Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-10-15

and she was rather astonished, as he
Kitchen duties progressed, to find her
SELF happier than she had been sine
she returned home.
| When John came to answer thu
dinner bell he was astonished to fine
Aunt Mary quite dressed up" as she
blushingly said, In clean print dress
and white apron, her dear old face
showing no sign of heat or WEAKNESS,
while Daisy, with added bloom. and
bare white arms, was carrying in the
dinner.
1.-The new girl at your SERVICE" she
said, saucIly, as she pulled down her
sleeves. Dinner is ready, SIR
But her lips quivered as he bent over
her and whispered:
.God bless you, dearl Forgive me
if | was too hasty this morning"
Ii was a merry meal. They made a
play that was more than halt earnest.
of Aunt Mary's being a great lady
who was to be waited upon, and not
allowed to rise from the table upon any
consideration. Dinner over, John re-
turned 10 his ploughing, and Aunt
Mary, firmly refusing to sit in idleness,
was allowed to wash cups and saucers.
while Daisy made short work of pots
and pans.
John said but little as the days wore
on and still found Daisy at her post. 1t
was not in the nature of things for
Aunt Mary to sit with folded hands,
but it became Daisy's task to inaugu-
rate daily maps, to see that only the
light work came to the older hands, to
make daily work less of toll and
more of pleasure.
And the young girl herself was sur
prised to find how much she enjoyed
the life that had seemed to her a mere
drudgery.
With younger hands to carry on the
domestic affairs they ceased to engross
every hour of the day, and John en-
couraged Daisy in making use of the
stiff, shut-up parlor as daily sitting
room. A pair of muslin curtains at
each window were skillfully draped to
keep out the flies, the centre table re-
signed its gay vase of stiff, artificial
flowers and stand of wax fruit, to make
room Tor two dainty work baskets for
"afternoon work." and the periodicals
John had sent to his aunt. Over the
shiny horse hair sofa and chairs pretty
bids OF embroidery were draped, and !
fresh flowers were supplied each day. |
Aunt Mary's caps, collars and aprons
were adjusted to suit the new order of |
things, and the easiest of chairs stood !,
ever ready for her resting time.
And John, bringing to his task the
same will and brains that had carried |
him through college, was inaugurating
a new order of affairs on the farm, and |
made the work pay we'll. |
Once more came June day, when |
Daisy sat on the fence of the 7-acre lot |
and John stood leaning against the
rails beside her. Four years of earnest,
loving work had left traces upon both ,
The young faces, ennobling them, and /
yet leaving to them all the glad con-
tent that rewards well-doing, Many
hours Of self-denial both had met
many deprivations both had
borne well. Daisy wore black dress
and upon the hat in Johns hand was
4 band of Grape, but through sadness
IN their voices there yet rang tone of.
happiness.
You love me, Daisy?' John had
said to her.
"When have not loved your" she
And you will be my wife? Darling,
have long loved you, but after Aunt
Mary was struck down with paralysis
would not ak you to take up new
luties. Now she needs you no longer,
nd you shall leave the farm whenever
'ou wish"
'Leave the farm Oh, John, must
We leave it? thought it was yours
ow."
80 it is"
"And you have made it beautiful as 8
yell as profitablel Oh, John, why I
lust we leave it?''
"Only because l thought it was your I
Tish."
ut would break my heart to go
way. love my home, and since we .
ave been able to keep a girl for the r
5ughest work l have leisure for so
lany things" +
And John, taking the little figure r
ito close embrace to lift Daisy ON
he fence, wondered if the great city F
ould produce a sweeter, daintier little q
Idy than the one he held in his arms.