Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-19
Miss Dlnah'S Rash Vow.


Beautiful, miss" said Teresa, hav-
ing thrown open the shutter and looked
out and up, now looking in again, with
ever SO pleasant smile on her round,
homely face, now almost handsome in
She CHEEKY sunshine that streamed in.
mot q cloud; no rain to-day, miss;
and he will come for sure"
"Do you think SOP" returned Miss
Dinah, smiling brightly also, and rising
from her bed to run across the floor
and peep over Teresa's broad shoulder.
"Yes; very pretty morning." after q
minutes inspection and pause to lis,
ten to the birds and inhale the fresh
breeze. "Dress me, Teresa"
No longer young was Miss Dinah
Prynne-quite fifty, and perhaps even
more; but wonderfully active, with
eyes as pretty and bright as in her girl
hood, not much wrinkled, and faculties
clear as they had ever been. With
springing step and quick motion, she
hitted about the room, making her tot
let, humming to herself, stopping now
and then to scold old Teresa, who hob.
bled after her-that sort of scolding
which is, under certain circumstances,
An expression OF especial good .humor,
such as possessed Miss Dinah this
morning.
"And you think it will not rain," she
said for the tenth time. "This time of
year thunderstorms come up very sud.
denly, remember"
She spoke as if Teresa were some
important officer on the staff of the
clerk of the weather, and had better be
careful about her predictions.
slut! September thunderstorms
are rare, miss, and he amt afraid of
little wetting, I do suppose. A little
thing like that wouldn't keep him
hack, replied Teresa, with scorn.
Miss Dinah ate her breakfast with
teverish impatience, which she strove
70 hide. Afterwards she put on her
sun-bonnet and mittens, and went into
the garden, attended by old Teresa,
with watering-pot, and trowel and rake
and other tools, and together they
worked among the flowers. Miss
Dinah, as she progressed, snapped off
contributions for acknowledgements
one. very nearly as large as a cabbage.
He always liked flowers, Teresa"
She said, smelling this horticultural
marvel when it was completed. "He
never failed to leave me q bunch eyery
morning. Sometimes I let them
wither, to vex him, and she laughed at
the memory of her beautiful girlhood's
csprices.
~. was pity to worry him, miss, :"
said Teresa, with honest reproval.
Pooh The more did the fonder
he was of me. There was nothing
wouldn't do to pain him, sometimes.
That was thirty years ago." and, with
little sigh, she glanced backward, as
one may in minute, through that long
vista.
Thirty years." said Teresa. "And
you amt seen him since; and changed
he must be now-as changed as you.
miss. mind your pictur' upstairs"
l was nineteen then; it's very like;
everybody thought So" interrupted
Miss Prynne.
Nobody could tell it for you now"
do you think SOL" said Miss Dinah.
disappointed. 1t will be shock to
him when he sees me. They say old
nweethearts always think of the face
that was, and never of what time must
have done. 1t is so, too. can't call
him up except as he was then-I've
tried hundreds of times, but can't-and
Re was fine young man, Teress-a
beautiful young man, with great, large
blue eyes. and straight nose. and
white teeth, and chestnut hair. and a
tall and graceful figure; nobody fiat
I've ever seen is the least bit like him.
And he is not bit altered, Teresa"
and she laughed again, almost believ-
But he is. miss. He is old and
crooked and feeble, and you will feel
bad when you see him-as bad as he
viii feel when he sees YOU" said Tere.
n, who was Jobs comforter, some
times.
Miss Dinah looked panied, and sighed
again.
almost wish I was not to see him
again, and sometimes believe I shall
not. Perhaps he will not come, after
AL. You know IL made such fool.
ash VOW" and she looked little fright.
sned.
You often promised to tell me
about it, miss" replied her ancient
hand maiden, who felt profound Gu
mostly IN all that concerned this great
meeting that was to be to-day.
:" l will-In do so nov, and hear
what you think. 1t will brighten Won.
! dare say; but you must remember f.
was only girls folly, and God knows
I've repented SINCE.
They stood now in the shade of the
great cherry tree at the end of the old
garden-thin little Miss Dinah. with
her great bonnet on, and stout old
Iesesa-homely figures; but the pic.