The news., 1882-02-09
THE RED EAR.
THE STORY OF A Husk1Na rRoI1c.

1 TIE STOkr OF A HUSkING TROLIC.
1t was October when / came to the
Sumac Farm = red, rare October,
with the maple-trees all dyed in soar
let, the woodland streams choked with
dead leaves, and the nuts ripening
on the chestnut boughs, and l can
well remember the thrill which went
through my veins at the sight of the
glorious landscape, as the stage driver
set me down on the door step, with my
trunk and carpet bag, just as the sun
set, bursting through a shield of lower
ing cloud, blazed across the old house,
painting its caves with orange light,
and turning the small window-panes
to quivering tablets of gold. *
For I had been born and brought
up in the city and all this wide, wild
landscape, colored with autumu forests
and scented with dead leaves, was new
and marvellous in my sight.
"Do you like it, Cousin Olga21 "a
Coquettish little Barbara Blake
asked the question, as she Fitted to
and fro, apparently intent upon the
arrangement of ths supper table,
while all the time she kept bright
eye on Walter Mildmay, who sat by
the light, msnding defective spot iu
the harness. &
every much" l said quietly.
Walter did not look up, but I could
feel his quiet eye on me sll the tiue.
/ wondered what be thought, uneas-
lily, Of ny dusty dyess, my disheyeled
hair, the stif, unbecomiug linen collsr
which I had chosen to wear, instead
of the lace and which best suited my
face. Not that I wanted hin 70
admire me; but every woman likes to
appear to tho beet advantage, aud !
vas nos Q wit different from the reat
Of my sex.
I was . Philadelphia shop GIRL
There was no glamour of romases
about my life. I worked for my Iiiv-
log. like many smother, lived quietly
10 scant aud forlorn lodgings spd felt
sadly enough that ny let ia life was to
be chrysalia's rather thsa bqtter-
| ay'ss-until Fayal 4 Go. failed, .asa
heafiHs tAst I was outiof employment,
my unkuowp eossins Of sumac Farm
wrote to me to eoms spd spend the
| winter with them. sss4 ~ .4sss
They welcomed me kindly after
| their fashion. IInole Blake gave me
. kiss, and remarked dubiously that
" didu't favor any Of she Blskss that
be knew Of" Bsrbara, bis daughter,
wsadsrsd why ! looked so PALE
Jonas brought bis pretty sesss wife
who had bssa 3 Milduay--to gtsss
me, and her brothAs Walter, who'waa
boarding there, also shook hands
politely With me, and chopped / should
like the country" in au indifferent
way.
The fire Of huge logs blszed and
crackled in the deep, smoke-blackened
chimney place, and tie leaves rustled
against the doorstep outside, and .
cricket chirped shrilly under the
hearth, and it was all SO .strange-st
strange, yet SO restfnll irss -
After supper they left me alone
Mrs. Jonas Blake went out to skin
the milk. Ny cousinsasd his fashe
vanished to attend a District .Sehoo
Meeting" somewhere Walter ant
Barbara had been invisible for som
time, and after sitting dreamily awhil
before the FIRE, I rose and went on
into the kitchen beyond, vaguely de
sirous of some companionship besid
my own. a' '''s =
No one was there, but I heard th
sound Of voices in the shed at tn
rear, where Barbara was holding tn
light for Walter Mildmay to sharper
some edge tool on the grindstone.-
Unwittingiy I advanced toward th
door just in time to hear the words !:
"a stiff, ugly old maid.'' said Wal
ter, indiHerently. "a little higher
Barbars, please. If that is the sor
sof girls they turn out in Philadelphia
I prefer the country specimsnsl" x
! stood rooted to the Aoos fselin,