Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-09-19

indefinite "M'm." The milk house
door opened with rattle OF pals.
LOUIS eyes turned slightly in that di.
rection as she talked on persistently.
"Brother Ed was going to stop yes.
terday and invite you, but he had to
go another way, so stopped in new.
It's rather late to be giving invita-
tions, l know but it's all been planned
in such hurry that we are out and
out fustered. thought, too, that
might stir you up to coming better
than Ed could. 1t does seem too bad
not to have lot OF folks at tin we'd
ding surprise party. Everybody's to
bring something beside refreshments,
you know. I've the cutest little oat-
meal cooker that got at the five.cent
store in the CITY, and I shall take that.
Well, won't hinder you any longer
about your supper. Good-by. Now
do come if you can. Good.by."
The kitchen door timed its closing
with mathematical accuracy to the
issuing OF young man from the milk
house. Through the window Mrs.
Green saw Louis innocently surprised
start and cordial bow, but the bit of
talk that followed was inaudible to
her. She felt certain, however, that
it was about the surprise party.
eff those Harlows ant managin' !"
was her mental comment. 'But it'll
take more'n q pretty putin on to
make Lou one mite engagin' to 'Ras-
tus, guess.
'Rastus came in presently, and, after
washing at the sink, sat down to sup.
per. He was thin and not over tall,
with vivid boyish complexion and a
chin like his mothers, marked by a
decision that almost severe GOODNESS Of
gray-blue eyes accentuated. 1t was
only when 'Rastus smiled that one
knew how winning his face could be.
"Lou Harlow stopped in to ask us
to tin wedding surprise at her
brother Willis. Probably she men
toned it to you," said Mrs. Green, as
she poured the tea. II shall have to
carry something in the shape of tin.
I wonder if the dipper got of that
pedler last week won't do. ] took it
for rags. They do pay so little for
rags now, I declare it's hardly worth
savin' 'em. If it hadn't been for them
old overalls of yours I shouldn't made
out enough to get this dipper."
"Likely they won't have more'n
seven dippers," said 'Rastus, helping
himse to a second dish of apple
sauce.
Mrs. Green looked disturbed,
swell. dippers is handy. Every
housekeeper needs two, and they use
up quick. Dippers nowadays amt
what dippers used to be. There's hard
ly one to be got but has weakness in
the solderin'. I don't know what's
more provokin' than to have dipper-
full of water como splashin' onto the
floor and leave nothin' but handle in
your fingers"
The quick, bright smile flashed over
'Rastus's face.
"Better carry pan or something Of
that kind"
His mother took the suggestion as
profoundly serious.
81 haven't one I could spare. Can't
we stop for the Blake girls, 'Rastus?
They like to get out. and it's rather
far for EN- to walk now they failin'.
I declare it goes to my heart to see
poor Miss Betsey 80 meechin' lately.
She doesn't seem to know whether her
things is ON straight or not. Last
Sunday twas all I could do to keep
my mind on the sermon for wantin' to
straighten her false front. Twas
twisted go the partin' was over one
eye. And it's real pathetic to see Miss
Harriet hoverin' about her sister and
fussin' to make her comfortable, when
all tie time Miss Harriet's the oldest.
Miss Betsey amt but ixty-eight. I
shouldn't wonder if 'twould chick 'em
up considerable to 60 to the surprise
party this evenin'."
"Well, you can take 'em; I'll walk.
Twould be too crowding in the buggy
for us all, and don't want to get out
the business wagon. There's spoke
loose"
Mrs. Green looked narrowly at him
the repose of his face indicated moth.
ing.
'But, 'Rastus, can't hitch old Nell.
You know how she acts the minute we
get out-a caperin' and pullin'." :.
"Tll be on hand to look out for
you." 'Rastus pushed away his chair
and the door closed after him.
His mother watched as he went across
the yard, with slender shoulders
thrown back. Even in overalls and
colored shirt he had not the slouchi-
ness OF many farmers. She recognized
the fact with thrill of pride; but an
other fact was present to her also. The
boy who used to sob out his little
grief upon her sympathetic bosom had
reached mans estate, how entirely was
told by some trick of manner, by
occasional tone of voice or lift of eyes.
He thought that she did not know,
and therein lay part of the sting. 1t
seemed to put her far from him, and
she felt a chilling prescience of the
time when her place in the house
would be taken by some one else. Re.
greet that boy must ever grow beyond
boyhood filed her now for moment.
She would have liked to call him back
and say sharply that if he could not
ride down to the Harlows' with her
and the Misses Blake he should not
attend the party at all. But softness
grew in her eyes as his 1.-THE figure
disar peared through the barn door.
"Well. it's only natural. I wish,
though, that differing. little Holland
girl had stayed in Rhode Island"
'Rastus was not long in finishing the
chores. When he had harnessed old
Nell to the Concord buggy and hitched
her to a most by the hack door. he