Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-02-15
slowly and sadly, the hope of years began to

slowly and sadly, the hope OF years began to
fade away.
1t was just here that dear old fashioned
Aunt Bethia came into bis life and from the
first moment Of their meeting Uncle Jerry
appropriated her in his heart of hearts, as
the one woman specially provided him, and
straightway elected her to preside over that
ideal future he had dreamed of. In short
for the first time in his life he found himself
passionately In love, and as men Of his years
are apt to do in such case, he resolved to
make "short work. OF his wooing.
Accordingly he spent one week in watch
ing her every word aud action and in study
ing her face from under his shaggy eyebrows,
while he pretended to read his newspaper.
Another week he devoted to following her
about and waiting upon her with such alarm
wonder and to tremble at she knew not what
Finally he grew impatient to know his fato.
'What is the use Of beating about the bush2'
he said to himself, in his blunt fashion "if
she don't fancy me now, she never will, and
l may as well know it," So he came in up
on her one afternoon as she sat knitting by
the window, and, nerving himself for a de-
cisive effort, he thus addressed her:
"Bethia, hsin't known you long, to be
sure, but 1 feel better acquainted with you
to-day than l should with any other woman
Ill year > llIuCs luluHh nave GuhDktu LlhL-
ingly in the fifteen years that I've been away
from home, and the women most of all. l
find don't know EN-. The girls that used
to study out of the same books with at school
l hear talking now about 'cultur', and art,
and 'afiinities, and so on and so forth-all
Greek to me. left em doin' housework and
knittin' stockin's and now find 'em playin'
on the pianner, and ravin' over picters and
statoos-things don't know nothin' about
and what's more, don't want to The only
statoos that | ever liked the looks on at all is
the Injun girls standin outside Of the toback-
er shops. Aud as for music-why, Bethis,
I'd ruthor hear you sing old Naomi the way
you did last Sunday night than all their rattle
and clatter l did use to think, when l was
out in Australy, that when 1 come home I'd
git married and try to settle down, but l
don't s'pose any of these new-fashioned high
falutn women would have me with all my
money and, says he ungallantly, by
George l don't know as | want them"
Aunt Bethia looked mildly shocked.
"You see" he continued apologeticaly,
I'VE couldn't take much comfort together
less we felt somewhere nigh alike about
things, now could we p
"Why no, said Aunt Bethia, candidly,
| looking up at him in a meditative way II
| don't s'pose you could"
1
ed away on trash that l don't care O conti-
mental for, though l know women are master
hands to spend money, and mean my wife
| shall have plenty, too"
II don't think all women are extravagant,
I'm sure, said Aunt Bethia, with some show
| of spirit 81 know l amt unless, she added
deprecatingly, perhaps ! am in the matter
of white aprons. Mother always said so,
ana do like plenty of clean aprons-say one
every afternoon"
My wife shall have clean one for every
hour in the day il she wants :" roared Uncle
Jerry, with enthusiasm.
And now l think of it, by George, if
don't believe a white apron dresses up a won.
an more than the big Koohi-noor could
And | shouldn't wonder. after all, If then
white aprons had somethin' to do with YOU
lookin' so different from other women-sC
kinder good and old.fashioned, you know"
Aunt Bethia bushed and laughed.
They call me the 'old-fashioned woman,
she said, simply.
"And am an old fashioned man." he sal,
significantly.
Then he looked at her and met the startled
glance of her soft eyes.
Maybe it occurs to you, as it does to me
that there's somethiu' peculiarly interestin
in the fact that | am an old-fashioned man
and you are an old fashioned woman-coin
cidence, amt il now"
Dear me, murmured Aunt Bethia, drop
ping dozen stitches in her confusion why
no, hadn't thought ont"
He took her hands with gentle force, knit
ting-work and all, and bent over her.
Think ont now, then, won't you 2" sal
he. Come, Bethia, be my wife, and W
will show the world what happy couple a
old-fashioned man and woman can be !"
She looked up into the honest, kindly face
glowing down upon her, and it reassured hel
The grasp Of his hands so firm yet so loving
compelled her and with thrill, sweet a
strange, she opened her heart at once an
welcomed in his love as the bird does II
mate to the nest
She dropped her head in confusion, an
foolishly just for the sake OF saying somt
thing, faltered
81 know l am old.fashioned."
"Old-fashoned. SO is a daisy 80 is
robin redbreast-and so, by George, am
and plucking up courage, Uncle Jerry too
her face in his hands and kissed her on bot
cheeks, and lastly, on her lips.