Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1886-03-20


her shoulders.
For she had heard her three grand
daughters discussing the Dulany oucs-
tion with some acrimony
I'm the eldest" Selma had said.
tartly, "and l ought to have the first
chance. If any of US is to cali with
ma at Dulany Beeches, it shall be me"
You always were selfish thiner'
said Norma. Captain Daany's moth
er has large library. and you know
very well that I'm literary" !.
''I'm the youngest, and 1 don't see
why | should be poked into corner
always" pouted Miss Juanita-J Judith.
But Selma, by strength of years and
tongue, had carried her point.
SO when New Years Day approach
ed, and Aileen timidly consulted Aunt
Harrington as to what she should
wear, that matron opened her large,
light eyes with counterfeited amaze
ment.
"You, child?" said she. "Why,
you're not to come in ut all! The girls
don't want whole drove in the par
lor. Three women are quite enough,
And you're so young, YOU know"
"Im seventeen, aunt" faltered
Aileen.
"Two or three years hence will do
very we'll for you,' said the relentless
elder, "Try and put such silly non
sense out Of your head"
And this was why Aileen was cry
ing
Old Mrs. Harrington unders TODD it
all very we'll. She had been young
once. She saw the folly of interfer-
ence in this particular case, however.
'Dan'rs wife likes her own way"
said she. "She amt pleasant if she
thinks any one is meddln'. I'll tell
you what Aileen-you and III 60 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 Chin
bly,. There's a carpet loom there and
a spinnin'- wheel and all the fixin's
and I'll show you how l used to spin
fax when | was a gal, and weave rag
carpet"
"Will you?" said Aieen, with
Frightening eyes. "Oh, grandma, how
very, very nice that will be! And can
1 roast chestnuts and apples in the
ashes ?-and will you tell me about
your sailor-lover that was drowned be-
fore you ever saw my Grandfather
Harrington
Yes" said the old lady-"yes!
Well hev our New Years by our
selves-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, she anC
her grandmother were adjusting the
ancient spinning wheel in the stone
barn chamber, and piling wood in the
cavernous recess Of the huge fireplace
They had very pleasant New Year:
Day, after all. though the tears cam,
to Aileen's blue eyes once or twice
when the carriages rolled by over th'
hard frozen road toward the house
And at dusk she lighted the cheer
full candles, and sat downto prepar
grandma'S supper. with fresh corn
cakes. baked in the hot embers. ac
cording to the recipe of Aunt Felicia
the coIored cook, fragrant coffee. and
sweet apples, roasted, and eaten witt
. cream.
But Captain Dulany, riding hi
} Morgan horse. Hotspur. through tn
pine woods. drew rein close by the oil
>"one barn. whence he lad not see
the red lights cleaning out TO
l ten years.
What can it he?" he asked him
> self. We children used to play a
ghost up there OF an autumn evening
when the Vladimir family lived ther,
Or perhaps the careless servants hay
| set something on Dire
; He jumped OF his horse. flung tn
! relns over projecting pine bough
i and went in 10 see what the meanin,
/ Of this unwont-i illumination Nigh
= be.
The door stood wide open-the whol
/, room WAS a2low with warm, rudd
|, light. Grandma enthroned in a bi
= sphnt-chair before the blaze, ws