The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-01-30
WINNING A HUSBAND.
py VIRGINIA rANE MADISON.

and cold; the heavy clouds overspread
the whole heavens, hiding the light of
every star. The rain fell in slow,
steady drizzic, aud but for an occasional
spark from the pipe of some passer-by
all was darkness. Winter had begun in
real earnest, and the sound of the rain and
the whistling of the wind sent SILVER
through and through me,
l had been standing at the window,
but l turned away tired of the dreary
aspect, seated myself at one end of the
hearth, threw stick of wood on the
andirous, and leaned back on my chair
waiting for Aunt Bess. The fire blazed
and popped, sending warm, bright
glow over the carpet, wall and ceiling,
making the cheerful little room prettier
than ever. 1t was long before aunty
came hurying in with pink tipped
nose, ain-bespriukled face and her
bangs, which she had curled so nicely,
hanging straight and limp. She drew
her char nearer the fire and sat quietly
warming her hands.
"Aunty, l said, Twill you please tell
me why, after all your losses and fights
with poverty during the war, you are the
only one of my aunts who married Yam
Keep
1t was the first time, no doubt, this
question had been asked in so direct "a
manner, and she looked up quickly,
little surprised, gave me one of her sweet
smiles, fondled the broad gold band on
her finger, thought a moment, then said:
''My dearic | could answer your query in
three short words if | liked, and they
would tell you why married Yankee,
But these all important words might II It
prove satisfactory to dear Little maid
filled with love young dream Besides
the curtailment would be so great that it
would destroy what to me is the sweetest
story | ever knew. But then, every ones
romance is to them the dearest, isn't it
pet?" And when she glanced up shyly
from the corner of her eyes for an answer
| just looked down and replied, eyes,
'em, )" She reached over, gave mg hand
tender press, for my honest answer
and then began telling me why she had
linked her life with Yankee soldier
"You know, dear, there were ever so
many of us girls at home, and father
used to say sometimes, to tease us, that
he had a good notion to put half of us in
sack along with other scraps and hand
it over to the first rag man that came our
way. But when he came in some nights
earlier than usual from the sugar house
he always depended on us girls to enter
tain him until bedtime. Many a night
he came at eight o'clock, and after the
accustomed kisses went round he'd light
his pipe, get in hisround armchair, cross
his feet and say: Now, girls, I've the
blues again to night. This continual
talk of war wears me out. So get at antics
and didos and amuse me till I'm sleepy.
Then if the war does come and frees my
negroes, why I'll keep every one Of you
to hoe corn, plant cane and dig potatoes.
That'll be better than giving you to the
rag man.
"When we looked up in his face and
saw besides his tender smile shadow of
sadness which he had tried SO hard to cou-
ceal, VIC were inspired, as it were, almost
at once with a hundred different devices
with which to dispel his melancholy. All
of lis were some sort of musicians, at
least each one could play on a different
instrument and all sing "A little. After
reading awhile and discussing the merits
of the subjects selected, father would
tell us some amusing incident of his young
days. Then we'd get Aunt Sue, who was
black as SCOT, but real nice old creature,
to come in and tell us a story She
knew n host Of them, too, and when she
began we became as mute as mice until
she'd ended her story, then ten to one if
not laughing in solid enjoyment, we'd
be, as father said, shifting, but even so
we couldn't help it, for her stories were
often SO sad.
''After our sniffles were dried our CON
cert began. Each one of lis sang and
played alone, then all chimed in together.
Our pleasures was so thorough that we
never heard the click of the clock or
gave thought to fleeing time. You
may VIC sSio 'hd' huhe que ilau hei olaIe
IN the musicale, too. No undertaking
at home was quite complete without her
assistance. She knew the queerest little
songs one ever heard, and wncn accom-
panied her on the banjo she was the
happiest old colored woman III South
Louisiana.
"Ah, those were happy, happy DAYS
with us all. remember time and again.
after cutting up our antics and didoes. )
father would Jump IN from his chair and
cxclaim: Bless nv heart. girls; bless
your souls Here it is five minutes to
midnight and was going to bed at 8.
Such another set of little inns | never
saw. The idea of keepinr a fellow from
all his beauty sleep. Nv, Nv, WHY.
girls, You'll make YOUR old dad lose ali
of his roses You may be sure we re.
tired in high piee over our power of sue
cess in entertaining father. MANY time:
he came in at about 10 o'clock. kissed us
all rood evening. then kissed us owe,
again good night and went off to bed
When the hour was that late and we'd
beo him 10 stav with MS iust a minnie