Milford chronicle., 1885-12-25


'DanPs wife likes her own way"
said she. "She amt pleasant if she
thinks any one is meddlin' I'll tell
you what Aileen-you and I'll go out
to the big chamber over the stun barn,
and get Pomp to build us up real
good fire of pine logs in the old chin
bly,. There's a carpet loom there and
a spinnin'- wheel and all the fixin's
and III show you how used to spin
fax when I was a gal, and weave rag
carpet"
"Win youP" said Aileen, with
Frightening eyes. "Oh, grandma, how
very, very nice that will bel And can
1 roast chestnuts and apples in the
ashes P-and will you tell me about
your sailor-lover that was drowned be-
fore you ever saw my Grandfather
Harrington"
EYES," said the old lady-''yes!
Wen hev our New Years by our
selves-me and you, child"
So .Aileen put away the pretty, little,
blue merino gown that she had re-
trimmed for New Years Day, and
donned instead the brown Merrimac
calico that made her look like a robin
redbreast; and just about the time
that her three cousins were quarreling
for the possession Of the biggest dress
ing-glass to "do" their hair, she and
her grandmother were adjusting the
ancient spinning-wheel in the stone
barn chamber, and piling wood in the
cavernous recess of the huge fireplace.
They had very pleasant New Years
Day, after all, though the tears came
to Aileen's blue eyes once or twice,
when the carriages rolled by over the
frozen road toward the house.
And at dusk she lighted the cheer
full candles, and sat down to prepare
grandma's supper. with fresh corn-
cakes, baked in the hot embers, ac-
cording to the recipe of Aunt Felicia,
the colored cook, fragrant coffee, and
sweet apples, roasted, and eaten with
cream.
But Captain Dulany, riding his
Morgan horse, Hotspur, through the
pine woods, drew rein close by the old
stone barn, whence he had not seen
the red lights cleaning out for
ten years.
"What can it be?" he asked him
self. "We children used to play at
ghost up there of an autumn evening,
when the Vladimir family lived there.
Or perhaps the careless servants have
set something on fire."
He jumped off his horse, flung the
reins over a projecting pine-bough
and went in to see what the meaning
of this unwonted illumination might
be.
The door stood wide open-the whole
room was aglow with warm, ruddy
light. Grandma, enthroned in big
splint-chair before the blaze, wa'
drinking her coffee, and Aileen sal
spinning at the old wheel. with cheeks
softly Redeemed and blue eyes spark
ling-a very picture of health and
beauty.
Both started at the sudden appari
ton of the captain on the threshold.
aI-Ibegyour pardonF' said Captain
Dulany, lifting his hat. II saw the
light shining out. and I was afraid
that something had happened"
something has happened" sale
Aileen. laughingIy. Il have learned
spin. And grandma and I are hav
ing picnic. VIII you come in, Cap
tain Dulany?"
.'Well, since your coffee smells 81
good, 1 think 1 will" said the gallan
young officer.
His cup-which for lack of more ex
pensiye china happened to be mug
was scarcely poured out, before thei
numbers were augmented by Mr.. Fer
rars and young Doctor Fenchurd, VIII
had seen the lights, and had also OBJ
served "Hotspur" fastened to tn
fence.
..May we venture to intruder" sal,
they, peeping in over the stair-raiL
"Oh, certainly said grandma, smil
ing.
And Aileen distributed handleles
cups and bountiful slices Of golden
brown corn cake, yet steaming fror
the fire, to her guests.
1--WE are hardly prepared to enter
tain so large a company" said she
composedly; "but we can, at all events
give you a sincere welcome"
Two-three-ha a dozen NOR
dropped in. Old Pomp was summoned t
pour fresh pine-cones on the blaze an
bring more coffee and corn-cake.
He grinned from ear to ear.
"Pow'ful like de good old times,
said he, to Aunt Felicia, when he re
turned to his cabin. "De berry crear
OBJ de gentry snjoyin' de corn-pones az