The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-12-29
said Norma. Captain Dulany's moth
er has a large library. and you know
very we'll that I'm literary"

very we'll thaJ I'm literary. aeA
"I'm the youngest, and I don't see
why 1 should be poked into corner
always" pouted Miss Juanita-Judith.
But Selma, by strength of years and
tongue. had carried her point.
So when New Years Day approach
ed, and Aileen timidly consulted Aunt
Harrington as to what she should
wear, that matron opened her large,
light eyes with counterfeited amaze
ment.
"You, child?" said she. *'Why,
you're not to come in at all! The girls
don't want a whole drove in the par
lor. Three women are quite enough.
And you're so young, you know"
"I'm seventeen, auntr' faltered
Aileen.
"Two or three years hence will do
very well for you," said the relentless
elder. "Try and put such silly nom
out of your head!"
And this was why Aileen was cry
ing.
Old Mrs. Harrington unders TODD it
all very we'll. She had been young
once. She saw the folly Of interior
ence in this particular case, however.
'.Dan'rs 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 60 out
to the big chamber v the stun barn.
and get Pomp to build us up a 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 I'll show you how 1 used to spin
flax when 1 was a gal, and weave rag
carpet"
"Will you?" said Aileen, with
frightening eyes. "Oh, grandma, how
very, very nice that will bel And can
[ roast chestnuts and apples In the
ashes ?-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 u 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
!:S 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 a 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
hard-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, &C
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. throu Oh 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 ine-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 a warm. rudy
light. Grandma, enthroned in a big
splint-chair before the blaze, was
drinking her coffee. and Aileen sat
spinning at the old wheel. with cheeks
softly Redeemed and blue eyes spark
ling-a very picture Of health and