The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-01-19
Waiting and Winning.

grandma" said Aileen. drying the
tears that had sparkled or her cheeks
like dew-drops On a rose. "Of course,
it is very silly for me to cry, but |
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-
ginis and purchased, at a merely aom-
inal price, the fine old mansion that
had once belonged to a luxurious plant
or, 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 h~ousekeeper, hired
two negro women to do the Homework,
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 fine" said she, s.but
l don't see what's to be gained by it.
Danl losin' money, as true as you're
born!' 'fs'1H ~
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 a boy,
so as to help pa with the plantation2 ?"
said Norma. sss7 @gfr ~,l sa.
"What do We want of any more
girls" sighed Juanita, whose baptis-
nal name had been judith"
"Ain't nc use of growlin' about it,
said "Pa," who could not be made an
elegant gentleman, let the family var
nish and veneer as they pleased.
"Here she is, and here she's got to
stay. 1don't want her no mors'n you
do; but she amt got no friends to 60
to-. SO what ye goin' to do about it?',
Aileen was pretty too, in her SHY,
wild-daisy way, with big blue black
eyes, red~dish-brown hair and Il rich I'll
tanesque compilations. The Misses
Harrington were not pretty. This
was another objection, although it
was not generally discussed, and
Atleen soon knew, by instinct, that the
old grandmother was her only friend
in all the big, dreary house. I:
A third matter of offense cropped
out on All Hallow Fen, when Aileen
wen. out into the woods to gather
hi~ckory-nuts to burn in the hreside
blaze. q & .EGga gt.jas q
Perhaps it was not her fault that
MI. Daller's vicious bull jumped
through the tumble-down fence and
frightened her nearly out of her wits;
and she was doubtless not personally
responsible for the fact that Captain
Dulany CHANGED to be passing, and
rescued her from the big-horned enc
my with prompt gallantry. s en-
"He was so very kind!" said Aileen,
wistfully. "Do you think, grandma,
that. ! ought to tell my aunt ard the
girls that he walks with me when l 20
to the post Office? or that he gave me
them beautiful, deep-blue asters that
they thought I found in the copse? or
that 1t was he discovered the 5 big
bunch of mistletoe in Greenough's
woods2"
.IWell, not unless they ask you"
said old Mrs. Harrington, Struggling
\ her shoulders.
For she had heard her three grand
daughters discussing the Dulany ques-
ton with some acrimony.
Sim the eldest" Selma had said,
tartly, sand I ought to have the first
chance. If any Of us is to call with
ma at Dulany Beeches. it sshalfbe NEE,