The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-01-12
The Old Spinning Wheel.
nY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.
All the night before, Rex Parsons had
been planning this thing. He had lain
awake, deciding upon the very words
he should use, the phrases that were
most applicable to the case.
And when at last he stood there in
the grassy front yard of the picturesque
old farmhouse, with the whitc-cloveI
pinks blossoming in clusters at his feet,
and Mamie leaning on his arm, it
seemed as if the cup of his satisfaction
had reached its fill.
"You like it, ch, Nan9" said he,
glancing around in an apparently in
different fashion at the low, shinglcd
roof, from which the morning glory
vines tossed their purple cups, the stone
door-stcps, the old black walnut tree in
the door-yard.
'Likc it, Rexl" echoed the bride, en-.
Enthusiastically. 'Tt's perfect picture
Who lives hcrc7 Can we go in, do you
supposed Could we get drink of water
from that little, gurgling stream, whose
waters arc as clear as crystall"
"Of course VIC can go in," said Rex,
with short, odd laugh. GAS for living
here, there is no one living hero at
present. The Thaxtcrs have just moved
out, and the house is sold to one Rex
Parsons"
Mamie gavo a great start.
"Oh, Rcx!' cried she. ado you
really mean it2 Isis it our housc"
Rex flung his hat into the air.
really mean it," said he. "Its
our house; I've bought it. Welcome,
dear little Nan, to our new home"
And Rex kissed Nan, and Nan huggcd
Rex, and they went all over the house
together, like two exultant school.
children.
"Such delightful old-fashioned win
dows," cried Nan, "with the tccnticst
window-pancs one ever saw! Such loves
of little closets! Such grand chimney
for open ires!-and, oh, such garrct,
Rex"
"With regular old-timc spinning
wheel in itr' shouted Rex. "Only look
there, Mamie! Why, Dclavardc would
give twenty-five dollars for spinning.
wheel like that. 1t looks as if it might
be hundred years old. say, puss,
when can you be ready to move in9'
Tomorrow, if you say So" said Nan
ME, clapping her hands. "NVc havcn't
such deal of furniture, you know, Rex
and it will be such fun, camping dowr
in this delightful, old,timcy place, lik'
a couple of gipsics. And Mrs. Dorokins,
the landlady, was shockiagly cross, yes.
tcrday, if you remember, because the
parrot would persist in squalling when
she wanted to take her nap. 1t will bt
such luxury to have home of onc'
ownw
"You'ro sure you won't be Lonesome
here, Nana" questioned Parsons, "Yo,
know shall have to go down in thu
train that leaves Wayborough at cight
o'clock, and shan't be able to return
until six in the evening"
'But how lovely it will be on Sunday
and holidays" said Mamie. "And thcl
the long summer evenings, when VIC cal
tie upthc roses and gather honcysucklc
and watch the sunsets from the from
porch, and feel that all the green
lovely things around lis are our own
And I'll tell you what, Rex-wh,
shouldn't invite Sophy Wilkins #
stay with me here until l get settled
She has got so much taste about muslil
draperies and chintz lambrequins, an,
all that sort Of thing, and she'll be eve
SO much company for me while you ar,
away"
"Its capital plan p' said Rex.
And so that thing was settled.
Fortunately, perhaps; for Mr.. AM
Mrs. Parsons had scarcely come to in
habit their new house-or, rather, tn
old house which had newly become thei
own for twenty-four hours, when til
conductor of the evening train sent
boy up to "The Cleaning" as Nanni
had rechristened the spot from its orig
inal name of "Grubb's Corners" wit
a note to Mrs. Parsons from her hus
band.
'MY DARLING MAMIE, p" it ran: "Ou
senior partner sails for Europe to-mor
row, at noon. We are going over al
the books tonight, and l can't possibl
catch the last train. Shall stay at
hotel. Such lucky thing, isn't it, tina
Miss Wilkins is there to keep you com
pany9 Ever your devoted REX"
"You aren't afraid, Mamie, are youi
said Sophy, q trife doubtfully.
"Good gracious, no!' said Mrs. Pal
sons. 'Poor, dear Rex-what sham
it is to make him work so hard! Id
hope he'll be head of the firm one &
these days, and then perhaps he'll hav
little rest"
Sophy and Mamie locked up tn
house that night with great form an,
ceremony, and retired early, in conss
quence of the fatigue attendant on th
sewing of carpets for the room whic
had been old Mrs. Thaxter's "bcst pai
lor," but which Mamie called her bou
dQig,