The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-05-04

became an avowed aspirant for the hand
of his early love, who had in the mean
time become widow. And, what is
still more to the purpose, Aunt Jerusha
herself came by degrees to acknowledge
that they were kindred spirits and SYM
pathetic souls.
But at this stage, Jerusha's malignant
star again interfered. She had, it is
true, found "spirit-mate," but why
was he so very diminutive This was a
difficulty which she could not get over
Had heaven really destined them for
each other here below, it would most as
suredly have made him of a more CORE
spending stature-six feet something,
insteod of five feet and two inches. She
recoiled from the idea of contracting
once more marriage which had not
been predestined in heaven, and as often
as poor Peleg pressed his suit-a subject
to which he returned with pertinacity
rare in these degenerate days-she al
ways declined committing herself, with
the stereotyped formula mo, Peleg, it
! can't be the will of heaven, or we should
have been better matched in the flesh"
Aunt Jerusha had for the ten thous-
andth time arrived again at this sad
conclusion, when Tabitha returned with
the watch, whose diamonds sparkled just
as brightly as ever, although the careless
matchmaker had not repaired its works.
Somewhat cheered by the sight of her
treasure, Aunt Jerusha now took her de-
parture, but not without first having
strictly adnfonished her maid on no ac-
count whatever to leave the premises.
But, as might have been expected, no
sooner had Jerusha's stately form turned
the corner of the street, than Tabitha
ran down the front steps and dived into
the basement next door, for cosy chat
with fellow servant.
While Tabitha was gossipping with
her crony in the basement of the adjoin-
ing house, and Aunt Jerusha was en-
gagged in the same congenial occupation
in higher social sphere, the hours rap
idly winged their flight. The afternoon
had thus nearly passed away, when two
strangers of suspicious appearance ap-
preached the deserted dwelling. Mount
ing the front steps, one of them pulled
the bell, once, twice, three times. No
one responding to the summons, they
tried the door, pushed it open, entered
the hall, peeped into the parlors, assembled
the stairs to the upper story, all without
finding living soul about the premises.
They searched the entire house, and
speedily ascertained that they were its
sole occupants.
Then the fellows chuckled, looked at
each other with kind of savage Joy,
and eagerly proceeded to examine the
contents of the different closets and
drawers. There was much in them they
appeared to like-silver-ware linen, jew
elry-all but the money which they had
evidently expected to find, but which
did not turn up.
Suddenly voices and steps resounded
below. The rutfians, who happened at
that moment to be in Aunt Jerushas
bedroom, stood for single moment un-
decided; then they nodded to each
other, chuckled again, grasped their
cudgels, and crept under the bed.
Poor Aunt Jerusha 1t may be quite
romantic to have been predestined to
unhappiness from the cradle, but 1T is
decidedly unpleasant!
1t was rather late when Aunt Jerusha
returned from the tea-party. Tabitha,
warned in time, had managed to reach
the house first, and met her mistress
with the most serene composure. The
usual cross-examination as to the man
ner in which she had employed the long
afternoon, and for which the girl was
fully prepared, was, however, omitted
on the present occasion. Aunt Jerusha
felt too tired to play the role of an in
ouisitor-tired from sheer mental ex-
haustion, for it is no tritie to hold ones
own at an early female tea in New
England town. She proceeded, there
fore, almost Immediately upstairs, to
her own bedroom, and, feeling depressed
in spirits, she signitied to her maid that
she would dispense with her services
and undress herself. While slowly di-
vesting herself of her clothes, article at
ter article, the sense that all was vanity
and vexation of spirit completely over
powered her. How pleased she had been
with herself only few hours ago! Now
she stood again before the same mirror,
stripped of all her fine feathers. Her
stately swelling outlines had disappear
ed, and instead of them the folds OF her
white night-dress descended from the
neck to the feet in one unbroken straight
line. She looked at least ten years older
than the Jerusha whose form the mirror
had reflected early in the afternoon.
But Aunt Jerusha was woman Of
strong mind, and possessed truly great
soul. She never once turned her eyes
from the unhattering picture which
confronted her; but, sadly shaking her
head, she cast an appealing glance up
ward, and plaintively uttered the fol-
lowing memorable remark:
"Gracious Heaven What is woman
without crinoline"
Unsuspc citing Aunt Jerushl she lit
tie dreamed that these words might
easily have been her last on earth, for
she Immediately lay down, and a heavy
gallantry will not per-
init us to call it snoring-soon indicated
that the days heat and burden had been
too much for her strength.
Alas Alas "Swift-footed," says the
poet, " is the approach of VICE." On the
present occasion, however, the woe came
Slowly creeping from under the bed, in
the shape of the two ill-looking stran-
gers. Carefully rising to their feet,
they looked about and approached the
table, on which was deposited the Jewell
ry taken off by its owner on retiring for
the night.
Their hands were already stretched
out to grasp the alluring prize, when
one of the loose boards in the floor
creaked under foot. Aunt Jerusha half
rose from her pillow, but in an instant
one of the men was by the bed, firmly
clutching her throat, while the other
finnrished his formidable cudgel with SO