their own, and the merry company took their respective ways home beneath
the silver light of the full moon; and, half an hour later, sleep had
settled over the inmates of the old farm-house. Afterwards in giving a
description of the apple-paring bee to my mother, I allowed that it
surpassed in enjoyment any thing in which I had ever before participated.




CHAPTER XIII.


The winter glided quietly, and withal pleasantly, away at Uncle
Nathan's. To me it was a very busy season, being anxious to render
myself helpful to my kind relatives, who were doing so much for me. It
was some time before I could entirely overcome the feeling of distrust
and suspicion with which Aunt Lucinda was inclined to regard me; her
daily care for my comfort, and many real acts of kindness drew my
naturally affectionate heart toward her, and it grieved me much to fear
that she felt for me no affection; but Aunt Lucinda was not at all
demonstrative, and seldom gave expression to her real feelings, besides
this she had told Uncle Nathan at the first, she was sure I would
turn out a bad boy, and, like all positive people, she disliked to
acknowledge herself in the wrong. The reader is not to suppose that I
consider myself as having been any thing like perfect at the time of
which I am speaking; on the contrary, I had my full share of the failing
and short-comings common to my age, and often my own temper would rise
when Aunt Lucinda found fault with me, or in some other way manifested
a feeling of dislike, and the bitter retort would rise to my lips; but
I believe I can say with truth that I never gave utterance to a