Milford chronicle., 1885-12-25
Waiting and Winning.

Waiting and Winning.
at don't matter so much now,
grandma" said Aileen. drying the
tears that had sparkled on her cheeks
like dew-drops on a rose. "Of course,
it is very silly for me to cry, but l
couldn't help it, just at first"
"But what is the matter. my pet|
said old Mrs. Harrington, soOthingly.
She had found Aileen coiled up in
the deep embrasure of the window,
where the winter sunset was strained
through in deep hues of crimson and
amber, crying bitterly.
The Harrington family were ambi-
tious people. They had come to Vir-
ginia and purchased, at merely nom
inal price, the fine old mansion that
had once belonged to luxurious plant
er. long since dead. Mr.. Harrington,
who had been contented to raise hum
BILE corn and pumpkins in the valley of
the Connecticut River, now devoted
himself to the more aristocratic crop
of tobacco.
Mrs. Harrington, who had been a
notable Yankee hOusekeeper, hired
two negro women to do the hOusework,
and cultivated society; and the three
Misses Harrington forgot the days OF
factory work and honest district-school
teaching in the gentilities of VALLEY
Lawn"
The old lady alone remained true to
her colors.
"All this is very fne," said she, "but
don't see what is to be gained by it.
DanI losin' money, as true as you're
bornp'
"Money isn't everything, grandma
said her daughter-in-law, tartly.
"Humph" said the old lady.
And when Aileen, the orphan cousin
came down from the New England
hills, grandma was the only one who
really welcomed her.
"There are three Of us already" SAID
Selma Harrington, grudgingly.
"Why couldn't she have been boy
so as to help pa with the plantationP
said Norma.
"What do we want Of any more
girls?" sighed Juanita, whose baptis
NAL name had been Judith
"Ain't no use of growlin' about it,
said "Pa" who could not be made ar
elegant gentleman, let the family var
nish and veneer as they pleased
''Here she is, and here she's got tC
stay. Idon't want her no more'n yoT
do; but she amt got no friends to g
to, so what ye goin' to do about it 2
Aileen was pretty too, in her shy
wild-daisy way, with big blue-blacl
eyes, reddish brown hair and rich Ii
tanesque complexion. The Misse
Harrington were not pretty. Thi
was another objection, although i
was not generally discussed, an'
Aileen soon knew, by instinct, that tn
old grandmother was her only frien'
in all the big, dreary house.
A third matter of Offense cropped
out on All Hallow E'en, when Aileel
went out into the woods to gathe
hickory-nuts to burn in the 6resid
blaze.
Perhaps it was not her fault tina
Mr.. Daller's vicious bull jumps
through the tumble-down fence an
frightened her nearly out of her wits
and she was doubtless not PERSONAL,
responsible for the fact that Captain
Dulany CHANGED to be passing, an
rescued her from the big-horned enc
my with prompt gallantry.
oHe was so very kindP' said Aileer
wistfully. "Do you think, grandma
that I ought to tell my aunt and tn
girls that he walks with me when 6
to the post Officer or that he gave m
them beautiful, deep-blue asters tha
they thought found in the copseP g
that it was he discovered the bi
bunch of mistletoe in Greenough
woods?"
'WelI, not unless they ask you,
said old Mrs. Harrington, shruggin
her shoulders.
For she had heard her three grand
daughters discussing the Dulany que.
tion with some acrimony.
"Pm the eldest" Selma had SAT-
tartly, "and I ought to have the fir
chance. If any of US is to call wit
ma at Dulany Beeches, it shall be mel
"You always were selfish thing
said Norma. Captain Dulany's moti
er has a large library, and you kno
very well that Pm literary"
"Im the youngest, and I don't Sc
vhv 1 should be poked into corne
always" pOuted Miss Juanita-Juditl
But Selma, by strength Of years an
tongue, had carried her point.
So when New Years Day approach
.d. and Ajlssn timidiy consulted AuE