Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23


 ence in this particular case, however.
 "Dan'ps wife likes her own way" said she "She ain't 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 chim- ply. There's a carpet loom there and a spinnin'- wheel and all the fixin's and I'll show you how used to spin flax when I was gal, and weave rag carpet" sa
 twill you?" said Aileen, with brightening eyes. "Oh, grandma, how very, very nice that will be! And can I 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 p'
 "Yes," said the old lady-"yesl We'll 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 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 piIing 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 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, 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, throu gh the pine-woods, drew rein close by the old stone barn, whence he had not seen the red lights gleaming 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 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 a9low.with a warm, ruddy light Grandma, enthroned in big splint-chair before the blaze was drinking her coffee. and Aileen sat spinning at tine old wheel, with cheeks softly reddened and blue eyes spark ling-a very picture of health and beauty. ... .aa*a#
 Both started at the sudden appari- tion of the captain on the threshold.
 "I-I begy pardonp said Captain i Dulany, lifting his hat. q saw the light shining out, and was afraid that something had happened"
 Something has happened" said Aileen, laughingly. Il have learned tosp'n. And grandma and are hay ing picnic. Will you come in, Cap tain Dulany?"
 .'Well, since your coffee smells SC good, I think I will" said the gallant young officer.
 His cup-which for lack of more ex. pensive china happened to be mug was scarcely poured out, before theil numbers were augmented by MT. Fer rars and young Doctor Fenchurd, whC had seen the lights, and had also ob. served "Hotspur" fastened to tht fence.
 May we venture to intruder" sait they, peeping in over the stair-rail.
 "oh, certainly~ said grandma, smil ing. ..
 And Aileen distributed handl eles! cups and bountiful slices of golden brown corn cake. yet steaming iron the fire, to her guests.
 We are hardly prepared to enter tain so large a company" said she composedly; "but we can, at all events give you sincere welcome" ' Two-three-half a dozen nor dropped in. Old Pomp was summoned t pour fresh pine-cones on the blaze ant 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 crean ob de gentry enjoyin' de corn-pones an