The Portland daily press., 1886-05-07

that will BEL 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 Harrng-
ton?"
YES" said the old lady-"yes Well hev
our New Years by ourselyes-me and you
child"
So Aileen put away the pretty little blue
merino gown that she had retrimed for New
Years Day. and donned instead, the brown
Merrimac calico that made her look Ike
robin redbreast and just about the time
that her three cousins were quarreling tor
/ the possession of the biggest dressing glass
| to ''do" their hair, she and her grandmoth-
| er were adjusting the ancient spinning
wheel in the stone barn chamber, and plllng
wood in the cavernous recess of the huge
fireplace.
They had very pleasant New Years Day
after all, though the tears came to AlleenS
blue eyes once or twice, when the carriage
rolled by over the hard-frozen road toward
the house.
And at dusk she lighted the cheerful can
dies, and sat down to prepare grandmas sup
per, with fresh corncakes, baked in the hot
embers, according to the receipt of Aunt Fe-
lieia, the colored cook, fragrant coffee and
sweet apples, roasted, and eaten with cream.
But Captain Dulany, riding his Morgan
horse, Hotspur, through the pine woods, drew
rein close by the old stone barn, whence he
had not seen the red lights cleaning ont for
| ten years.
''What can it be?' he asked himself. I'VE
children used to play at ghost up there of an
autumn evening, when the Vladimir family
lived there. Or perhaps the careless servants
have set something on fire."
He jumped off his horse, flung the reins
over projecting pine bough and went in to
see what the meaning of this unwonted illu-
mination might be. !.
The door stood wide open-the whole room
was aglow with warm, rudy light, Grand
ma enthroned in big splint-chair before
the blaze, was drinking her coffee, and Al
leen sat spinning at the old wheel, with
cheeks softly Redeemed and blue eyes spark
ling-a very picture of health ana beauty
Both started at the sudden apparition OF
the captain on the threshold.
81 beg your pardonv' said Captain Dulany,
lifting his hat. 81 saw the light shining out,
and was afraid that something had hap
pened"
Something has happened said Aileen,
laughingly 81 have learned to spin And
grandma and l are having picnic. VIII 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 expensive
china happened to be mug-was scarcely
poured out, before their numbers were aug
mented by Mr.. Ferrars and young Doctor
Fenchurd, who had seen the lights, and had
also observed 'Hotspur" fastened to the
fence.
MAY we venture to intruder" said they
peeping in over the stair-rail.
sob, certainly said grandma, smiling.
And Aileen distributed handleless cup
and bountiful slices of golden brown corn
cake, yet steaming from the fire, to her
guests.
''We are hardly prepared to entertain so
largea 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 summoned to pour fresh
pine cones on the blaze and bring more cof-
fee and corn cake.
He grinned from ear to ear.
'Pow'ful like de good old times" said he
to Aunt Felicia, when he returned to his cab
in. 'sDe berry cream OBJ de gentry enjoyin'
de corn-pones an coffee like dey WAS our own
old marse's folks Aint muffin like corn
pone for rale good flavor, dat dey amt An
the young lady from de Norf, she's as pref
ty as peach. Reckon de capting fnks so,
too. He, he oe''
And old Pomp shook his sides with an in
audible chuckle of glee.
Later in the evening the gentlemen went
up to the house, where stood the three Mis-
ses Harrington in simpering row.
But their call there was insipid, and sever
al of them returned to the '.Stone Barn" to
finish their evening.
Adrian Dulany remained the latest OF all
so late, in fact, that it was he who escort
ed grandma-who had disereetly fallen
asleep in her big chair some time ago-and
Aileen to the house, under whispering pine
boughs by the light of a big round moon,
The three cousins, whose list of calls had
| long since ended were yawning in the par
ssDear mep' cried Selma, as the little group
came in. ''Where have you been all day,
| Aileen?"
in the old stone barn chamber. learning
to spin, said 4Al'een, laughing ana coloT4ng:
Juanita looked sharply at her. what
change had subtly crept over her voice and
manner? Then she looked at Captain ADJ
rians bright face.
Take good care of her" said the young
officer, tenderly removing the heavy shawl
! from Aileen's shoulder 'The has promised
| to be my wife, before great many weeks"
1t was not until Dulany had gone that the
full cannonade of questions burst on Aileen,s
devoted head
HGirlc oirIci dom all sneak at once" said
grandma tits just exactly as I've always
told you. The right one will be sure to come
along if you sit in the chimney corner and
wait. And that was just what Aileen was
| doing this evening""
And that night when the frost-white stars
| of midnight climbed the sky:
"Good-by, sweet New Years Day-the
| happiest have ever knownr'