The Newtown bee., 1879-07-16
BLEACHING THE LINEN
A STORY OF THE FOURTH OF JULY.

A STORY OF THE FOURTH OF JULY.
 In little, gable-roofed cottage in the fragrant country of Cherryland, stand ing far back from the road, and almost hidden l,y the tall old cherry trees that grew all around it. lived Grandmamma Van Dorn and her pretty granddaughter, Winifred.
 . I say pretty" though some of the ladies who boarded at the old-fashioned summer hotel, mile or so away, and Nsho had had their attention unwisely called to her by their escorts, as they passed her on the road, declared they sould see no beauty in her. little brown thing, with babyish nose and syes as big as an owls"
 Winnie was "brown little thing" that's true, for she had not yet learned that in really civilized life complexions are made of powder and rouge, and her dark hair was brushed back from low brow, innocent of "bang'' or :" friz, and hung in one heavy braid-tied at the end with crimson ribbon-down her back in the most primitive manner. Her eyebrows were arched and darkened as much as nature thought proper; her big. soft, black eyes owed their bright ness to no foreign aid, and her prettily- shaped hands, still browner than her face, had-shocking as it may appear never known the softening influence of gloves of kid.
 It was the afternoon of the Sd of July when Grandmamma Van Dorn a hearty old lady of seventy years-sat alone in her neat sitting-room (the car pets and mats on the floor made by her own hands and the queer-shaped gourds that Ornamented the mantel grown in her own garden) bolt upright in straight backed chair, spectacles on her nose, holding letter she had justreceived, in both hands, and slowly reading it aloud in low voice. The letter was from another granddaughter, cousin of Winnie's and formerly also an inmate of the little cottage, but who having had the good fortune to attract the attention of a wealthy old bachelor, whose little nephew had dragged him one summer evening from the hotel to the widow Van Dorn's for the purpose of buying some of the delicious while hearts" for which her garden was celebrated, was now that gentleman's wife and fashionable city lady, and read thus:
 DEAR GRANDMANIoIA-Thre or four young men, acquaintances of ours, are going to Cherryland on the Sd to remain over the 4th, and l have an idea, if pleased with the place, which 1 think they cannot fail to be, they will stay longer, perhaps a couple of weeks They are all good fellows but inclined 10 flirt, especially the young civil engineer, Ebert Vahlen, with whom half the girls in our circle are in love. If Winnie remains at home they are very likely to see her, and seeing her she is So very ,pretty-they would all admire her and some one of them, no doubt, fancy himself in love with her.
 You had better send her on a visit to | Aunt Sarah's while they are there. I l shall never forget what I suffered when | heard of Edward Brewster's marriage | after he had led me to believe in every | way except actual proposal that I was to be his wife, and 1 would protect i Winnie from like experience.
 These young city men seem to think thSt bhe neairI OI country glrl can De | won and thrown away like daisy or clover blossom.
 Your affectionate granddaughter.
 Aa PAMELA BROWN.
 P.S.-Don't imagine that I have any i ieeiing Ttout Mir. Brewster now. I am | enly too thankful he acted as he did, for | u is very much better to be the wife of a | rich merchant than the wife of his poor bookkeeper.
 Right thoughtful of Pameila,'' said 1 Grandmamnsa Van Dorn, as she re- folded the letter and placed it in the | envelope. I'm glad she's contented. l was afeard MT. Brown being so old | md so uncommon humbly would have | riled her some. But money is great | eonsOler. How contrary to think Sarah's gone to Maine. What will I do with | Winnie? Good lands! what a fool be. l There's the linen to bleach That'Q l take two weeks, and she'll go and come by the back lane. Sure enoughr'
 At this moment little Winnie came dancing in, the cat in her arms and the dog following after.
 Grandmamma thrust the letter into 1 her capacious pocket and looked up over her gcld-rimmed spectacles as demurely as though her thoughts had never been of the knitting that lay in her lap.
 We'll have peas in a few days, grandma.nma," said Winnie, land the