Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-04-21

the room, and stood TOR some time at the
window, looking at the dead wall oppo-
site, and listening eagerly for the sound
of footsteps on the stairs. was left
alone in state of dreadful agitation for
about twenty minutes; and at the very
moment when least expected it the
door suddenly opened. 1 was posing in
front of the looking glass, arranging my
tie, which was unable to keep stiff any
longer, and rehearsjng the pretty speech
and the polite bow with which was to
receive my cousin. turned from the
looking glass as the door opened, and
confronted my Uncle Peter. If Cousin
Tabitha had been with him could rot
have said a word.
"Tabitha not here?" said Uncle Peter,
as he entered.
"No, sir" I answered, unconcerned-
~.
"Ring the bell; well have dinner
up"
The tread of heavy feet in the passage
followed the ring of the bell. did not
wish to betray my emotion to the SER
want; SO removed my eyes from the
door-handle, which I had been watch
ing intently, and fixed them on the
Ftable-cloth. As / did so my Cousin
Tabitha-for it was she who had
tramped along the passage in
to the room.
She marched into the room like SOL
der. She saluted my uncle with kiss !;
and before 1 could get glimpse
of her feet-for 1 was curious to know
whether she wore top-boots-she came
behind my back and kissed me, too !;
then she took a seat at the table, and 1
looked up at her for the first time.
She was not the Tabitha l intended
her to be. She disappointed me in ev-
cry way. She was much less than l had
thought in every respect, with one ex-
ception; for her age was very much
more than had expected. Cousin Ia
bitha was woman of forty five at least,
and by no means pleasant person to
look at. A Hindoo might have taken
her for an idol, and worshiped her; but
my love for my Cousin Tabitha flew out
at the window as she came in at the
door.
Cousin Tabitha was tall, of stern
disposition, and military in her appear
ance and habits. She affected high col
lars and short braided jackets, and al
ways wore a belt. She was captain of
my uncle's household, and had been SO
many years; and the strict discipline
she maintained, together with the loud
voice and the peremptory manner in
which she issued her orders to the serv-
ants, often struck me as being very like
way they have in the army. She
seemed to be thoroughly contented with
a spinster's lot; and, though my uncle
spoke to her as to child, she was not
ashamed of her forty-five years, but con-
fessed her age as frankly as an old cam
paigner. Her love for my Uncle Peter
was the one gentle trait in her charac-
ter; to him She was so tender, so kind,
so true, that it was not surprising that
he. in his unchanging love for her, still
saw in her the little niece who had
loved him alway.
To me Tabitha was not unkind, but I
could not think of making a, companion
of her; and my uncle, with
a delicate consideration which
I well understood, avoided me
every morning after breakfast, except
when the day was wet; and then he
would invite me to his library, saying if
l cared to spend an hour with him he
should be pleased to see me, but If had
rather postpone our interview till the
evening, by all means to do so. He
exerted himself much to promote my
happiness, devising a hundred little
schemes for my amusement; but the
idea that an old man was an uncongen-
ial companion to young one kept him
from seeking ever to share my pleasures
with me. And so l was left to myself,
to row, to ride and to sketch the country
round about.
had made a number of sketches, all
of which my dear old uncle and my
military cousin admired and praised be
yond their merits; had taken views of
the town, the church, the castle, the lea,
the hills, the railway arch and the farm,
as seen from the north, south, east and
west; and was going to put my sketch
book aside for while, when my uncle,
one evening, suggested that / should
take sketch of the park, between
Steepletown and Crumble.
Thither repaired the very next morn
ing, and. having chosen a spot from
which had the best view of the sur
rounding scenery I sat down to work.
I had finished my sketch, and was very
well pleased with it, and was debating
with myself whether l should make an
old man coming up the path from Stee-
pletown or an old woman descending
the slope from Crumble, when Nature
put a model in my way. At first I caught
sight of a large straw hat; as it ap-
preached, rosy face appeared beneath
it; and presently saw ayoung woman,
with basket on her arm, hurrying
along toward Crumble. She drew
watch from her bosom, and as
she put it back she doubled
her pace. She passed me before
I could say 'Good- evening, but not be-
fore could see that she had very
comely face and a very pretty figure.
She was not many yards beyond me,
when found that she had dropped her
purse. I called after her, and she
turned her head and walked on. By
this time she was already out of hearing,
so started after her, calling to her as
ran; and once more she looked over her
shoulder, and seeing me pursuing her
she took to her heels. I held the purse
aloft, and shouted at the top of my voice
but the more signaled to her to stop
the faster she went 80 I nut the purse in