The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-12-30

N1dys i|iAS3 -AoDJ oNA>S w LIN III q
whisper, chow dreadful it must be to
be eighty years old; only think. Lila,
that is eight times as old as am"
"What of it?" asked "She doesn't
mind it, and she isn't eight times older
than am"
''H'm. All but two years." Abby an
swered.
"But I'd have you to know" said,
frankly, that two years is long
time"
"No, it is not, my darlings," was
Aunt James unexpected interruption,
as the blue eyes popped open. 1T is
only very little time-only that l
knew of one year that meant great
deal to two folks"
"Tell us about it, auntie," we both
exclaimed
eyes, will. Let's see. I must have
dropped off to sleep while was telling
you about Tom and Het Shaw. Well,
don't let me go again; just give me a
shake if you see my eyes shut. Me-
hitable Larkins was as pretty as a
picture; her hair was as yellow as spun
gold, and her eyes were as brown as a
ripe hazel nut. Her step was Sc
springy that she hardly seemed to
touch the ground as she walked and
Tom Shaw loved her better than any.
thing in the world.
''He built the house up yonder; and
they do say that he sang and whistled
so many gay tunes as he nailed on the
clapboards that he ought to have had g
happy wife to put inside of it. Wher
it was Ri finished and furnished he
brought his bride home; and after that
folks used to walk past the house many
and many time to hear the two sing
ing together"
IBID they never quarrel, Aunt
Jane?" Abby asked. My sisters ide;
of a good time was to have a bit O.
quarrel sometimes with somebody.
"You wait. my darling, until 1 tel
you. 1t was just after the new yea
had commenced that they came up OF
the hill. All summer they seemed a
happy as birds, and of an evening the,
worked in their garden, and for mile
around no one had prettier roses, big
ger hollyhocks, or yellower tansy thai
Tom and Het Shaw.
''But with the fall the flowers faded
and the happy couple began to grow
solemn; they did not sing SO much, an
the lamps did not shine so brightly on
into the world at night, and, when on
Of the neighbors happened in, Het ha
a very suspicious moisture about tn
eyes, But she never gave any reaso
for it, and she was of that sort that nc
body dared to ask, much as they woul
have liked to. Anyhow, her cheek
grew pale, and there were no NOR
songs to be heard. And so it cam
along to the last day of the year. Ton
had been out to the woodhouse to ge
some kindlings for the fire in tn
J morning, and when he had throw
them behind the stove, he went into
the sitting-room, and there was He
upon her knees by the sofa, sobbing a
if her heart would break.
"That sight was too much for Tom
He went over to her, lifted Dor from tn
floor, and sat her upon his Dnee. AN
then he said: My little girl, what is it
l cannot stand this any longer; yo
must tell me what the matter is.
"And she threw both arms about hi
neck, and between her sobs she whis
pered into his ear all her troubles; an
quick as flash they were as loving a
they had been all summer; and the frs
thing they did was to sing the Ion
metre doxology."
"What had been the matter, Aun
Jane?" asked Abby, in an intereste
voice
And Aunt Jane said: ''That is til
very strangest part of it; from tina
day to this not one of the neighbor
could find out. OF course, there ha
been some sort of a quarrel, but w
know they had made it up, for 10
Hines was going up the hill, and h
stopped a minute to hear them sing
and under the crack of the curtain b
saw them kneeling by the sofa, an