The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-06-24
ROMANCE OF A BARN. YARD.

We were all sitting on the piazza
except those of us that were SWING
ing in the hammocks among the trees,
the SCI: wind was blowing over us, the
birds we're darling low here and there,
and the bantams and the spring chlch-
ems and the big black Cochins were
watched over by old King Charles,
who redeemed us from VulgarlCy' anu
il was a scene of domestic comfort, as
Aunt Helen said. Aunt Helen, by me
wav. became very pleasant adol-
ton to the comfortable appearance Oh
the scene, as she said it, she was Jo''
as plump as woman ought 10 DC WIZ
her next birthday may be her 4oIh' 0lio
had a soft flush on her cheek, Wnere
the dimple was yet as fresh as "hel
she was a girl and the t1ush oeepenou
sometimes into a real damasK; hel
teeth were like rows of seed corn lol
whiteness, and her eyes were Juot 90
brown as brook water; only her naH
that was quite white. Lovely n"Ai
though. for all that; she parteu II
evenly over her low, level foreheao anu
above the yet black eyebrows; anu we
all declared every day OF our lives
that Aunt Helen was beauty.
81 used to be-" she had repileu' pul
, that's all gone now. | nave po' NY
youth behind me"
Perhaps she had But we youhs
folks used to think differently Vheh we
saw, Mr.. Thornton coming up the loau'
and Aunt Helen's eyes resolutely Del'
on her work, but her color mounIin5
and mounting, till the redoesC lo0o
that ever burned in the SUNSHINE "o'
not SO rich. Mr.. Thornton saw H. Wv
M doubt for he always looked anu
looked intently all the way py' D"'
the truth was-I shall have TO tel yo"
all about it if | tell you any-Ch'1'
when Aunt Helen was 20 years young
or she and Mr.. Thornton had peeh
lovers ever since they coulo rein0An.
her. They had built their mousse "'
last and her wedding dress was naue'
If she was beauty he was every men
her matte know he was, because He
Il today-One of the men II ooes Sou
good to see. who look as II they coulu
hold up the world if need be, ana III
spire you with commence III 'AAei-
powers.
Now what in the world do you sup
nose that, with their house furnished
and the cake baked, and a dozen years
of intimate affection to bind them
Aunt Helen and Mr.. Thornton iounu -
quarrel about? She declared she
wouldn't keep hens And he declared
that he wouldn't keep house! ina
was the whole OF it, to condense tht
statement: one word led to more, AM
finally, in a towering passion hilhssii
he told Aunt Helen that she had pette
learn to control her temper II she ok
not want to be vixen entlrely, ai1'
Aunt Helen took the ring OF her hnS'
aud laid if on the table without Wor'
and sailed out Of the room, ana reluSe
r. see him when he called in the morn
ing. and sent back his letter unopened
and cut the wedding cake ana pu
come Of it on the tea-table ana sen
the rest to the fair Perhaps, on III
whole, Mr.. Thornton might nave zee
right. Exactly one week from tha
night Mr.. Thornton was married
Mary Mathew. an inoffensive little Doh
who would have married anyDouy Cn'
asked her. and she went into the hpuF
that had been furnished according
Amt Helen's taste; and Immediate
oftorward hen-house of the most tal
ciful description of architecture, "l'
pilded vases and scarlet chantlclee
brist1ine all over it, roses on the nj
behind the house, full of fancy low
and the little lawn was all awe WI
IFS overflow. and you copldn 20
the Mace without meeting Hook
cronnle-crown or partridge Cochi
or white Leghorn, or black SPANS
living up on each separate piece
fonce TO crow out MIR. Thornton's Il
nmnh. reversing the old tradition
tbp Grower. and crying, mo WON
rule here!"
They saw Mr. Thornton grew We
old in a few years. HIS lhoHehSl
little thing of wife turned out 10
smart termagant, who led MN
orottv dance. Perhaps she was dlss
isAed with her piece OF heart;
then she knew that WIS all when
Took IT, He treated her always VI
gently-perhaps feeling he had dc
bor some wrong in marrying her-f
gratified her every wish, althou
5aving cared nothing for her in
hooinning il is doubted il he ca
any more for her in the end. me
oome after IS years, when Mrs. The
ton was killed in railroad coils
and her husband was left with !