The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-11
AN EASTER GIFT.

"No," said Uncle Zcbedce, "no; VIC
told 'em Just exactly how 'twould be.
They wouldn't believe us. Now let EN-
take the consequences"
"Wc warned 'cm beforehand" said
Aunt Zeruiah. ''Thcy couldn't expect
nothin' faircr than that"
Uncle Zcb and Aunt Rucy sat looking
at each other, one on either side of the
big stone fireplace, like the old man and
woman we sometimes see tete-a-tete in a
toy-shop.
They were ancient and weazcn and
wrinkled-so thin. that it would seem as
if an extra blast from the brsss-nozzled
bellows must assuredly blow them away,
while their spcctaclcs shone like stray
stars from some unheard-of constellation,
and the veins stood out like whip-cord
from their lean old hands.
Uncle Zeb Waterson and Aunt Rucy,
his sister, were old batchclor and old
maid. All their lives long they had
been saving and scrimping and pinching,
as if economy were the handspring of
their existence. They never saw a red
apple with any appreciation of its artistic
beauty; they thought of it only as being
worth so much barrel; the corn silked
and tasseled out only as so much "prime
Indian NEAL" the pink and white clover.
heads represented only pasturagc value,
and the star-eycd daisies were nothing
more than "pcsky weeds, that no crittel
on airth would cat"
And when, eight years ago, their half
sister Nelly had run away--actually run
away from four dollars month and her
board-to marry black-cycd sailor lad
die, Uncle Zeb and Aunt Ruey had wash,
cd their skinny hands Of her altogether.
Alas and alack-a- day! Love proved
but tickle reed for Hal and Nelly Ar
bush to lean on. The young sailor was
lost on the first voyage out after his mar
riage, and Nelly was left to support her
child as best she might.
1t was an uneven battle between lfc's
troubles and the poor young widow, and
when Nelly died, the little girl was sent
home to Spriggerdaie, with pitiful let
ter from the young mother whose sun had
set so early.
But Uncle Zeb and Aunt Ruey abso-
lutely declined to receive Nell.
''She amt nothin' to u.s." said Uncle
Zeb.
''Let her go to Hal Arbush's relations p
said Aunt Ruey. "Eh! he hadn't no re.
lations9 Well, l amt to blame for that,
as l know Of"
"You wouldn't let this child 90 on the
town." said Mr.. Jones, the express agent,
to whose care little Nell had been con
signed as if she were brown paper pack
age.
eyes, l would" said Uncle Zeb.
"Why not?" said Aunt Rucy, bluntly.
So Nell was taken, with her little
bandbox full of clothes, to the town
house.
The matron looked puzzled-she hat
no charges so young as Nell-but sht
kissed the child, and gave her piece o
gingerbread and some patchwork, ant
told her to be good girl.
Nell played about until she was tired
and then came to the matron with wist
full, upturned gaze.
"When am going home?" said she.
"This is home" said the matron.
Nell's lip quivered; her blue eye
swan in tears.
81 don't like itw said she. 81 dom
want to live here! Mamma said was t.
go home at Easter!"
"What does the child mean?" said tn,
bewildered matron
Don't you know9" said Nell "Firs
comes Christmas-then Easter? AnC
mamma said was to 60 home at Easter.
"We don't have Casters here-cxccpt
now and again few colored eggs" sale
the good matron. "This is home, M,
dear; so put all of that nonsense out o
your head"
But Nell cried, and refused to be com
forted.
"Can go and play9" said she, after (
little while, with the tears yet on hel
lashes.
"Yes-in the back yard, as much a
you please" said the kindly matron.
II don't like the back yard" said fas
tidious Nell. SITS all full of brick bat
and tomato-cans, and broken bottles tina
won't hold anything. l want to go il
the woods"
''Well, don't go far, then," said tn,
matron, who was busy mixing lime fo
the spring white-washing, and perhap
was little relieved to be rid of Nelp'
perpetual questionings.
So away went little Nell, her whit,
cambria sunbonnet futtering in the earl,
April wind, down into the dells, whert
the first pallid violets were thrustins
their purple heads up through layers o
moist, dead leaves, and tender firing,
of green followed the course of the rivu
let, the happiest little lass that the SUI
ever shone on.
81 wish could stay here always, ant
live in cave, and eat berries and sassa
fras- buds, and drink water from tn,
brookw thought Nell. 81 don't want t.
90 back to the town-house, where Uncl,
Tim makes faces at me, and old Mrs
Hatch's hand shakes so that she spill
her tea all over the table"