Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-09-30

8 Der old aunt, Pussy? People win think I
Lave gone daft IT, 60 down to church tonight
with my hair In this giriish fashion. And what
will your father and mother say when they see
me maitreating the cinnamons by wearing them
on my poor old pate?"
she is ths cinnamon rosy bright,
s.Don't q You 70 dare touch III But did DIR.
Eool er run of with your picture himself2 L
pre- INC he wears it next his heart to this day.
He has such q seraphic gesture when he throws
back his head so, you know, and smites upon his
breast, ard don't doubt he drives your image
deeper in every time he does it!'
Auntie was finishing her toilette in her dress
ing-rcom by this time, so although raised my
voice, yet doubt If she heard anything further
Than the opening question; at least She didn't
reprove or reply to me, except to say when she
wOrk-basket, and have it now"
Just then came James rap at the door, with
the announcement that tea was on the table.
hastily exchanged Aunt Fanny's dressing-sack
tor wrapper OF my own, and soon joined tho
family in the tea-roOm.
Papa beamed upon me with the utmost .inno-
cence and tenderness, as il L were the very
apple OF his eye, which doubtless | am, though
should have been far luckier to have been his
green bag.
His Inconsistencies of having Just broken
that brittlest of divine laws, "Fathers, provoke
not your children to wrath" 50 exasperated me
that that relapsed into sulkiness. Then mmama
remarked that my dress was unbecoming the
time and place.
pleaded in my behalf the fatigue of walking and
hair dressing-so graciously shielding papa that
his tender sympathy for his child remained
smoothly unruffied by any suspicion of himself
As the unnatural cause of her wOes-I was made
much OF, to the great improvement of my tenn
per, and harmony reigned.
Aunt Fanny's mullins and Strawberries con-
tributed not less than her elOquence, perhaps, to
II tn
inquire, in regard 10 the former, If they were
from Mrs. President Lotts's famous recipe.
Papa had just had his plate oiled the second
time with fruit, leaving perhaps three berry
manners" In the dish, when Aunt Fanny said
TO him laughingly, at is we'll you found no
delegate who had no objection to going into the
country to spend his nights, or we could have
had only a dozen strawberries EACH"
Up sprang papa, with his usual da zed look
when his impish memory has been playing its
tricks, and cried ont, "What on earth are Won
eating supper for without the minister, Bertha?
Mother was 30 accustomed to this vicarious
endurance that she calmly tuttered her last
muffin as she inquired, Charles dear, what
minister"
"You are enough to try the patience of saint,
Bertha, What Minister Why, DR.. Hooper,
who preached this afternoon the very best
sermon have heard in ten years"
Aunt Fanny and gazed at each other some
what anXiously, but had no apprehension as vet
of the horrors of the situation.
think We both cherished the hope that for
and that he had left the hOnOred guest on the
church steps, or inadvertently spilled him out
OF the carriage on the way home.
AS for mamma, she was moved to the depths
"Charles, DIR. Hooper hasn't been in the draw
ing room all this time has he?"
mo, no, 10. He is up in the Blue-room.
Didn't you hear any stir in there before YOU
came down. Francis?-Jane, 90 up and tell the
gentlemen tea is on the table. He had head
ache and wanted to sleep it off before the even
ing session, 50 took him right up to the Blue
ROOM as told you when L came home"
"HOu couldn't have told me Charles; have
just come in from poor Mrs. HOwe's L have
been sitting at her bedside all the afternoon, so
that sister Francis cOuid have little rest after
her weeks watching with her."
1t must have been Frances / told then, or
some of you.-But where are you going, girls 90
Aunt amy and were alike "gIrls" to him.
You will excuse me, please, BERTHA" said
Aunt Fanny, her face burning red, and fairly
cony ulsed with modification.
L too was vexed and frightened, but poor
Auntie's agoniZed expression quoted me.
- am not dressed, ouknow, mamma"
stammered /.
" Dressed, child,'' said father what do Won
baby's second best bib and tucker? Don't YOU
60 away, Frances, you are fine enough L am
sure, roses in your hair and ALL and besides L
told Hooper you were here and he said he had
always wanted 10 meet your fathers daughter.
l introduced myself to him as DIR. Diapers SON
in-law, you know"
MCtner interrupted him with her commands.
- cannot spare either of you. Straighten the
table as quickly as possible. Fanny take away
the ST. awberry- dishes. Charles YOU are real
ly too thOughtitss. We have eaten all those de-
liciOuS bCrries!''
Papa sighed remorsefully as he deyoured the
last spoonful of fruit, and Remarked
"Jane must have trouble in waking him, she
Is gone so long"
Talk of a drowning mans condensed memo
ries! This cannot be compared with the men
tal processes which Aunt Fanny and L under
went during those moments OF preparation. But
glance of relief by its aid.
Might not our dreaded neighbor of the Blue
room have taken an over dose of hydrate of
his youth, might he not have fed the house,
once more to spare Aunt Fanny?
Not a bit of it. Jane ushered him in, i'm
maculateiy brushed like sunny bridegroom
prepare to run race.
The audacious creature even wore in his but
''cinnamonsr!
] wondered how much he had heard?
The ordinary forms OF social life must be gone
through with under all conceivable circum-
stances, till merciful death releases us. So Aunt
amy and made our bows very low, to hide
our flaming cheeks) when DR.. Hooper was pre-
sented to us.
Mamma welcomed him at her left hand, and
next myself, so that poor Aunt Fanny, alone on
the opposite side of the table, had to confront
not only my conscious face, but the Doctors,
not which.
So there the poor darling sat, the rose In her
hair, smiling at its mate in his button-hole
hope you have slept away your headache,
DR.. Hooper" said father, adding mendaciously,
I'VE thought we would not disturb you earlier
than was absolutely necessary"
. L feel much refreshed" was the Doctors
nor -committal answer, as he proceeded to de-
vote himself to mother, in a way that won her
heart.
He scarcely seemed to recognize the presence
Of Aunt Fanny and myself, fortunately for us,
although he was courteously responsive to any
Iabie-servlce we were obliged to pay him.
Father was now SO awfully wide-awake and
present-minded as TO be more dangerous than
ever, since he was ignorant of any ouicksands
10 be summed.
He perpetually interrupted the conversation
1T the upper end of the table with irrelevant
questions and remarks, so that Aunt Fanny and
WINGED apprehensively whenever he opened