The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-08-05

But can remember twenty years before
she was born, and there was butter and
cheese made in them benighted days,
and in this house, too"
80, well, Aunt Sally" said Mr..
Brown. s'Dolly's young housekeeper
and needs encouraging bit, Me66e
she'll have poor tub or two; but, if she
does the best she can, we shan't find
fault"
George Sterling said nothing; but he
longed to box Aunt Sally's ears soundly,
and, if his confdant, Queen Bess, had
been near, he would have told her that
he longed to kiss away the tears that he
saw glistening in Dolly's sweet eyes, as
she cleared away the breakfast things.
The summer days came and went.
The birds that sa NC in the trees near
Dolly's chamber window woke her each
morning with their joyous carols, and at
night the distance-softened song of the
frogs away in the meadows lulled her to
sleep. Aunt Sally rose early ten morn
ings during the entire summer, walked
maiestically into the milk-room and
SKINNED the milk. Those were happy
days in the Brown family. The exercise
and the fresh breakfast disposed the
molecules of Aunt Sally's physical sys-
tenn little more amicably toward each
other, and the spiritual elevation that
often results from little bodily exercise
made life considerably more enjoyable
to the Brown family on those particular
days than was generally the case. 1t
has been said that every house has a
skeleton in its closet, but happy that
house whose skeleton occupies its own
closet and stays where it is put. In
Farmer Browns dwelling it ate and
drank, weighed one hundred and sixty
pounds, and made the day troublesome
and the night weary.
The young and strong can and will be
happy, but for those long burdened by
the cares and duties of life such skele-
tons are hard to have in the house.
George Sterling thought it was no
mans duty, or woman's either. to en-
dure such petty vet enormous trials as
Dolly and her kind father daily submit
ted to, and he and Queen Bess had many
an emphatic conversation on the subject.
The Queen George found very interest
ing companion, for she listened well and
let him do all the talking. He could
talk better to her than to most of the
people about him. George had ideas
enough, but, like 'Richard Hathaway"
he could not always express them. He
was the direct opposite of Aunt Sally;
he was more famous for doing than for
talking, yet no one who ever heard her
could doubt that out of the fullness of
her heart Aunt Sally spoke. George
Sterling s faithful heart was, so to speak,
gone. Dolly, with her sweet ways, had
carried it away, quite beyond recovery,
At first he was appalled, and troubled;
later, he grew quiet, resolving to do his
best, and DOING it, and so gathering
strength to bear his fortune, whatever it
should be. He considered Dolly some
what above him, especially in mental
CIVILIZATIONS and, besides, he was young
and had as yet very little in the world
except excellent, industrious habits and
kind heart-a handsome fortune,
though, let me tell you, my dear young
lady reader.
The milk-room in the Brown house
was pleasant place. I'm sure the
daintiest city lady would have thought
it nice. 1t was large, clean and cool,
and happy the person whom Dolly gave
a dish of Strawberries and allowed to
help himself to some of the sweet, rich
cream. Every evening she looked her.
self to the straining of the milk, to be
sure that no particles of dirt were left in
George Sterling.
''Do you wish more light, Georgep"
she asked, one evening, as she left her
chair on the south piazza and stepped to
the milk-room door. Eyes, if you
please" answered George. Dolly soon
appeared with candle, saying: ''Here
is just what you wish for, them and
she smiled brightly as she dipped out
some of the warm milk for mixing her
mornings bread. ''That is true,' said
George; but his eyes rested on Dolly,
instead of the candle she had brought
him.
In the early mornings they churned
and worked over the butter together.
1t was hard work, but with now and
then an exquisite little passage of poetry
in it, too. When George stopped for a
moment to rest and take breath, Dolly
would offer, with sweet feeling in her
tones, to churn for little while, and he
would let her try for turn Or two of the
crank.
at takes hard turning to get the rich
ness out of things, doesn't itp'' said
Dolly, one morning when the butter
came with little more difficulty than
usual. II used to think so last winter"
returned George. "Winter cream is
hard to manage, and then you were not
here to help me-" and he looked up at
Dolly with an expression of such intense
appreciation of the state of things when
she a0aS there to help him that, though
she hardly knew it, an added tint glowed
in her bright young cheeks.
EYES," he went on. 81 used to think
some mornings that life to an earnest
man was good deal like churning Win
ter cream. But then l, for one, shall
keep turning the crank. ..... h.,
He spoke quietly and with a smile, but
Dolly felt, with an instant thrill of pleas
ure, that strength and excellence were
near and ready to serve her.
The summer passed. The floor of the
butter-cellar was nearly covered with
well-filled tubs. A little before the time
for selling Farmer Brown had been
called TO distant western State, on ac-
count of the sicxnaSs IF his only and