Democratic messenger., 1893-09-09

ant, comely face, which now became
flushed as she toiled ut her unwonted
task.
The whole fence wants mending."
she said at length, despairingly, "and
Id be as likely to knock it all down as
make it whole. Run over to old
Chloe's, Dolly, dear, and see if her
husband can't come and help me. If
this board amt fastened up at once,
Miss Curry's pigs will get in and root
up the whole garden
Dolly skipped away as light as a
fairy, but in three minutes was back
again. accompanied, not by the old
colored man. but by Captain Winston,
bearing in his hands heavy hammer
and box of new nails
"Aunty, old Uncle Jake wasn't Mt
home. so l brought Cap'n Winston.
''Oh, Dolly
''Be pleased to do anything for you,
ina am said the captain, lifting his
hat politely. Took the liberty of
bringing these things. thinking posi-
bly, you mightn't have EN- handy"
He handled the heavy boards ms il
they had been shingles, and securely
fastened mp half dozen which were
hanging loosely by their rusted nails,
Dolly looking on admiringly.
Anything more | can do for you,
ma am" he inquired. when the last
heavy blow had been struck.
"Oh, yesl" Dolly cried, eagerly
''We want n dog to scare away those
bad boys good dog that won't bit,
cause Aunt Mar;hys 'iraid OF dogs
Won't you lend us Pilot, cap'n?'
"Why, Dolly, I'm surprised at you,"
demonstrated Miss Martha.
But tine captain laughed.
''rhat's fnst rate idee, Dollc," he
said, patting her curly head. "Pilot
never bites; he's too Sood-naturGl for
that. But he makes noise enough to
scare away band of robbers So il
you're agreeable, ms am, I'll Just fetch
him over at night and anchor him to
this tree till mcrnin', anl you may de-
pend he'll do his duty"
so thencefor;h every evening until
the fruit was ali ripe and gathered,
Pilot was tied AT the foot OF the cherry
tree, and in the morning unloosened
by Miss Martha and allowed to go
home.
The result was that besides having
plenty of fruit to send around to her
neighbors, she made preserves enough
to fill dozen jars-one of which she
presented to Dolly to take home with
her rs her very own.
By this time there was very good
acquaintance established between Miss
Martha and her bachelor neighbor, the
captain.
Whenever he brought over Pilot,
there would he little chat III the gar
den and he more than once insisted
upon doing her some little service,
such as pruning her grape vines and
mending the back doorstep, to which
Dolly was afraid to intrust her small
weight.
And once, when the captain was sick
and Dolly reported that he wouldn't
eat the breakfast which Chloe prepared,
Miss Martha sent over n dainty tray of
her own delicious wailies and broiled
chicken, which the child r. ,orted glee-
fully the captain ate every bit, and
said twas the very incest cooking he
ever saw.
1t was about this time that Dolly be-
gan to look rchectively at her relative
rs the latter would sit knitting in her
low rocking chair in the entry, and
one day she surprised her by saying,
gravely:
"Aunt Marthy, l think you wants a
man to take care of you"
Good gracious. child What put
such an idea into your head?"
"'Causc," answered Dolly, with un-
rufiled gravity cause there's heap
of things you can't do for yourself
Ny papa takes care of my mamma.
Aunt Marthy, why amt you never
married?"
Miss Martha broke into laugh, but
when the question was repeated, she
said, with sigh which seemed to come
despite herself:
because, deary, nobody ever asked
me- :"
"Why not? Mamma said you was
pretty and good.
"Mebbe | was too quiet for folks to
notice me- answered the old maid,
dreamily. And then her thoughts
seemed to go away from Dolly away
into the past perhaps in speculations
of what might have been; AMI she
never noticed that the child slipped
quietly away aud ram swiftly across
the street To the little cottage of her
friend, Captain Winston.
The captain was seated in his little
back porch, sewing a button on his
coat; and Dolly sat and watched him
for awhile; then she said. solemnly
."Men can't sew My mamma always
sews on my papas buttons. Why
don't You get married and have some
body to sew for you,"
He looked up and laughed.
why, Dolly, you've got wise lit
tie head on them young shoulders,
shaking his own head gravely; "but l
don't know of any real nice. good wo-
man who would have an old fellow like /
me-
"My Aunt Marthy is good and
nice, said Dolly.
"But she wouldn't have me, Dolly"
''I guess she would. She thinks
you're real nice And she ought to
have dog AMI man to take care of
her and the garden"
The captain laughed until his jolly !