The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-03-21
ssTopable cold.n said the deacon.

After more oppressive silence the deacon
arose from his chair and said WAL, just
come over to say: Wish you happy New
Year."
''Waal, wal, you haint agoin' yit? ?" said
Amt Becky. Claw sakes You hain't but
Just come ~
The deacon sat down again. He hadn't in
tended to go, but the poor man had to say
something.
I began to think it was an occasion when
two are company and three or four are none,
SO I told Bobby if he would come out in the
kitchen 1 would play checkers with him.
81 guess you don't remember it's New
Years Day, do you, Benny" said Aunt
Becky.
''Well," said 1, with a pretty good imita-
ton of surprise and shame, That's SO.
declare, 1 came near playing checkers, never
once thinking it was New Years Day." How
I lied Only didn't know that checkers were
tabooed on such occasions in Tamarack or
should never have suggested the game.
ave can play dominoes, though, can't we,
Uncle Ben ?"
I wasn't dead sure whether dominoes were
in the prescribed list, so pretended not to
hear Bobby.
INA, dominoes are all right, amt they?"
EYES, you can play dominoes, of course, "
said Aunt Becky.
"Dominoes." I echoed, as if I had just
heard Bobby's question. ooh, yes; domi
noes are all right"
So Bobby and I went to the Kitchen and as
I passed through the door left it open lit
tie. for was resolved to see how widower
of 60 and widow of so would make love af-
ter ten years of courtship. I drew the table
near the door, where I could hear and see
what was going on in the sitting room, and
Bobby brought out the harmless dominoes. /
made SO many errors that the little fellow had
no trouble in beating me, which made him hap
Ply to continue and SO served my purpose.
Deacon Podson sat there twirling his hat
and looking into the fire. Aunt Becky leaned
back comfortably in her chair and looked at
the ceiling. Not a word was spoken for
long, long time. Presently Aunt Becky be-
gan to rock back and forth and hum good
old Coronation " softly and slowly, and,
after a few measures, Deacon Podson broke
in with his cracked bass, out of tune and out
of time, but somehow, after ALL in pleasing
harmony.
For a long time they sat and hummed that
simple old tune, the humping of Aunt
I o1yvi ba
voice creaking and scraping over the highest
notes. but her heart full of the sweet,
peaceful music. l thought she ought to be
married and that Deacon Podson ought
always to stay right there and blunder his
bass notes in, rough though they were, to
give tonic to Aunt Becky's weaker tones.
Time sped on as the two old lovers sat and
sang, yet the deacon, who had come only to
wish happy New Year, made no sign of
going The sun had travelled quarter around
the house just to get q peep in at the little
west window and see this couple, and the
sight was worth all the trouble of subduing
the snow storm for the purpose. Then, when
the sun had lodged behind the leafess
orchard and finally hidden his big, red face
behind the little knoll where sleep the dead
of Tamarack the scene became even more
peaceful.
The warm glow of the fire filed the room
with lovers light and saw Deacon Podson's
hand steal over and close upon the long,
slender fingers of his satisfied old sweetheart.
This was all. No rapturous embraces, no
lingering kisses spoiled the peaceful scene
Aunt Beckys face touched by the CLEAN
from the window in the stove, seemed SO full
of tender love and gentle satisfaction that l
said to myself we young people do not know
what real, comfortable love is. Never again can
I believe that true love does not run smoothly.
1t is the heyday passion of youth that finds
distractions in its course, but the steady cur
rent of Becky's love, as she sat there hand in
hand with Deacon Poison, flowed on as
grandly and serenely as mighty river out of
torrent time.
At last the darkness closed in upon them
and with Bobby fast asleep in his chair I had
only to listen. Was it wicked thus to play
the evavesdropper? Perhaps SO. I thought
SO and I doubt not that was my prevailing
reason for doing SO.
How long is it since Sister Podson passed
away ?" asked Becky, with quivering tender
ness of tone.