WOMAN S . w- - i"-- . t : r W- - sv v Vjtio:7uVv tfvinksv"kfl the'; I, wanted Vv thin-re :if linm before - 1i a- - . Rose til emit urran-- be hire to. meet her, we're engaged now,' this last rem. irk 'with an exultant t me as thmih it was a feat accomplished. "Tint's it, isit Fred why I've justdeen telling another I wished she wasn't coining. We don't know what to do up" here with k ople; we're only old- such 'stylish lasnioned country folks you know.no velvet carpets nor silk curtains nor jciit glass and fine silver, and we're not prepared to enter. . v- , 1 j know-abou- e-a- nd . he-ha-d i tain fine people nowadays' "Now- lather, what about your own career, down in Boston sitting in the legisla-- t u re yea r a fter y ea r ? " "6 'twas different then, folks- were plainer, and it wasn't all style and fashion, and your mother here was something of a belle, as much at home there then as I was my- - so-wer- e . - selfshe was a pretty fine dancer hi those days, 'knew the minuet and Roger de Coveily, and wasn't much of a wall, flower ever;, but its all changed now and we're "out of date and home is' the best place for j ' j T ITdon't dispute that tact, .but there'll' I the-Squire- , of-reste- e ai-V- - lave to be some fixing up here now within Tomorrow there'll be some a dav or two. new' carpets and furniture coming and we'll have to look up some help," this with a . great air of con sequel'-Nr. and Mrs. Weutworth looked at each other, guessing what it all meant but with-uo- t saying so, only "What do you mean Fred j list as we are to celebrate Thanksgiving and all the folks coming home, turning the house upside down," and as Fred made no reply his father exclaimed, "Isn't the house we've lived in these forty years and more, and where you and all the others were born, good enough for her to come to? Its all very strange and incomprehensible." "That isn't life question, I'm going to be married, and besides Rosetta there will be hei, iatliL1: and mullrci and biuthei and the minister and bridesmaids, a:a some other college frfends of mine." This in one breath .was overwhelmin they had guessed there was to be a wedding when the earjx.ts and furniture Were men tioned, but to think of a minister fronrEos-ton- , that wasxather more than they could .stand. What would folks think and where were they to put all these fine people ? And poor Mrs.; Wentworth puzzled her brain all night long contriving where they would all sleep and what to do for help in such an emergency. There was plenty of linen, if it wasn't fin?, and blankets and quilts and feather beds in abundance that was some consolation she told tho' he did not seem to answer, and filially she stopped talking, but no sleepier her, it wasjtoo exciting, and to think of the strange minister, and would he' bring his wife, and was he or t hodox, antHrhTmdred other th i n g s"t h a tr puzzled her. She was glad when morning came so she could be- - doing something for she could not be still when so many things' must be changed. Before the family had finished breakfast the wagons drove, in from the station With the household goods, and Jake had hunted up some workmen and the Carter girl's mother came, and a. colored women who did the washing and all day long there was noise enough such aThad never been heard in that old house, never since they had re modelled it more than a quarter cf a century .before.' Fredjammed his fingers trying to and the Squire lamed his arm and help, which-sh- Iter eyes were irAVaVU:Xi:Ttii acI,ctl for w?ut' I i . had become accustomed better than usual, As a iRjUk very red und't'-rhis wife fact she had as she thought fixed comf. sleep, but neither the .Satire, 'nor. for the house for was every guest, rte had a word tefsa changes, lor bly and roomy, and she only wondered Fred was master of the situation evidently; t what was to be done with the new and though his mother was curious to she declared to herself as she was. the minister she dreaded to ask, and he didn't look as if he had not even told them his name 'nor ing asleep that slept in a bed, muffled' up as he w how it was the marriage was to take place furs, and so dreaming of diamonds and uei up in the country so hurriedly, but towards Boers of South Africa of which her In. ;r evening when the workmen" were gone and in law' had been talking when she ri ted there seemed to be a lull in me noi.se aim bustle and Mrs. Weutworth was ready, to for the night, she fell into a profound restful sleep. drop with fatigue, the last straw was added Morning came foggy and dismal but rht by Fred informing them that the minister' all the- Stacys, house was bright and cheery and every, was a Unitarian and and that was why he had decided to have thing in "apple pie order" the Squire .id. one from Boston, knowing there were only The girls arrived fresh from school at The Greenfield, and their dainty ways orthadox ministers in Wendell. the . pictures, flowers etc.. ,ere Squire was "awfully upset," as he ex"No nonsense about uur pressed it afterwards' and Mrs. Went worth .quite refreshing. cried