Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-12-15

isn't fair. We don't forbid Mr.. Ezekia
Greengage the premises because papa
who is as much your legal guardian a,
he is ours, happens to be absent il
Boston"
'That's quite different affair." sale
Miss Alexandria, with the severe dignity
of Diana.
| And she stalked out Of the dairy, leay
ing Lefty and Posy looking at one
another in sore perplexity.
Cross old thingl" cried out Lefty
~ wish to goodness she would gel
marriedl" said Posy, with a sigh.
"Then, perhaps. you and land Frank
Lacy and Alfred Moore might have 6
little peace OF our lives"
"I really think. said Lefty, ,solemnly,
"that it is our duty to encourage
the singing master as much as possible.
Is this the red barn night, Posy"
"No." said Posy, gravely. "If il
had been, Aunt Lex would have baked
cream biscuit and lemon pies, and
picked all monster strawberries out oi
the champion beds. It's tomorrow
night that Mr.. Greengage holds court" "
Aunt Alexandria went to bed early
that night. She had been white wash
ing the kitchen ceiling and was tired.
But she did not desert her post until
she had seen Lefty and Posy safe in
their room, and their candles blown out
and the key of the big front door safe in
the depths of her own pocket.
"Duty before every thing else," said
Aunt Lex, grimly screwing up her thin
lips.
In the midwatch of the night. how
ever, Aunt Lex walked up with peculiar
sensation of the ear-drums. F
s. Is the big church bell a-ringing?"
said she to herself, "or is there storm
a-blowin' up, and the wind shriekin'
down the north chimney like mad ?"
But as the cobwebs of slumber
cleared away from her brain, Aunt Alex
andria was aroused to the consciousness
that the strange sounds disturbing her
dreams we're neither church bells nor
chimney fues.
sssIt's n1usic,r said Miss Alexandria,
scrambling out of bed. "It's fiddle
or else banjo. It's that unprincipled
Frank Lacy and Alfred Moore, come
to serenade the girls, as true as my
name is Alexandria Poplar. But Pll
serenade them, see if ] don't !"
And nimbly making her way toward
the big pitcher of water, which stood
In readiness for her morning ablutions,
Aunt Lex lifted the sash and flung the
entire contents over dark figure,
which was dimly visible below by the
Light of agibbous moon.
"There r. said Aunt Lex, with shrill
accent of reprobation. "Got it now, I
guess, haven't you? And only wish
there was twice as much of it to soak
the nonsense out Of you'll I'll teach you
tocome here disturbing an honest fam
ily's rest in the middle of the night,
with your songs and your fiddles and
your foolishness / Clear out Of this,
will you? Or do you want me to un-
loose Towser and get the old gun ?"
Not word was uttered in the shape
Of response, but the velocity with which
the dark figure sped across the yard and
down the winding expanse of the road,
bespoke his ardent desire to escape from
the old gun, Towser and Towser's mis-
tress.
Eve settled him !" said Aunt Lex,
triumphantly, as she banged the case
ment down and went back to her pillow.
~ didn't see the other one run but I
guess likely he amt far behind"
When she came down to get break
fast the next morning, Israel Meadow,
the farmland, stood in the kitchen,
pumping water. Beside him, on the
sinksheH, lay confused heap Of con-
glomerate wood and leather,
+ "Mercy. on usl' said Miss Lexy,
'swhat's that n
"Suthin' I found, out alongside the
gate, in the bushes said Israel. sit
looks like Mr.. Ezekiel Greengage's big
accordeon, that he pitches the psalm
tunes with in Squire Dennison's barn. .
"Whatp shrieked Miss Lexy.
eyes, said Posy, who chanced to
enter the room just then s'Mr. Green
gage was singing and playing beauti-
fully under your window, Aunt Lexy,
last night, until you threw cold water
on him. To think Of your having a
serenadep'
"We were quite jealous, Posy and I, 8
said Lefty. ssBut Aunt Lexy, why on
eartn dld you repuise h1m SO cruelty n
Aunt Lexy sank down all in heap in
one Of the kitchen chairs, and threw an
apron over her head to conceal her
tears.
sI-I never dreamed it was him p
said she. 81 s'posed, of course, it was
Frank or Alfred Oh, dear, oh, dear !
what have I done ?"
She had settled her own autumnal
love affair. Mr.. Ezekiel Greengage
never came near her again
II wouldn't marry a woman with a
temper like that, " said the musical
prodigy, mot for the biggest farm in
the country"