The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-11-29
OTTAWA FREE TRADER: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20. 1879.

| that her toilet would be ready without any
help. Then we set about our own dresses, as
| if we had to be ready by sunset During that
week poor Uncle Stacy led anything but a
quiet life lie declared when we started for
ernwood-Grandma's home-0n Wednesday
evening, that he hadn't been able to balance
! his books, or do bit of writing dccently all
the week, for we had kept the whole house in
commoti0n. Aunt Emma had dreamy far
away look IN her eyes and was very quiet
but we girls chartered like so many magpics,
until OWING to the latencss of the evening and
the rumbiIng Of the cars, we began to grow
sleepy, and forgot to speculate on what the
morrow might bring forth. From our home,
Nully. to Fernwood was an all night ride, and
from the depot TO Grandma's WAS such DIS
lance that conveyance would have to be
hired. Arriving safely in the morning, we
break tasted at the only inn the little town VI.
for,led, and the landlord mustered up an old,
rickety carriage and pair of ancient looking
ponies, which he warranted not to run away
with us. Nora was to drive and Uncle Stacy
said he'd walk. and being sure to arrive first,
would herald our approach We got over the
road as fast as we could with such a turnout
and such load, and looking back we could
trace a serpentine track in the dusty road. |
remarked that it spoke volumes for NOra's
driving, but she ignored the compliment rs We
were at the gate and there was no time for par.
| lev IIllching the ponies, We walked up the
path to the broad piazza where grandma stood
talking to Uncle Stacy. The moment she saw
us she came down the steps, and beginning
with Aunt Emma she embraced us in such "a
good old.lashioned way that we were couvinc
ed there was q good deal of strength left in
yrandmas arms. Then old Chloe came up to
greet us "Lawd Dress you, Mis- Emma" said
she, showing two full rows Of worries, Pm
powerful glad to see you, is an desc young
ladies dat | toted round when dey was babies
it does my old heart good to see 'em." Then
Wondering her duties In the kitchen she
couresied to us all and withdrew grandma
meanwhile having led US into the house. II
was very bright and warm weather for the sea
son. but a blazing log in the big old fire. place
was a very pleasant sight. To us it was some
thing Of novelty too. Grandma stood for
some time by the mantel, watching US AS we
explored" the parlors that we had so longed
10 see. The portraits claimed my attention
more than anything else. Grandpas hung di.
rectly over the mantel, while on the opposite
side my father and Uncle "Wel" smiled down
on US. o, what laughing, iull-Offun eyes he
had | grieved that the family circle was so
broken that day. Turning toward grandma,
began to study her as a living picture. If
had time I'd like to describe her rs she stood
there with her arms around Aunt Emma Tall
and straight, in spite of her sixty years and
thought she must have looked like Lue in her
younger days, only that she had been decid.
ed brunette, but in feature Lue resembled
Grandma. She looked very happy, as one af
ter another Of US would stop to give her II kiss,
and pat down her silvery hair, that was so
wavy as to cause Nora to ask if Grandma was
in the habit of crlmpng her hair? She would
not sit in the arm.charas Uncle Stacy request
ed merely saying IL am not rheumatic yet
IN keep the chair in good order until need
it," We had all been pcttcd and commented
upon, but quite often Grandma looked toward
me and said, Eyes, she's II real Deanc." Not
very ilatcrIng to the Deanes thought, The
sound of the dinner bell was welcome one,
and we all marched in solemn state to the din
ing room That was for forms sake, but we
didn't sit down with formal appetites, for the
sight of Choes table was enough to make
anyone hungry. How delighted the old wo-
man was when we called for more" "'Pears
like you was hungry, chile" she said several
times, and showed great eagerness to appease
our hunger
just as we were rising from the table there
was loud knock at the hall door. We got
into the back parlor by the time Chloe had nd
mitted the caller and Grandma looked Devil.
dered II was so strange to hear the heavy old
knocker used, but she had no time for con
lecture, as Chloe handed her u card inscribed
Cecil Winters" The caller was hidden into
the parlor where we sat and introduced him.
self as the friend Of Wellesley Dcane. We be,
came interested in him at once. He was bronzel
and bearded, but as he sat with his back to the
lgh, we could not see what his eyes were like.
| always notice eyes particularly, and did
not like this strangers way of keeping the
lids down so much. But listened intently to
his account of Deane's adventures, wrecks and
losses of his repeated efforts to hear from
home, until he decided that he had forfeited
all claim upon his kindred, and settled down
in California. | looked at Grandma several
times during the recital. | wondered If she
and were not thinking somewhat alike
saw that her face wore "A puzzled expression,
and several times her glance had wandered to
Uncle Wells portrait Bat he was a smooth
faced boy then and thought time might have
made HIM like the man who was telling his
story. When he had finished 1t Grandma
asked him out to dinner, and as he rose she
said, come To the light; ! want to take good
look at YOU" He complied with her request
and raised his eyes frankly for the first time
the very eyes that | had 50 admired IN Uncle
WEBS picture. Oh! what n time cnsued Easy
to imagine, hard to describe, for the lost was
found! Grandma knew her hoy, and when
told her | had suspected his identity, she
said, well, you are Deane, That explains
it," Uncle Wei went to dinner, escorted by the
whole family, and Grandma sat beside him all
the time. Old Chloe sank on her knees, rolled
her eyes and said, Dress de Lawd dis am de
best Franksgibin yit" So we all thought
AMERICAS ARABIA