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Show tired of living alone and sewing on vests to earn her pin money, and she had determined, on this particular occasion, oc-casion, to make a bold stroke and win a husband. She attired herself on New Year's day in a green satin dress, cut low in the neck and short in the sleeves, pinned a bunch of holly at the left side, and puffed her newly tinted hair In the most elaborate style. "I do declare," said Miss Angela to herself, "I don't look a day over twenty." Deacon Perkins was the first to arrive, ar-rive, an old bald-headed man, with a complexion of leather and the keenest of twinkling black eyes. "I got a letter from you, Miss Han-na," Han-na," said he. "I s'pose you want to consult me on business." "La, deacon, what a very strange Idea," giggled Miss Hanna. "No, in- A Double Anniversary c Susan EcSciy ' Copyright Syndicate ' TV TOW, I wonder what that I I means?" said Ethan Crane. I lie had just come back ' with the weekly paper and one letter from his tramp through the snow to the post office. Old Mrs. Crane had brought in the lighted candles and piled an extra log on the fire. Ethan Hire open the envelope and read the inclosed card : 'Miss Angela Hanna. At Home. January 1st.' " "La !" said Mrs. Crane. "She wants you 4o call there." "Get out," said Ethan, with a sudden access of sheepishncss. "Why should I go there?" "Well, why not?" asked Mrs. Crane. "It's what the city people do, I'm told. They make a big cake and draw a pitcher of cider and set down in their hest clothes to see company. Angy i Hanna is dreadful enterprising; she means to lead in the fashions." "Am I to call there?" asked Ethan. "Why, of course," said his mother. "What else does it mean? Miss Angela An-gela Hanna at home." "She's at home most days, ain't she?" said Ethan musingly. "There was never anything of the gad-about in Angela Hanna that I ever heard of." "Oh, but this here's a new kink !" exclaimed Mrs. Crane. "An extra-spe-cial day for calling don't you see?" "I'd calculated to take the oxen to Snidge Hill and grub stumps out of the clearln' on New Year's day," said Ethan. "The next day will do just as well for the stumps," said Mrs. Crane, encouragingly. en-couragingly. "You might as well be out of the world as out of the fashion." fash-ion." Deacon Perkins received one of Miss Hanna's cards and so did Squire Hart. In fact, there wasn't a widower or old bachelor or eligible swain in all Falrview who was omitted from her list. "I ain't as young as I was," said Miss Ilannn to herself. "It's high time I took steps to establish myself." Miss Angela Hanna had just passed her five-and-fortieth birthday; she was si out and ruddy, with the very best set of teeth that the Falrview dentist could supply, and a perpetual smile riveted on her lips. She was very "How Came You Here?" Screamed Miss Hanna. deed I I only wir.h to promote sociability socia-bility during the festive season.' "Well, then, I guess I'd better be goin'," said the deacon. I hain't no time for no sich foolery." "Don't be in a hurry, deacon," urged Miss Hanna. "I do wish to consult you." "About what?" frowned the deacon, looking dubiously at the purple shoulders shoul-ders and arms of the lady. "Marriage," said Miss Hanna. "Would you advise me, dear deacon, to commit my future into the hands of another?" . "Eh!" said the deacon. "Had an offer?" of-fer?" "Yes," said Miss Hanna, driven by his directness into an absolute lie. "Then, if I was you," said the deacon, dea-con, "I'd accept it, 'cause it ain't likely you'll have many of 'em." "But, deacon," she stammered, "what if I don't love the man? WThat if I love another who " "Then don't accept him," said the deacon ; but, suddenly becoming electrically elec-trically aware of his danger as Miss Hanna moved her chair a little closer to his, he added, "My horse is gettin' dreadful oneasy outside. I guess I'll be goin'. No, thankee" as Miss Han- na took up the plate of cake "I don't never eat nothin' except at reg-lar meals. Good mornln' !" And thus the deacon escaped. "Eh! What's that noise? If It's the cat jumping at my canary again but It sounded more like someone laughing laugh-ing and cats don't laugh. Who's that cnmin' up the walk? Ethan Crane, I do declare I Well, he's a likely young fellow not as rich as Squire Perkins, maybe, but Oh, come in, Mr. Crane. Come in. I am so glad to see you. Lovely day, isn't It?" Ethan Crane sat down with his hat In his lap. "I received your card, Miss Hanna." "Oh, did you 1" said Angela, with a smile. "To tell the truth," said honest Ethan, "I wanted a little talk with you." "Indeed !" said the lady. "Won't you come here and set by me on the sofa? It's more sociable like." "Oh, yes, if you like," said Ethan, obeying her gesture of invitation. "You see, my mother is getting feebler every day, and we feel the need of some younger person at the farm. And I'm twenty-eight now, and the place Is in good order, and I've money at interest, so that I've pretty much made up my mind to marry." Miss Angela let the puffed and frizzled friz-zled head fall on his shoulder. "Dearest Ethan 1" she exclaimed. "Yes exactly," said Ethan Crane, moving as far away as the arm of the sofa would allow. "So, if you thought that your niece, Mirandy, would have me" "My nlsce, Mirandy !" gasped the elder lady, the immovable bloom never altering on her face, although her heart best wildly and her lips blanched. "Yes," sa.'Cl Ethan. "I hoped to meet her here tollay." "No !" said Miss Angela sharply. "She's gone away; and if she hadn't, she wouldn't accept you." "Is she engaged to someone else?" stammered poor Ethan. "Yes," said Miss Hanna. "To Joshua Simpklns. But, Ethan, do not grieve ; I am ready to entertain your suit, although al-though Mirandy despises you, and " "But'she doesn't, aunty !" interrupted interrupt-ed a clear, distinct voice, and Mirandy herself entered from an adjoining room. "On the contrary, she loves Ethan Crane dearly, and she refused Joshua Simpklns, as you know very well. "How came you here?" screamed Miss Hanna. "I went to Mrs. Brown's house," said Mirandy, "and she had gone to spend the holidays with her niece at Stanford. So I came back home." "You are a dreadful minx !" cried Miss Hanna, nearly suffocated with anger. "Gently!" said Ethan Crane, interposing inter-posing in Mirandy's defense. "No calling call-ing of names, please." "And you shan't stay in my house another day!" added the Indignant lady. "Thou she shall come to mine !" boldly asserted Ethan. "Come, Mirandy, Mi-randy, darling my sleigh is at the door and it holds exactly two. We'll go to Parson Squire's and get married this very hour." So they were married, and old Mrs. Crane, who was waiting at the farmhouse farm-house door to receive her sou. was delighted. de-lighted. "If it hadn't been me," said Mirandy, Mi-randy, mischievously, "it would have been Aunt Angela, for she was determined deter-mined to marry Ethan." "The Lord forbid!" said Mrs. Crane, raising her eyes. "And after this." said Ethan, as he led his bride in, "the Erst day of the year will be a double anniversary the happiest of Happy New Years. Eh, Mira n dy ?" A r l,- . xMK l A ' r - V-V .A . - - hV 1 ? " - i . , , - ' 4 ' v . ; o : a :n N ' ' : ) ; 1 : H r - lWiai-v -x " s r - " - - v |