New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-05-19
Old Mrs. Harrington understood it

Old Mrs. Harrington understood it
all very well. She had been young
once. She saw the folly of interior
ence in this particular case, however.
"Dan'ls wife likes her own way"
said she. "She amt pleasant if she
thinks any one is meddlin'. I'll tell
you what, Alieen-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
chimbly. There's carpet loom there
and a spinnin' wheel and all the fxin' s
and I'll show you how ! used to spin
flax when was girl and weave rag
carpet"
.Will your" said Aileen, with bright
ening eyes ooh, grandma, how very,
very nice that will be! And can roast
chestnuts and apples in the ashes?-
and will you tell me about your sailor
lover that was drowned before you
ever saw my Grandfather Harring
tOn?'
eyes," said the old lady-ssyes!
Well hev our New Years by ourselves
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, she5and
her grandmother were adjusting the
ancient spinning wheel in the stone
barn chamber, and pilingaswood in
the cavernous recess of theshuge fire
place.
They had very pleasant New Years
Day after all, though the tears came
to Aileen's blue eyes once or twice,
when the carriage rolled by over the
hard-frozen road towards the house.
And at dusk she lighted the cheerful
candles, and sat down to prepare
grandma's supper, with fresh corn
cakes, baked in the hot embers, &C
cording to the receipt of Aunt Felicia,
the colored cook, fragrant coffee and
sweet apples, roasted, and eaten with
cream.
But Captain Dulany, riding his
Morgan horse, Hotspur, throug II 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?o he asked himself.
eve children used to play at ghost
up there OF autumn evening, when the
Vladimir family lived there. Or per-
haps 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 a warm,
ruddy 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
beauty.
Both started at the sudden appari-
ton Of the captain on the threshold
II beg your pardon!" said Captain
Dulany, lifting his hat. 81 saw the
1SllO Slll1lllS3 OuC, ed1u 1 WIS DULL dlu U1lctI
something had happened"
Something has happened" said
Aileen, laughingly. II learned to
spin. And grandma and | are having
a picnic. Will you come in, Captain
Dulany?"
"Well, since your coffee smells so
good, think WILL" said the gallant
young officer.
His cup-which for lack OF more ex-
pensive china happened to be a mug
was scarcely poured out, before their
numbers were augmented by Mr.. Fer
rars and young DR.. Fenchurd, who
had seen the lights, and had also OBJ
served "Hotspur" fastened to the
fence.
"May we venture to intruder" said
they, peeping over the stair-rail.
ooh, certainly" said grandma, smil-
ing.
And Aileen distributed handleless
cup and bountiful slices of golden
brown corncake, yet steaming from
the fire to her guests.
eve 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-half a dozen more
dropped in. Old Pomp was summon
ed to pour fresh pine cones on the
blaze and bring more coffee and corn
cake.
He grinned from ear to ear.
"Powful like de good old times"
said he to Aunt Felicia, when he re-
turned to his cabin. ode berry cream
oh de gentry enjoyin' de corn-pones
an coffee like dey was our old marse's
folks. Amt muffin like corn-pone for
rale good flavor, dat dey amt. An
the young lady from de Norf, she's as
pretty as a peach. Reckon de capting
fnks SO, too. He, he oep'
And old Pomp shook his sides with
an inaudible chuckle OF glee
Later in the evening the gentlemen
went up to the house, where stood the
three Misses Harrington in shipper
ing row.
But their call there was insipid, and
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