Demonic atc Bellefonte, Pa., February 14, 1890. ——— AN OLD-TIME QUILTING BEE. Yes, we held a grand reception and had every- thing in style, : : With flowers everywhere and fruit as high as we could pile, The aristocracy was there, all gorgeously ar- rayed, And every body acted just as if 'twas a dress arade. Lock ns my wife—appeared in dresses rich and rare, "4. ith furbelows and flounces and with flowers in her hair; But somehow as I looked at her I couldn't help but see The scene when first I met her at an old-time quilting bee. How mem’ry will keep running back to othe days and scenes; 1 sometimes quite forget that part of life which intervenes Between the years when all I owned was yoathful hope and health, And later times which brought me more of worriment and wealth. And so at the reception in the midst of beau- ty’s glare, : Her face, $hough old and wrinkled, was the sweetest picture there— The one whose smile of friendship has forever welcomed me : ‘Since first I met her glances at the «old-time quilting bee. In those days which we old folks wall the “happy long ago,” : The girls would in the morning meet and gai- ly chat and sew ; They'd keep it up till evening, when the neighbor boys would come, And hold a party or a dance before they left for home ; And when the quilt was finished then they'd take the old house cat And place it in the middle while we loudly hollowed “Scat!” The two the cat would jump between ‘twas said that she and he Would be the first to marry whe were at the quilting bee. And so that night I speak of,when the quilting all was done ‘The girls were eager then to see which way the cat would run. I won't Jorg Lucinda as she stood there by my side Nor Bae blushed all crimson as they called us groom and bride. 1 said it wasan accident, and so I've always said But anyhow before the year had passed we two were wed, And to this very day there are no scenes so fair to me As mem’ries of that evening at an old-time quilting bee.— Chicago Herald. HAL’S BABY. BY LILLIAN SPENCER. It was a bleak December night, and the wind blew a gale. A gray mist had been gathering over the hills all the af- ternoon, and when the sun set in the cloudy west the shadows deepened, and snow flakes fell silently upon the hard, bare ground. Hal and I boarded the limited express for New York at Chi-