of loneliness and discontent from stealing
in. Spinster, wife, and widow, they had every one been warped by the
testy just-so-ness of the old maid.

Now, instead of fretful discussions of health and food, recriminations
and wrangling, there came to be laughter and good-humored chatter all
the day long, each sister striving with all her strength to preserve the
new-found harmony of the Home. There were musical evenings, when Miss
Abigail opened the melodeon and played "Old Hundred," and Abraham was
encouraged to pick out with one stiff forefinger "My Grandfather's
Clock." "Hymn tunes" were sung in chorus; and then, in answer to Abe's
appeal for something livelier, there came time-tried ditties and old,
old love-songs. And at last, one night, after leaving the instrument
silent, mute in the corner of the parlor for many years, Aunt Nancy
Smith dragged out her harp, and, seating herself, reached out her
knotted, trembling hands and brought forth what seemed the very echo, so
faint and faltering it was, of "Douglas, Douglas, Tender and True."

There was a long silence after she had finished, her head bowed on her
chest, her hands dropped to her sides. Abraham spoke first, clearing his
throat before he could make the words come.

"_I_ wish I could git a husband fer every one of yer," said he.

And no one was angry, and no one laughed; for they all knew that he was
only seeking to express the message conveyed by Nancy's playing--the
message of Love, Love triumphant, which cannot age, which over the years
and over Death itself always hath the victory.

VII

OLD LETTERS AND NEW

Blossy left the room without a word, and went stealing up the stairs to
the little cupboard where she now slept, and where was hung on the wall,
in a frame of yellow hollyhocks, painted by her own hand, a photograph
of Captain Samuel Darby, the man who had remained obstinately devoted to
her since her days of pinafores.

The picture betrayed that Captain Darby wore a wig designed for a larger
man, and that the visage beneath was gnarled and weather-beaten, marked
with the signs of a stubborn and unreasonable will.

Even now the aged belle could hear him saying: "Here I be, come eround
ter pop ag'in. Ready ter hitch?"

Samuel's inelegant English had always been a source of distress to
Blossy; yet still she stared long at the picture.

Six months had passed since his last visit; to-morrow would be the date
of his winter advent.

Sh