The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-12-31

that picture nor the other would be
good for anything to me-"
Aunt James voice was hushed, and
she knit two or three rounds upon the
gray sock that she was making for our
Poor society, and then her hands fell
in her lap, her chin dropped little,
and the old lady was asleep. Abby and
1 looked intently at her; hair, that had
once been as yellow as our own, was
OF snowy whiteness, and it lay on each
side of a forehead that was full OF
seams and wrinkles; the eyes that
were tight shut were as blue as our
baby's, and the mouth that was little
open was almost as small as his. But
her checks were one mass of Fuckers,
and even under the edge of her white
hair we could see them deep and drawn.
Say, Lila" Abby said to me in a
whisper, "how dreadful it must be tc
be eighty years old; only think, Lii
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
Him. All but two years." Abby an
swered
But I'd have you to know" said,
frankly, ''that two years is q 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 a great
deal to two folks
Tell us about it, auntie," we both
exclaimed.
Eyes, will. Let's see must have
dropped off to sleep while l was tellin g
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 so
| 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 a
happy wife to put inside of it. When
| it was all 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 idea
of good time was to have a bit of
quarrel sometimes with somebody.
you wait, my darling, until 1 tell
you. 1t was just after the new year
had commenced that they came up on
the hill All summer they seemed as
happy as birds, and of an evening they
worked in their garden, and for miles
around no one had prettier roses, big
ger hollyhocks, or yellower tansy than
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, and
the lamps did not shine SO brightly out
into the world at night, and, when one
OF the neighbors happened in, Het had
very suspicious moisture about the
eyes. But she never gave any reason
for it, and she was of that sort that no
body dared to ask, much as they would
have liked to. Anyhow, her cheeks
grew pale, and there were no more
songs to be heard And so it came
along to the last day of the year. Tom
had been out to the woodhouse to get
some kindlings for. the fire in the
morning, and when he had thrown
them behind the stove, he went into
the sitting-room, and there was Het
upon her knees by the sofa, sebbing as
If her heart would break