Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-06-09
AUNT HEPzIE,s WARNING.

and hold this zephyr while wind, and I'll
tell you all about it."
Aunt Hepzie had come over to take tea
with my mother and the two were sitting,
in cheerful state, before the parlor fire
aunty was arrayed in her pontifcals, her best
alpaca gown and silk apron, with stiff cap,
which always came i'll box and went in a
box, and during the interregnum lowered sub
timely upon its owners head.
els there any thing of interest in the vii
lage ?" asked mother Aunt Hepzie was
from the village. We were suburbans
No nothn' partikelar that | know Of"
replied my aunt, conscientiously, at the same
time adjusting her knitting sheath L think
our church is in an awful condition"
"Why do you? | thought they seemed
very united the last year." remarked mother
United! Oh dear yes, Deacon Hall he
says we're all froze together. Oh, he talked
beautiful about it 1.-THE last Conference meet
in. Said he wondered the storms that come
down on SodomI land Gomorrer didn't visit US.
Oh, it's O the Lords mercy that we amt con-
sumed, every one on us !" and aunty gave
deep sigh.
why as to that, it's of Gods mercy we
have all our blessings, isn't it Hepzibah ?"
replied mother, with some energy. She new
errelished aunty's attacks upon times and peo-
pie; and she went on, CAS- for thinking that
we are in any. danger of the fate of Sodom, |
don't even think we are particularly deserv-
ing of it. No doubt we have all great reason
to be humble on account of our sins; but
what's the use of saying that we live in the
worst age, and among the worst people?
It's no such thing! For my part, Pm thank
full my lines have fallen in such pleasant
places"
"Well, Susan, Pm glad eff you can take
such a cheerful view ont! but that warn't
the was Deacon Hall talked. An speakin O
him reminds me they do say t Clarissy
Halls RELY going to be married. They Dor
ried Miss Squme Jones's cake tins this morn
in. BoTyin' them cake tins alters means
weddin'; right Oft too. An that makes me
think "-aunty was fairly under way now. |
knew there would be no intermission until
tea time.
"D'ye know that Squire Jones's nephew
had come up from New York to spend the
Summer?n
"No. We hadn't heard of it. What
nephew" asked mother.
why, young Farley. You remember his
mother; she twas Lecty Jones' She mar
ried Farley, an they went off down country
Somewheres to live, an this is her SON."
All yes, remember his mother perfect
ly. WE'LL this will be very pleasant for Mrs
Jones'"
Pleasant for the girls, you'd better say
Master hand he is for the girls, they tell me-
an | shouldn't wonder. Come up here for
his health, indeed Don't believe a word of
it. | see him to meetin' long O Miss Jones,
an he looked well 'nough 'cordin' to my way
O thinkn'. All pink and white. Well, | |
know one thing Eff | was a girl | wouldn't
speak 20 HIM with all his airs. The upstartp'
Ia, IL.
was silence broken only by the clicking of
two sets of knIttIng-needles. Ihld Il book |
reading with my eyes and hearing with my
ears, quite conscious that the present subject |
was supposed to have bearings upon myself
" tell you," began Aunt Hepzie again,
sturdily, girls better be pretty careful. City
beaus Is mighty onsart1in-mighty onsar-
tam, and she repeated the words to render
them still more impressive. An they care
for country girls is to kite about an hev IA
good time with 'em here, an when they get
back to the city they don't think no more
about 'em N they do about last years robins
hot whit more; so, Loizy'-here she
sent shot from her black eyes over her
spectacles at me" SO now you may take
waruln'."
Z" Thank you, aunty, but | don't think it
Will be needed. Pink and white people aren't
just out of the city there was a grand old
place, with bay-windows and balconies, foun-
tains and flowers. That was the Farley place
Up on the hill there brown house, with
low roof and vine-covered porch. That was
our house. Philip Farlcy's father owned
ships on and blocks on shore. Mine had
gone to sleep years ago, under the tangle of
wild hrier and golden-rod up in the church
yard.
Six feet tall and broad-shouldered, with
blue eyes, light hair, and beard golden and
silken like embroidery foss-that's Philip.
You see how little and dark | am and nv
hair, did you ever see it down? Look at me
then when | take the combs out. Black as
night, and nearly covers me, you see. "Van
of it," you say? A trife, perhaps. Why
not? l know it's beautiful If l were pretty
myself I'd own it all the same; but I'm not,
you know. Wasn't it odd that great mass
of sunshine like Philip should fancy a little
dusky bit of shadow like me? But he did,
and knew it, of course. A woman ALWAYS
knows, | suppose. And | don't mind now
telling you that | liz ed him from the first In
fact we were in love; | use the expression
under protest, because it's the briefest way of
putting it.
You know there is a class of our country
people who, for some reason or other. are in
imical toward their city brethren. You can
easily imagine that my Aunt Hepzie was one
OF these. 1t was few days after her tea
drinking at our house that she was bustling
about one bright morning in her tidy kitchen
by-the-by, you should see. From silver spoon
down to brass kettle, everything shines 1t
would be work of superreogation to intro
duce mirrors into that house, when one may
see ones face i'll every thing. But, as | said
Aunt Hepzie was in the kitchen when she
heard skrimping noise" as she reported
to me subsequently, with a yigor of direction
peculiarly her own, and turning, she was
aware of figure standing in the doorway.
"Mrs. Sinclair, think" said the stranger,
with bow.
eyes, that is my name" replied auntie,
more concise than suave. "What did he
want to come to the back door tor?" she
thought
" And mine is Farley" said the young man;
81 think you used to know my mother, Mrs.
Sinclair; ana hope you'll let me come and
see YOU sometimes for old aequaintanees
sake"
I'D be very glad to see you, I'm sure"
said aunty, a little less stiffiy-the chivalrous
bearing if the visitor was not lost upon the
hostess.
"My aunt sent over this basket of roots
from her garden. Perhaps you will allow me
to set them for you in your border" he said.
"Oh, Pm much obleeged Won't you just
come in and sit down minute y
And the young man crossed the Kitchen,
finging his broad -brmmed straw hat upon
the white table, tossing back his curls, and
then seizing upon the doing cat:
Wake up here, puss, and seezyo
friends" he said, holding the astonished
quadruped at arms-length by the nape of the
neck. And, by-the-by, Mrs. Sinclair, how is