National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-11-29


i well as her nephew, had put on all
her fiuery and practised her most
difficult piece Ofmusie. s9f
There comes the carriage said
Mrs. Brown. Charlie run out and
hand her from it. It's an attention
she will appreciate. Mind your
bow.' I@-l "alJtoi 'u.
'Oh, yes,' said Charlie. T'll do it
up i'm style.' }A'nl ls H.
And ont of the parlor he flew
just in time to open the carriage
door.
MY dear aunt he began. so de-
lighted Allow me-
law said q voice within, Il kin
get out myself. Twas tew much
trouble tew answer a civil question
fur a body in the ears, and i don't
need any assistance now No,-fll
take my own basket! might hev
done it before, for all you--
And Charlie, quite annihilated,
/ followed his snappish retative into
the parlor.
'How dye do. niece and nephew.
This is your darter, suppose . said
aunt Charlotte. While Mrs. Brown
questioned Charlie with her eyes
and-'Oh, my. How az 8 ye! So
glad tew see We agin. Never should
have got nowhere if it hadn't a.
been for you, and tew find YOU here
i am delighted.
And aunt Charlotte pOunced up
on Hal Rawley and shook nands
with him.
Then. in an instant every one III
the room comprehended the true
state of things.
The shabby old woman, to whom
from sheer good nature, Hal Raw
ley had offered so much kind atten.
ton. was the rich and eccentric
aunt Charlotte, who was able to
make the fortune of any one she
! fancicd, and who was known to be a
constant friend to any one who
pleased her, and hard to conciliate
when once offended.
Mrs. Brown was in despair, and
Charlie blamed his unlucky stars
for what they had nothing whatev
er to do with. Both felt disposed
to quarrel with Hal and to fancy
that he knew aunt Charlotte all the
while. But his conduct during her
stay disarmcd them. He was po-
lite, of course, but he paid no cour
to her and left the field clear to
Charlie, who devoted himself to the
old lady untiringly, and who, at
last, ilattered himself that he had
obliterated all remembrance of his
former rudeness.
Alas for their hopes. All this
sacrifice of time and patience was
thrown away. Aunt Charlotte was
no fool, and enjoyed herself at the
expense of Mr.. Charles to her heart S
content. But on her return to her
own home she sent for her lawyer,
made a will i'll Hal Rawley's favol
and sent W ord to the Browns that
she had done SO, by friend who
was ordered to report jest heow the
critters took it, -.a. IL.
Now, Hal will take airs thought
Charlie, but Hal remembered aud
, acted upon the proverb, Its i'll
| work waiting for dead mems shoes,
| and kept on in his old way.
, In the summer vacation aun
2 Charlotte sent for him to visit her
and he went. She would have hin
= at Christmas also, and by and by
actually moved to New York to h'
J. near him. They formed a clos'
5 friendship, and Hal, an orphan from
a his birth, valued the old woman''
= motherly kindness more than the
e fortune sha had bequeathed to him
and when at last she left the world
o shed many tears for her loss,
He was II rich man now and abl'
/. to do good on n larger scale THAI
formerly. lie was not eNtravdgan
5. and liked well but plainly. AM
5, Charlie sneered at him for a slow
2, going fellow who did not enjoy lii'
! while he could, lie kept on irient
Ie ly terms with his cou.in, however
y and at last having run through tn
G, property his father lett him, settle
1t down % dependent on Halls bounty
to which Interesting character he SUI
v. tained until in the fullness OF tim
h he absolutely died Of gluttony an
Us idleness combined.
ID Hal is living yet, the head of
numerous family, and an actu
q. proof that good.nature aud polit
Il. ness are not always thrown ava
W even Oh shabby old women. +. .
/, ;