Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-06-27

not be angry with you. never knew
anything like your obstinacy except Mile.
Blands mysterious old lady"
"Who is Mile. BANDS mysterious old
lady - asked Sophronia, with some in
terest.
Then her aunt gave spirited account
of The affair. "And the worst Of it is"
she added, "Mr. Arthur Lynn has COM
pletely lost his heart to this provoking in
cogni.a, and wanted him to lend it to
you"
One day, about month later, Arthur
Lynd received letter, which he read
with apparent annoyance. "Just like
my Grabbed old uncle" he muttered.
"As he particularly wishes it, l suppose
| ought to go to him; but | shan't stay
ong unless he has some reason"
1.-The Grabbed old uncle" did have
some reason, which he made known very
bluntly on the morning after his nephew's
arrival.
''l've found a wife for yer, Arty,' said
he crossing his knife and fork on his plate.
and pushing himself away from the break
fast table.
"l'm in no hurry" said the young man,
eIerting some self.control.
"But | be-" exclaimed his uncle.
"Ef ye don't step lively, ye won't stan
no chance at all. She's bright as a star,
as pooty as posy, an good as the anjils."
The old mans emotion was inexplica-
ble to his nephew, but it prevented his
making light rejoinder, and piqued his
curiosity. They walked out together,
and the old man returned to the subject.
aye hain't ben here this dozen year,
an cf We ever seed her, she wuz chit ye
wouldn't remember. Dye see that leetle
brown house yender jest by the tnrn o
the road, Wa'al she lives there, Lem
me tell you what that girl done. Ye see,
her folks got into trouble. an warn't
good frens with EN-; but she cum over
here ter me as white an tremblin' as
lamb, an yit as bold as lion, an she
axed me to lift the morgige an make It
easy for her father for year, an ef he
didn't pay it up by then, she would, an
by gracious, my boy, the gal done it
She made me say | would, an then she
never cum near me as ef she wuz afeerd
Id need little reminding not she
but she jest posted off to New York city,
an took a school"
At this point Arthur stopped walking,
and turned toward his uncle, who stopped
walking also. but hurried on speaking.
can she paid the hull thing, cleared
off every cent o debt from the farm
An when she cum back | see her one
day, an sez to her, sudden, 'Ie didn't
do all that teachin,' you'd orter seen the
look she gin me. An then | made her
tell me how twas, arter she'd made me
promise-an' she's a master hand to get
a promise out Of a man-rd never tell
her parents ont. Wa'al how do you
think she done it +. She went TO an actor
ess, theatre woman, and got disguise
that made her look like an old woman,
an she larnt how to make all sorts of
candies, an went onter the streets at nigh
and sold it like hot cakes-why, what
ails you: Are yecrazy:'
Arthur Lynd had seized the old mans
hard brown hand in his supple white one,
san gin me the toughest squeeze | ever
had in my life," as the old man said after
ward.
What is her name - cried Arthur.
shes niece to that city woman, Miss
Bird. She's Dan'l Newcomb's darter, an
blest if she amt too smart an good an
harnsum TO stay Newcomb while there
any o Stephen Billingss blood
Arthur Lynd was yards off, on his
way to Newcomb farm.
Stephen Billings crossed the Newcomb
threshold for the first time in twenty
years on the day of Sophronia's marriage
to his nephew. which happy event came
off in the autumn of that year. He an
nounced then and there that the bride, to
whom he had given handsome mar
rage portion would be his sole heir on
one condition, which would be found
mentioned in his will. And that same
night he wrote, in his cramped but plain
and sturdy hand, at the end of his will
The above is to be carried out ek-
xackly as it is herein sot down, as bein'
my last will and testymunt, on the sole
condishun that Sophrony's fust dartel
shall be named Anna Green Lynd-sorry
it can't be Billings.
6: Srrpupy RIIIrSCs"