The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-11-11
I'll SPINNING WHEEL

the Widow (legg.
"You don't say2" said Aunt Hannah,
smoothing down her gingham apron, in
a distur. ed way.
They sat on the plainly-furnished little
sitting-room, this soft spring afternoon,
looking out through the open window on
to the front porch, with its climbing
m~orning-glory vines and its yellow
painted floor.
1t was a charming picture which the
window framed: A pretty young girl,
in a perfectly fitting and wonderfully
becoming blue cambria, with her blonde
hair piled high, and falling in fluffy thick
ness to her eyes; and at her side, bend
ing toward the easel before him, brush
and palette in hand, a much-bedaubed
rag and a profusion of small tin color
tubes on the floor beside him-a pleasant
faced young man, with bright, dark eyes
and a curly, brown head.
'It amt that he amt good-looking
enough" Mrs. Clegg continued. "He's
too good looking and too fnc-appear-
ing-that's where it's"
"Oh: WE'LL" said Aunt Hannah, sooth-
ingly, Il dunnom
II shouldn't feel so" said Mrs. Cleggg,
eff jamie want so-well. eat up with
him. He can't want nothing of her,
Hannah"
"Well, I dunno" said Aunt Hannah,
looking from the young man to her
niece, auxiously. "No, 1 s'posc faint
no way likely"
"Likely!" Mrs. Clegg repeated.
"'Taint to be thought on. wish I
hadn't took him to board, Hannah;
there'lI be trouble yit!"
Out on the porch the conversation was
far more cheerful.
"It's the old maple ITSELF" jamie was
saying, admiringly, studying the canvas
with half-shut cyes-a trick she had
caught from the artist.
"Do you think SOL" said George
Dayton, looking gratiied. "Do you
know, Miss Clegg- where's that green
tube?-,hat 1 should like immensely to
paint youf"
81 should like to have you, said
jamie, simply.
YOU'D make a stunning sketch as you
are said Dayton, looking at the girl
with frank admiration; :'but, you see,
OlOuoC NOullS ldolCo Ill UluS oACSoCo AdSS
been done to DEATH"
jamie laughed.
81 have a japanese costume at home"
Dayton continued, redectively; "but I
hardly think it would suit you," he
added. with a smiling glance at JAMES
fresh, fair face.
"Maybe l could-fnd something"
said the girl. rather timidly.
"That would be jolly" Dayton re-
joined, enthusiastically. "Let me see;
Icould take it back to the city for the
exhibition, if I'm quick about it. There
don't you think that touch has i'm
proved"
"Janiew called her mother, rather
sharply-she had listened more and
more u~neasily to the light tones and
the laughter-''come in and set the
table for supper right away"
"Pretend you didn't hear" said Day
ton, blandly. 81 want your opinion on
this. Pm suffering for it. DO you
think that touch ="
But jamie had risen, with a reproving
frown and a guilty smile struggling for
supremacy, and tripped into the house.
Dayton laid down his brush half
unconsciously, and turned to gaze down
the narrow hall into the kitchen beyond,
where frequent glimpses of a slender,
blue-clad figure, with a long, white
apron. treshly-donned, and with sleeves
rolled high, rewarded him.
The light, hot biscuits which steamed
on the supper table were made doubly
delightful by the fact that jamie had
made them. The dried apple pie, though
not in itself attractive, was rendered
positively delicious by the reflection that
jamie had sprinkled the cinnamon and
squeezed the lemon juice into it, and
arranged those narrow strips of crust
criss. cross on the top.
jamie herself, too, looked prettier than
ever, with her cheeks flushed with the
heat of biscuit baking, and her bright
hair prettily disarranged.
will you have some more tea, Mr..
Dayton?" said Mrs. Cleggg, almost
severely.
Her face had grown anxious as the
the lively conversation which jamie and
their boarder had been carrying on pro-
crossed.
"Thank youw said Dayton, passing
his cup promptly. ."As l was saying,
Miss Clcgg-"
There was a knock on the door, and
jamie rose to oped it.
A middlc-aged man, roughly dressed,
with a sharp and not ill-humored face,
followed her into the kitchen, and sat
down in the chair she placed for him.
"Mr. circuit, mother" said jamie.
And Dayton saw that the rosy color
had fed from her face.
Mrs. Clegg rose hastily; Aunt Hannah
pushed her chair back from the table.
The man looked hesitatingly from one
to the other, and cleared his throat.
"Wal," he said, with an effort at
cheerfulness, II was coming, by, and l
jest thought I'd drop in and see about
that-waI, that money, Mis- Clcgg."
There was a painful pause.
81 don't know as I need to tell you,"
said Mrs. Clegg, gathering her apron
between her fingers nervously and cast
ing an appealing glance at her sister,"
that I hain't got it-not yit. was hop
ing"
"Wc're hoping to git it, Mr.. Orcutt,"
Aunt Hannah interrupted, turning to
their visitor calmly. You needn't be a
mite afraid. But we hain't got it to-
day. I dunno as we can jest say when
we shall have it,"
The mans facet was not an unkind
one-expressed contrition for his haste,
and some embarrassment.