until near bedtime "and to think of it, girls," 'their father remarked to manr.na, alter all the teachings her boy had that he "I wouldn't tolerate it in them, ;nid -- hould consent to such a thing," was her Greenfield is a staid, old 'town not like But indeed comment to her husband who kept silent Boston and seaside places. the girls were not so very young, and the on the subject.' father who looked upon Marian as almost a ii. tint niirlit nnntVipr rrrpntfr ;iimri came, it ivas near midnight and they sat baby tho' even she was over twenty, retalking in the great oaken dining room marked to the mother "he was mighty glad when a knock, like intruder came at the there were no young fellows dangling after brave as he them." door, and even the old Squire . T.;e girls were as much surprised at the was started to Ins ieet calling out in a sudden transition in the house as the old Mrs. voice, "who's there." trembling Weutworth was shivering with fear, hut folks and much more delighted, their uncle Fred had rushecLthro' the hall to the door was simply charming, in story teding esin a moment and ushered in the stranger, pecially; it was like .a romance and Susan a gruff voice and foreign accent and yet to wdio. was inclined to be literary declared the Squire something familiar in the tones, she would write it up in a story and people and Fred without ceremoiy announced would think it wasn't real at all. Uncle' Edward Weutworth, all the way The Squire would come and before the last train from Boston from South Africa. have fallen had not Fred caught him and all the married daughters had arrived and at were posted on the affairs of the family. carefully seated him; he couldn't-speafirst and Mrs. Weutworth looked as if she Uncle Edward explained some things and had seen a ghost. It was indeed as tho told stories of his travels and played with" one Jiad risen from the dead. The brother the little folks, and promised them stores of he goouies; ana rreu iook upon nimseii ' to itu htnHjCcrnenoTore-thai had ru away when a lad, and hearing his sisters of the nuptials about to be soafter, some years of the death of his father, lemnized, and later ran down to the station his mother having died when he was very with the carriage sent to meet the, bridal young previous to his escapade, he had party. The Carters and the heln had set the roamed .about m loreign, parts seeking his fortune and not finding it, and at last havneighborhood gossiping, and those who had ing made a lucky hit and realized wealth, usually been invited when there was any all at once he had a desire to knowr how it" great doings at Squire Wentworth's were in a flutter of excitement about an invitation to" had fared with his folks in America. Arriving in Boston only, a few days before he the wedding, and altogether the whole affair looked over the newspaper and saw the proved to be a "nine days' wonder." liven name of h'red Weutworth of Wendell, son, the wedding c? ke was sent from Boston, of - Squire Went worth, who had figured and all sorts of fruits and dainties the great conspicuously in politics in early days. It City afforded at that season. ' was an announcement of young The guests were late-fo's the drive was engagement to Miss Stacy, the only , long and the country roads rough, and the daughter of a wealthy shipping merchant ladies unaccustomed to jostling, the drivers whose wife (the girl's mother), was a cousin must be careful Fred had told them, and so of Squire Wentworth. He pushed his inthe coming, was slow and tedious. " Over quiries further and thunted..-.-up the young the Went worth home there was a hush of troaucea to the Stacys, and" expectancy during the interval , and thou gh man, an of course his cousin Adelaide wTas glad to there was so much to talk about the only see him and Miss Stacy was romantic one who seemed inclined to converse was enough to fancy the rich bachelor uncle her Uncle ..Edward; he had the easy, carekss mother's cousin, and after that everything air of of a man to whom no surprise brings' ' went on swimmingly with the young folks seriousness. At last the carriages driving and the uncle and nephew ananged .to up the lane was a for all to be on signal keep the matter a secret and not give the hand and the great piazza was full" of peonewspapers a chance to publish it until ple as the' guests alighted, and as the night they were safe out of Boston. air was damp and cold, the hour late and Squire Wentworth and his, brother sat up the travelers veary the greetings :were' exall that night talking over old times, and ceedingly formal and perhaps a trifle Fred whose secret was now exploded at any rate somewhat embarrassing. slept sounaiy; even poor .Mrs. Wentworth otirl a rpollv dell Affpr n o-CtIt ennnor . ?v rrw exhausted with hannetn'no-the thoroughly cious one, the guests' were shown to the? and confusions after "the lonely quiet tQ apartments and the minister who had u . -- ".EX?U,7.,r I i -- a r -- k 1 -- j 4. 1 Went-worth- - ft A - A 1 A 1 r , 1 I -- ' ds-tan- t, 1 . o j : t" 1 - -- . ;