Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-07-07
BY L. M. MONTGOMERY.

inspect each at once and she must stand or fall b,
lis opinion OF them.
We could see the garden path and gate through the
hail window, and therefore supposed would have
full warning OF the approach OF Mr. Norman Nichol
1t was no wonder, therefore, that we positively
jumped two steps to the floor when thunderous
through the house, Had Mr.. Norman Nicholson
dropped from the skies?
lots and around the house from the back, but just
then his sudden advent almost uncanny.
Good afternoon" he said in voice that
seemed to take possession Of the dry summer after
please tell her that Norman Nicholson is here;"
showed him into the parlor. Then Peggy and
have done it, We would have scorncd to excuse
ourselves. And indeed what saw would have been
Aunt Olivia rose and advanced priny with out
MIR. Norman Nicholson ar, very glad to ste
"its your r's %ii!iee" Mr. Norman Nicholson
gave two strides. lie dropped mis- flowers on the
a pnnns over p aeant the aO %a and c ah he had
caught Aunt Olivia in his arms and snack-snacli
smack Peggy sank back upon the stair-stcp with
her handkerchici stuffed in her mouth Aunt Olivia
Presently Mr., Norman Nicholson held her back at
Ant oliya,s eyes roam over his arm to the inverted
table and the litter OF asters and golden rod Her
sleek crimps all touscd up and her lace ichu hall
round her neck She looked distressed
Its not bit changed you are Mile, said Mr. Nor
Nicholson, adnrngiy. "And its good i'm feeling
to sec: see you again Are YOU glad to see me, Mile"
oh, of course" said Aunt Olivia.
She twisted herself free and to right the table
Then she turned to the flowers, but Mr.. Norman
goodly sprin<ing OF leaves and stalks the carpet
picked these for you in the river field. Mile he
iad 1e mhGTf s will pc getting something to stick them
He graspcd frail painted vase from the mantel
in the i9y?rS in it and set it on the table The
look on Aunt Oliya face was too much for at last
hv tho r,j,
out OF the house.
He will horriiy the very soul out of AUNT Oivias
and he thinks the world Of hcrand OH Peggy, did you
ever hear such kisses? Fancy Aunt Ovia!'
Mt did not take US long to get we'll acquainted with
Ovias house and Aunt Olivia insisted on our staying
with her most OF the time She seemed to be very shy
Of finding herself alone with him He Mortified her
proud Of him and liked to be leased about him. too
she was delighted that admired him.
from what he used to be- she said "c is so drcadill
big! And do not like beard but l have not the
co., eGuFafe s to b, ask bog % to sf off He might be
County and wants to be married in a month But
dear me, that is too lit would hardly be prop
MI Norman Nicholson could never be trained to old
naidlshness, and even AUNT Olivia seemed to realize
this. lie never stopped to clean his boots when he
came in although She had an ostentaousy scraper
put at each door for his benefit lie seldom moved in
the house without knocking some OF Aunt Ovia's
scattered the ashes over the floor. He brought her
flowers every day and stuck them into whatever re-
ceptacle came handicst He sat her cushions and
rolled her antnacassars up into balls He pvt his feet
on her chair-rungs sand all with the dstracting
Inconsistencies of doing anything ont Of the way
He noticed Aunt Olivias huttering nervousness
at ALL Peggy and laughed more than was good for us
those days 1t was funny to Aunt Olivia lowering
anxiously around. picking up Conversions and smooth
straghten out things. Once she even got wing and
dustpan and swept up the cigar ashes under his very
Don't be worrying yourself that. Mile" he
protested why ! don't mind a litter. bless you"'
How good and jolly he was that Mr.. Norman Nichol-
son Such he sang such stories as he told such
breezy unconventional atmosphere as he brought into
that prim little house where stagnant dulness had
regned Tor years He worshiped Aunt Olivia and his
worship took the concrete form of presents galore He
brought her present every other trp-generaly some
article OF jewery. Bracelets rings chains ear-drops
aunt; she accepted them dcprecatngy, but never were
them. This hurt him little, but she assured lin that
she would wear them all some time.
I'm not used to jewelry, Mr.. Norman Nicholson
she would tell him.
Her engagement ring she did wcar-it was rather
loud combination OF engraved gold and turquoiscs
sometimes we caught her turning it or her finger with
very troubled face
y would be sorry for Mr.. Norman Nicholson if he
were not so much in love with her. said Peggy But
sympathy
Z am, sorry for Aunt Olivia" said Eyes, Peggy, I
born old maid and it ouraging her very nature TO be
anything else Don't you see how it's hurting her ?
ms big splendid nan-ways are narrowing her very
soul up-she can't get out Of her little narrow groove
and it is killing her to be pulled out"
"Nonsense! said Peggy. Then she added with {.
laugh, MARY. did you ever see anything so funny as
Aunt Olivia sitting Mr.. Norman Nicholson's' knee >?
1t 'tas funny. Aunt Olivia thought it very unbe-
coming TO sit there before us, but he made her do It.
He would say with his big, jolly laugh Don't mind the
little girls and pill her down his knee and hold her
there. To my dying day ! shall never forget the ex-
preston on the poor little wonan's face
But as the days went by, and Mr.. Norman Nicholson
began TO insist on date being set for the wedding
Aunt Olivia grew to have strangely disturbed look
One morning Mr.. Norman Nicholson told us all tina,
he was coming Nd that evening to make Aunt Olivia sci
the day: Peggy and aughingly approved, saving that
It was time for him to assert his authority and he went
off in high good humor across the river field whisne
Highland strathspey. But Aunt Olivia looked ;
martyr She had fierce attack Of house cleaning thai
day, and put everything in fawess order even to the
corners As if there were going to be funeral in tn.
house." shifted Peggy.
COPYRIGHT. 1909