestead represented by this In
considerable amount would doubtless be
sacrificed in default of it.
.!Mas'r BERTHE Rose foolin' roun arter
Miss Ifosalin' Say she hab money. Oh.
we'll reckon Miss Rute kin stan it
Masr BERTHE want Miss Rute ter marry
him right now. an lebe her ma an dc
boys to shift fur deyselves. But Miss
Rute she say no. She say, Of she are
wort habin', She arc wort waitin' fur an