Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-05-18

raising from her lap as she spoke a
choice little article in crimson Russia,
gilt-clasped and fur-trimmed, and ex-
bibiting it to her nieces.
ooh, aunty !" clamored an indignant
chorus; "how base, how horrid of
you! SO pretty, SO strong,~ so con
yenient!"
"And with muff, too" cried Lofty !;
"A muff to keep your ungrateful old
hands warm, really wonder at you,
Aunt Sue. :"
( "Muff, indeed" smiled her aunt,
undauntedly; "a blue silk aperture I!
As if ! ever put my fingers in such a
thing as that No, girls, depend upon
| it, at my age gimcracks-M Mercy, the
cars are going Where is Henry Why
/ don't ne Gomez
/ In effect, the train began to move,
| though so slowly that it was easy
enough for walker TO keep pace with
/ its MOTION. The nieces ian along, ex-
/ changing last words with their aunt
saucy, merry words; for Aunt Sue was
4 laughed at and leased and beloved by
the gay bevy, quite as if she too had
been girl like themselves.
! At the last second figure came leap
ing along the platform, and large
gray sphere was thrust through a win.
/ dow-the wrong one, as it happened
and into the face Of an old gentleman,
who shrank back aghast
"Hornets," he CALCULATED. Ugh.
ugh take itaway! What do you mean,
young man Z"
81 beg your pardon, " said Henry,
/ splitting with laughter. 81 made a
mistake. Here, aunty, here's your pre-
cious commodity" This time the OBJ
iect popped through the right pane,
and landed in Aunt Sues lap. The
cars moved ont of reach. "Good-by,
good-bv," resounded from behind
| Aunt Sue waved her handkerchief, and
then, quite regardless of the glare of
/ oflense directed at her spine, proceeded
! to tie her treasure TO the netting above
and to make herself generally comfort
able.
There's the change at the river"
she thought, "and then | can settle
down for the day" And she proceeded
to look out and mark certain pages in
"Figuier, to point pencil, and 9th
erwise prepare for course Of entomo-
logical research as soon us circum-
stances permitted. BY this time the
old gentleman behind had recovered
breath and power of remonstrance.
I" | suppose you are aware, madam, u
he said, touching her shoulder sharply,
''that that nest is full of hornets in a
dormant state. who are very likely
very likely indeed-to come to life
again in this heated air"
"Oh dear, no, that is quite mis-
take, replied Aunt Sue, facing round
upon him "Figuier entirely contra
diets that notion. He says"
MADAM, do not know who Vigger
may be, nor do | care what he says, y
interrupted the old gentleman. "All
| say is that the hornets are there, 1t
you do not credit my word, you have
only to look into that hole And he
pointed with his finger at the great
gray nest.
"Well, that is lucky cried Aunt
Sue, cheerfully. g was just wishing
for an insect to examine in connection
with the book. Thank you, sir You
see he is quite dead extracting the
hornet with her pencil-point, and hold
ing him up triumphantly. "Figuier
was right.
The old gentleman, with deep offense,
rose and changed his seat for one at a
distance. Little rocked Aunt Sue,
deep in the study of the hornets; nor
did she look up until the conductor ap
peared, and it became necessary to
produce the through ticket, and
have the first strip torn from its com
plicated foldings.
''The river reached, it became ne
cessary to transfer her impediments to
another car
Assistance was volunteered by a
gentleman near by, and accepted almost
as matter of course. Good looking and
well-dressed maiden ladies travelling by
themselves rarely lack this sort of offer,
and our maiden lady was unusually
good-lool1ing. Tall, commanding, with
bright black eyes, and checks whose
roses sound health and hygenic living
rendered perennial in bloom, with a
thirst for facts, and certain frank and
kindly ease of manner, which pleas
antly suggested both Boston and Chi
ago, Aunt Sue, wherever she went,
attracted notice, and fair share of
admiration and, rs she herself would
have phrased it, providence always
sent man to carry her bundles. "
Providence was no less kind than usual
on this occasion. Bag, umbrella,
shawl, books, were safely transferred,
ana with a cordial smile of thanks she
repointed her pencil, and prepared for
day after her own heart, for digesting
''The Insect World" at leisure, noting
her fellow travellers and their peculiar
tiles, and sweetening fact by an occa-