The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1898-03-10
oCTAyIA's HousLKEEPIsG

WI ' IN hoAnI n bA' hf''
They ATE caE,BE. Ntos,l Niss Marc,
Cfowipol iscted hcr ball Of blae ytr'
tUty bsr apron posEet, spd shsdips bel
eyes utib abe hsuA, looked dowa tbs lsnr
stete tall anIhtrry trees thtew ths'l
lolE shsisstob toe yslseiy Frsss.
Coming, Mas Nalcl' echoed $ sweel
voice
Ar pretty tiasv Mris bssaly showed
sgoosebefry pic laIg tie oFeu. aai csm'
oal 90 tbe bsck porch. vtlb its drspery aI
rut sad violet capped morning. Iory
ylres
sbr, tor. ss1.A eagerly dove The loas
lane, saI so8a toe sapphire blue eyes
spsftlsd Aud the pioE tinted cheeks
broke into dimpiei smiles
l's them she cried could tell cid
Dspplas log trot mile swsy.
Y,lsy h,d been up since peep Of day,
Shsn the tirst touch Of pink bushsd 10
the eastern sky, and when the thrush and
the ca, bird we're hiiog their earliest
uofniog peaus.
She hsi MIXED the sleepy looking
coEs, their dssisps eth wet from eontact
with tue dripping grass, aud had break
t.st ready Jast as the crimson sun was
peepins over the cloud capped bluffs. lin
ina the shores OF the great Father Of
Wsters
It was 90 eItrsorJinsry occasion, ss
Farmer Msys vss going to the rsllrosd
station, twelve miles distant, TO bring
home bis only daughter, Oetavis, from
boarding school.
Don't you bother yourself about bresk
fast. Nruey, sAid the farmer. goodnatured
/ ly, as be lighed his cob pipe at the kltch
eu fire klu eat q snatch, and hev break
fast when We git home.
Bot Whey would not hear to il, and
with her owa hands she fred her uueles
iavofile pancakes, yellow with eggs, ponr
ei bis coffee, and set glass Of fresh,
sweet milk al bis plate,
Dinner will be slI ready when you get |
back. uncle, so bring q good appetite, |
she ,aid, kissing him good by,
1t VAS a happy family that dwelt at the
old brown farm house
Farmer Mayis was good nature psrsoni
fed, and NJ So Nancy, the housekeeper,
vas sweet tempered old maid, not so
very old either, for youthful cnuklss still
lurked in her soft brown hair. and her
cheeks we're as rosy asa winter pear main
lust touched by the frost She wasa dis
tant connection OF Farmer Msvis, and had
kept house for i'm ever since the death OF
his wife, six years sgo,
ViDey was bis niece, and was as dear TO
him as to own daughter
Great were the preparations which were
made for Ootayia's home coming. Miss
Nancy bad secured the windows and made
up the plumb bed, with fresh lavender
scented sheets and pillow slips, and the
best homespun coverlet.
And viuey had cooked substantial din
uer roast chicken aud cream biscuit new
potatoes and green peas and csuhfower,
with custard and goose berry pie foI des
sert.
Ia the meantime, OJtsyia was on the ,
care, speeding along at the rate oi q mile |
minute She was q sharp featured, thin ,
Tipped girl, with light bsir, and face ss 6
wrinked as as turkeys egg. t
am going home to keep house for my S
ps. she had said, aflectonately, to her +
girl cronies To be sure, he has a sort of Q
relative keeping house now an old m i'd :
but shall soou set her adriit. ! detest n
old maids y
10 due time Octsvia resched home. v
She bestowed cool noi on Miss Nancy II
and touched Yiney's finger tips irIgldly. s.
Mercy on thisl she cried, in q thin high "
high voice, as she entered the house Din n
1er at this bour2 How horridl What II
ioes make pa keep such oil fashioned I,
lonrs2 k
Miss Nancy and Viney s,ooi sghast at Il
his unlocked for reception. D
We bad ii earlier on your account, DC s
syis, v5utnred her consln. We thought Oh
7ou might need something, lid
Need something, Indeed sDeered OctsV Y,
a,wtth q sueer ou her thin lips, Do you Ia
suppose I've been starved where came Y,
rom? Be,iiee, | had lunch on the cars
IN going up to my room to take nap Of
lov, she added. 1t will be soon enough
or daner sller that and the swung out Of Al
be room without waiting for reply. OIL
Wal, ei that don't beat I'll grumbled
amer Msyls, bis honest blue eyes Ell v
padding with surprise, Ei Octayy thinks es
70 sre eou' to wait for her to nap siore h
We est dinner, she Kin think so, that's all HI
Fetch along the cChse, YIney. tb
| shall take the b. a. Of the table myself "
,os, Miss Nancy. declared Ootsyis, as fhe II
.sme down to breakfast, 10 piuk morn "
NJ dress. not al sll suiisble to her light A.
complexion and red hair. p. can't sh3rd "a
o keep bred househeeper, nov In At
ZONE, 90 you bad beet look oat for snoth
? slus,ion. OF course We eouli give
ou references for honesty, and so forth,
nd Osisvis iinsled the teaspoons 10 the =;
ape, sud took her pslee at The bead Of 8.
he table With flourish Of tfumpeIs, as 1t
tete.