Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-09-30
going next timo," said one of the old

ladies'.
"Oh," said the aged spinster bridling,
"that's what the doctor said, but girls
will be girls, you knowr'
Mrs. Lindsey is cranky old Scotch
woman, and she put in her word just
then
"Fools will be FOOLS" she said with
sniff of disapproval, ''and there's no
fools like old fools, as told Sam Nc.
Cullogh when he asked me to marry
him last year-deaf and blind and not
tooth in his head-he'd "a been a gift
for anybody to take up with |"
I could't see where Mrs. Lindsey diff
fered from her own description and I
was thinking it over, when the little old
maid spoke up:
"Girls," she said in her affected fall
setto voice. "do you remember Bruce
Conway?'
Then there was a chorus of "poor
BruceI' 1T only seems yesterday I
saw him I" "Such a handsome young
fellow" etc.
"I've heard, said Mrs. Lindsey, "that
he was engaged to Sophie Lamb when
be died."
'Indeed he wasn't" spoke up very
old woman who sat on the sofa knitting
stockings for her great-grand dson-"he
was never engaged to Sophy."
They didn't notice blush on the
wrinkled old cheek, but did-let me
alone for seeing ali such things, as Bob
Andrews says--and then the old hands
dropped into her lap, and she ceased to
knit.
"Bruce has been dead fifty five
years." said grandma, musingly. SIT
doesn't seem day. used to 60 up
meeting house hill to put Southern
wood and lilacs on his grave-poor
Bruce y
Then saw tear on the cheek of the
knitter,, and I went and asked her
about her work-who was the little
stocking for?
sits for my gran daughters little
boy" she said then turning to me
trembling and eager, "There wasn't q
word of truth in what they told, my
dear Bruce Conway was engaged to me
when he died. He gave me this ring
twisting bent and warped gold wire
on her thin, veined finger. "I've worn
it all my life, and, please God. it will
be buried with me when I die You're
the only one ever told, my dear |"
I think when they went out and saw
the supper table with it's lights and the
grand birthday cake with eigty-two
tapers burning, they became more
cheerful, for they laughed and told
stories and recalled old times, the
parties they used to have and the cakes
they made, and they said no one knew
how to make such good cakes now, and
I'm glad they don't, for I shouldn't
like caraway seeds in my tea-cakes, and
pound cake as heavy as lead would kill
mel
When tea was over, the little spinstel
sat down at the piano and played. Oh
I wish you could have seen her. She
bobbed up and down and sideways, ani
pounded at the keys; but, worse still
she sang sentimental song in her little
cracked voice. Even Grandma had t.
smile. But then she sang the"Land O.
the Leal !" Grandma had been grea
singer in her day, and although the
, power and music had gone out of hel
voice, it had soft, sad sweetness tina
would have made me cry if that Boil
Andrews would have given me my ow,
hand. As it was just kept the tear
back as the dear old soul sang it,:
|, "I'm wearin' ava, Jean,
Like snaw-wreaths in thaw, Jean,
, Pm wearin' ava,
To the land of the leal.
"There's nae sorrow there, Jean,
7 There's neither cauld nor care, Jean,
The day is ane fair
q In the land of the leal.
/; sour bonnie bairn's there, JEAN
t Then they all broke down, and-an'
!. -and-that ended Grandma's party
Q They said they had lovely time, bu
l never saw anything 30 sad in my life
9 and when they were all gone 1 erie
4 two, and said 4:
Q "Oh, never, never, never want to b
old T.
I "And you never shall be-" said Bo
Andrews-silly fellowl
a 81 should like to know how You ca
q prevent itr' I asked, scornfully as
could.
}, "By taking such good care of you
!, darling, that you" But, pshaw, yo
don't want to hear what he said.
u "Mamma," asked little Gertie, "b