Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-07-01

pleasure of the company, and l was real
glad 1t wasn't me that was nis wife II ne
!, 80 .och a small, stingy soul
Aunt Oily pared the patch to hoe
hole in her calico apron, burnt by spark
If fire. and began sewing i. on in silence.
..Were those ali the beaux you ever
had. Aunt Dilly e. asked Clara, looking
innocent.
mo, indeed / guess not.'' exclaimed
the old lady, emphat;cally slipping off
thread as she thought of the manner In
which the hopes OF her retinue of admirers
had been cut off.
Tell more," said Lucy, stroking the
sleeping kittens.
II expect likely 1 might have been
keeping house for DR.. Dillingham; to-day
if | had been so inclined" asserted Aunt
billy, looking about her with an air of
triumphant defiance.
"Why, Aunt Dilly, didn't know you
ever even spoke with himi |" exclaimed
Bessy.
Il havn't said ever did, retorted the
ancient belle rather 6ercely. "Can't
folks tell nothing by other folks looks and
manners, | want to know2 Many and
many q sunday when he has been preach
ing for our minister, while he was a wi
dover, he has eyed me SO SHARP that
dropped my veil over my face, till finally
| got learnt if | saw the old doctor in the
pulpit to make it point to always sit
with my veil down. And | most com
monty kept my seat till he had passed
down the aisle, then slipped out the other
door, from where l saw him stop and
stand looking and looking, as intent as
could be, to see when | came along 1t
wss just so after he had lost each OF his
wives, and he has had three of them be-
sides the present one"
= How do you suppose he found out
you were not married 70 asked Clara.
There would be folks enough ready to
| tell him. had reason to think my name
was mentioned to him with q recommend
more than once" returned Aunt Oily,
mysteriously.
wonder you didn't have him." re-
marked Bessy.
mot | never had no hankering 80
| be minister's wife, though l have often
thought | was cut out for one. | could
lead off in society so well, and then | was
sprightIy without being giddy and full of
| foolish notions, even when / was young
girl. That wasn't such a dreadful long
| while ago neither, Miss" she continued,
| frowning again upon Clara, whom she dis
covered slyly smiling,
"You have had beaux since DR.. Dilling-
hams day, haven't you, Aunt billy 2"
asked Bessy, wishing TO restore the equa
nimity of the old lady's ruffiec temper.
"Well, | expect | might have had if it
| hadn't been for Mrs. Talkenton. expect
| might have been second wife to her
father if she hadn't seen how things
were going, and took it upon herself TO
! yna1Hla oph ,Uhut nf
her business. The old gentleman was
mighty soft, and pretty near as good as
made an offer of himself once or twice
but | never quite made up my mind |
would marry TO him, and | have never
been sorry | didn't. He isn't living now,
and | think whether or no | shouldn't
have felt lonesomer and more forlorn like,
If l had been Left a widow than to always
remain single; and never was one that
was in t1utter to marry just for the cake,
as folks say, of having Mrs. Oh my grave
stone
But, Aunt Oily, didn't any of your
beaux really offer themselse yes to you after
all 2" asked Lucy, full OF wonder
Aunt Oily bridled, and puckered up
her mouth contemptuously.
Pears to me you are over-young TO be
filling your head up with beaux and Of
fers. When l WAS your years, nobody
never heard such talk from me, and |
should think you would be better employ
ed studying your book than in interrupt
ing older people with your saucy guess
tionS."
Lucy looked astonished, not understand
ing her otfense; but she folded her hand
kerchief around one of the kittens tor a
shawl and held Der peace.
immediately Aunt Dilly started up.
Somebody is driving into the yard
Who is it, girls2" said she, adjusting her
Scotch pebbles and peering cautiously
from the window. "Oh, it is Mr.. Nor.
ridgewockl | s'pose like enough he has
got some errand with your father; but
then, as he has lost his wife lately, it is
likely he is looking out for another, and |
don't want to put myself in ha way to
encourage him, nor to make talk"
SO Aunt Oily retreated to the citadel
of her own room, fully convinced, dear
old soul that she had had and neglected
hot tn say rejected-aaother " chance
TO get married.