Of youth - when the Saturday's chores were through, And the "Sunday wood" in the kitchen, too,

And we went visiting, "me and you,"

Out to old Aunt Mary's?

"Me and you" — and the morning fair,
With the dewdrops twinkling everywhere;
The scent of the cherry-blossoms blown
After us, in the roadway lone,
Our capering shadows onward thrown
Out to old Aunt Mary's!

It all comes back so clear to-day!
Though I am as bald as you are gray,
Out by the barn-lot, and down the lane,
We patter along in the dust again,

As light as the tips of the drops of the rain,
Out to old Aunt Mary's! . . .

Why, I see her now in the open door,

Where the little gourds grew up the sides and o'er
The clapboard roof! And her face — ah, me!
Wasn't it good for a boy to see -

And wasn't it good for a boy to be

Out to old Aunt Mary's.

The jelly, the jam, and the marmalade,

And the cherry and quince "preserves" she made!
And the sweet-sour pickles of peach and pear,
With cinnamon in 'em, and all things rare!
And the more we ate was the more to spare,
Out to old Aunt Mary's!

Ah! was there, ever, so kind a face
And gentle as hers, or such a grace

Of welcoming, as she cut the cake
Or the juicy pies that she joyed to make
Just for the visiting children's sake—
Out to old Aunt Mary's.

The honey, too, in its amber comb
One only finds in an old farm-home;

And the coffee, fragrant and sweet, and ho!
So hot that we gloried to drink it so,
With spangles of tears in our eyes, you know
Out to old Aunt Mary's.

And the romps we took, in our glad unrest!
Was it the lawn that we loved the best,

With its swooping swing in the locust trees,
Or was it the grove, with its leafy breeze,
Or the dim hay-mow, with its fragrances ·
Out to old Aunt Mary's.

Far fields, bottom-lands, creek-banks — all,
We ranged at will. Where the waterfall

Laughed all day as it slowly poured

Over the dam by the old mill-ford,

While the tail-race writhed, and the mill-wheel

But home, with Aunty in nearer call,

That was the best place, after all!

The talks on the back-porch, in the low

Slanting sun and the evening glow,

With the voice of counsel that touched us so,

Out to old Aunt Mary's.

And then, in the garden — near the side

Where the bee-hives were and the path was wide,

With the little square door we knew so well,

And the wealth inside: but our tongues could tell

Out to old Aunt Mary's.

And the old spring-house in the cool green gloom
Of the willow trees, and the cooler room

Where the swinging-shelves and the crocks were kept,
Where the cream in a golden languor slept,

While the waters gurgled and laughed and wept —
Out to old Aunt Mary's.

And as many a time have and I
you
Barefoot boys in the days gone by-

Knelt, and in tremulous ecstasies
Dipped our lips into sweets like these,
Memory now is on her knees

Out to old Aunt Mary's.

And O, my brother, so far away,
This is to tell you, she waits to-day
To welcome us: - Aunt Mary fell
Asleep this morning, whispering

"Tell

The boys to come!" And all is well

...

Out to old Aunt Mary's.

James Whitcomb Riley

From "Afterwhiles," copyright, 1887, by James Whitcomb Riley. The Bobbs-Merrill Co., Publishers.

The Aunt

NEXT, the dear Aunt, whose smile of cheer

And voice in dreams I see and hear,

The sweetest woman ever Fate
Perverse denied a household mate,
Who, lonely homeless, not the less
Found peace in love's unselfishness,

And welcome wheresoe'er she went,
A calm and gracious element,
Whose presence seemed the sweet income
And womanly atmosphere of home,
Called up her girlhood memories,

The huskings and the apple-bees,
The sleigh-rides, and the summer-sails,
Weaving through all the

poor

details

And homespun warp of circumstance
A golden woof-thread of romance,
For well she kept her genial mood
And simple faith of maidenhood;
Before her still a cloud-land lay,
The mirage loomed across her way;
The morning dew, that dries so soon
With others, glistened at her noon;
Through years of toil and soil and care,
From glossy tress to thin grey hair,
All unprofaned she held apart
The virgin fancies of her heart,
Be shame to him of woman born

Who hath for such but thought of scorn.

J. G. Whittier

Aunt Anne

A

UNT ANNE was slight and old, nearly sixty perhaps. All over her face there were little lines that crossed and re-crossed, and branched off in every direction. She had grey hair, and small dark eyes that blinked quickly and nervously; there appeared to be some trifling affection of the left eye, for now and then, as if by accident, it winked at you. The odd thing was that, in spite of her evident tendency to nervous excite

ment, her shabby black satin dress, almost threadbare shawl, and cheap gloves, there was an air of dignity about the spare old lady, and something like determination in her kindly voice that, joined to her impulsive tenderness, made you quickly understand she would be a very difficult person to oppose.

"Dear boy," she said gently to Walter, "why didn't you write to me when you were married? you know how glad I should have been to hear of your happiness."

"Why didn't you write to me, Aunt Anne?" he asked, gaily turning the tables.

“Yes, I ought to have done so. You must forgive me, dears, for being so remiss," she answered, looking at them both, "and believe me that it was from no lack of affection. But," she went on quickly, 66 Iwe must not waste our time. You are coming to Rottingdean with me, and at once. Mr. Baines is longing to see you

both."

"But we can't go now, Aunt Anne," Walter declared in his kindest manner; 66 we must get back to the lodgings. We told them to have luncheon ready at one o'clock, and to-night we go home. You must come and lunch with us."

"That is impossible, dear Walter; you are coming back with me."

"It can't be done to-day," he said regretfully.

"My dear Walter," she answered, with a look of dismay and in a voice that was almost pained, "what would your uncle say if he heard you? I could not possibly return without you."

"But he has never seen me, Aunt Anne."

"That is one reason why he would never forgive me if I did not take you back."

"But it is so far, and we should be all day getting