, 1881-12-09
PEACHY PEAY.

The annual check had come from
Cousin Winamaker, and Mrs. Caldwell
and her daughters were discussing where
they should so for the summer. Mrs.
Caldwell was widow with but small
income. and Mr.. Winamaker was a
millionaire.
Mr.. Winamaker himself, though a
wldower, was still in the prime of life,
and eminently handsome; and Mrs. Cald-
we'll. perhaps, would have preferred his
hand to his check; but she knew this
was a hopeless wish.
so kind of Cousin George, she said.
And now, girls, where shall we go? L
am tired of Saratoga and Long Island.
What do you think of a quiet country
retreat somewhere?"
To Il quiet country retreat, after some
discussion, it was resolved to go. TT e
place selected was a farm, up among the
hills, belonging TO well.to-do farmer,
known as Grandfather Tole. Aunt
Phsba, Grandfather Tole's sister, had
rather opposed the taking of boarders, as
she opposed everything that was novel;
but Chloe, the eldest of the granddaug-
ters, who was the Jupiter had spoken up
promptly. "Why not ?" she said. ''It
will stir us up and give Maggie some idea
of great folks, for 1 am told these Cald-
wells are very fashionable. Let US have
them, by all means" Maggie was Chloe's
younger sister, and the pet and beauty
of the family; and when she, too, pro-
nounced in favor of the scheme, the
thing was settled. So the Caldwells
came-mother and daughters.
They're not stuck up n bit, if they
did come from below" said Aunt Phoebe
when tea was over. appear Just like
our sort of folks"
The Caldwells were equally pleased.
Lets stay here always" said Mabel,
the younger daughter, to her mother;
sit is so beautiful in the country. l hate
the city"
1t really was very pleasant at the old
farm house those early summer days.
There was tender green on field and
tree, such blossom and scent; such
sparkling mountain streams; such won
derful moonlight. The Tole family too,
were so pleasant. Maggie was the life
of the house. She was so full OF fun
and was so obliging. $50 cultivated,
too, said Mabel, vino had fancied that
farmers daughters must be ignorant.
why, she has read more books than /
have, ma y
But as the summer advanced and the
days grew hotter, and things lost their
novelty, the tickle Mabel began to be
less enthusiastic about the country.
always the same milk and fruit,
always the same drive" she said. "Apd
Maggie has so much to do now that she
can't be with me like she used to. I'd
rather thousand times be in town. 1t
is so dreadfully stupid here, with not so
much as a donkey cart going by. The
mosquitoes are ever so much worse than
at home. There they have bars, and
there are more people, so they needn't
bite just us all the time. Ana the flies
are awful"
In the midst of her grumble there
came smart rap on the door, and was
directly pushed open by n little old
woman, who dropped brisk little
courtesy on the threshold, and then
stepped in.
She was dressed in an old-fashioned
'short gown and petticoat," and wore on
her head a huge green silk affair, fash
ionable thirty years ago under the name
of "calash," and bearing close resem-
blance to a chaise top. Away in under
this monstrous bonnet was the wide
frill of q white muslin cap; and pair OF
colored iron-bowed glasses covering q
pair of twinkling black eyes. The old
woman carried on her arm covered
basket, and in her hand great bouquet
of field lilies, jewel weed, golden rod and
clematis.
miss Peay, Miss Peachy Peay," sale
she, dropping another courtesy; 81
called to fetch you handful of my sop
sovine apples. My tree is early, and
thought maybe you hadn't had taste o
apples yet this year. And here is 1