Year: 1873

it of calling occasionally on Saturday
evening at about this time. But she
recollected with a twinge of con-
science how hard she had tried to
persuade the old lady to accompany
her husband on the promised visit to
Aunt Ruth's in spite of her torewarn-
y ings of a coming spell Of "neurally," /"
which had intimidated her from ven
turing out into the damp night air
and also how she had plead headache
as an excuse for not going herself
She knew that her mother was quite
sharp enough to draw her own infer
ences from these two facts,and the ad-
ditional one Of her being dressed with
more than usual care to spend an even
ing at home.


81 shall not dare to tell her now,' -
she said to herself. "She'd be sure to
think that [ wanted to get her out of
the way, so that l might have David
all to myself" So, like wise little
puss, she was silent.


III venture my word on it, you
would not have wondered at our bash
ful young farmers desperate enthrall-
ment it you could have seen Annie
Moore as she sat sewing by the fire
that frosty night in November. She
had just before supper indulged in
what Western girl would call a elk
ing up" A neat fitting dark chintz
dress, looking as fresh as when it had
first came out of the village store, a
dainty white linen collar and cuffs,
and coquettish frflled apron of white
muslin, and a blue neck ribbon tied in
n cunning bow, were the chief items
of Annie's toilette. But she looked
as sweet and pretty as if hours had
been spent in donning satin, lace and
jewels. Her rich, wavy, gold brown
hair was carried in shining folds away
from her warm red cheek, and caught
up in the meshes of a silken net at the
back.


Eight o'clock and past! Worthy
Mrs. Moore was doing over her knit
ting. Her shadow on the opposite
wall bobbed about in a grotesque
mimicry as she nodded to and fro
now crushing the voluminous white
satin bows on the spruce cap against
the back of her chair-now almost
falling forward, while her fat hands at
length droped listlessly in her lap, and
her ball ofyarn rolled down upon the
hearth. Puss, espying it, was soon
busy in unwinding and converting it
into all sorts of Gordian knots.


All at once came double rap at the
door-an audacious double rap-which
said 'Let me in!' so loudly and i'm
patiently, and in such self assured
manner, that Annie, rendered nervous
by suspense, started up with little
scream and set her foot on Madame
Puss's tail, who in turn gave vent still
more loudly to her amazement and
displeasure.


All these three combined, OF rather
rapid succession of noises, aroused
Mrs. Moore, and she started wildly
into an erect posture, rubbing her
eyes, setting her cap border, and ex-
claiming:


"Bless my soul, Annie! What was
all that? Somebody at the door? ?
What time is it and how, and who
can it be? SO late as this, tool"


at is not very late, mother. Only
little after eight. I'll go and see
who it is" said Annie demurely, at the
same time taking the one candle from
the table.


No! Here, Annie, you wind up
my ball and brush up the hearth while
| 90 to the door. Drat that cat !"


For the old lady's feet were all this
while struggling in the perplexinging
meshes of the unravelled yarn.


In her hurry Mrs. Moore forgot to
take the candle with her; and as she
stepped out into the small, unlighted
front entry, she unwittingly closed be-
hind her the door of the room she had
Just left. Almost at the same moment
she put her hand on the handle of the
outer door, and opening it, she found
herself in the ardent embrace of a pair
of stout arms. A whiskered face was
brought into close proximity with her
own, and before she could fully real
ize her position, she received pro-
longed kiss-a hearty smack, given
with significant gusto which indi-
Gated that the unknown was taking
his revenge for some past slight-pay-
ing off some old score; for it said as
,1oip1,, 90 wordo oou1d boyo dono