Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-09-23
MY PROPHET.

"Stay to tea do ,''said Aunt Desire, with that
share her salt with every creature that comes to
the house. I" Its Sadis birthday, and we ought
TO celebrate il in some way
Do yOu still count birthdays, Sadi?" said
Mrs. ObenTeiser.
- Certainly. This is my twenty-sixth."
Hush, my dear, speak low. You look very
young still you need not own to more than
twenty-five for some years
"Why should hide it,"
zone would think you desired nothing better
than 10 be an old maid, staying at home all the
yourself down as if you were already married
woman, or never meant TO he one."
"Perhaps don't"
That amt natural. OF course you want to
get married, but you never will unless you 90
halfway. I've been married twice, and nothing
% boast of in the way of looks. i didn't run
did not wear out their patience looking for me.
III girl is an old maid, 1t Is her own fault; that's
my doctrine"
al have never seen any one in this place that
like better than my brothers and sisters"
Make visits, then. Go out of this place.
." But if l have no Invitations"
"Well, at least you could go huckleberrying
/ laughed, and Yielded that point willingly.
Aunt Desire had knit into the middle OF her
seam needle by this time, and now laid down
the stocking. She then took of her glasses,
wiped them, and SmOOthed down her apron. As
she never did but one thing at a time, these were
weIl-EnOwn signs that she was about to give Us
"1'm an old maid, as every body knows, and
perhaps nv doctrine would not have 50 much
weight as a wOman's that had been married
twice; but seventy years will gather some wis
dom, If only by rubbing against people 50 long.
My doctrine is that il il no use running round
after a beau. You may get one that way, but he
won't stick, or won't be good for any thing il he
does. If girl has husband waiting for her
ANY where in the world, he'll most likely ind
her sooner or later. The men who are best worth
having don't look for their wives in public places
when they have on their best bibs and fuckers.
They like TO surprise a girl with buster in her
hand OF a baby brother in her lap. 1t has more
effect ON them than tuttering fan and making
"Menwere more sensible in your young days."
said Mrs. Obenreiser.
:" Not bit. They are always sensible enough
if women don't spoil them"
:" Do you think every woman can marry IL she
chooses, Aunt Desire 2"
"To he sure. / should have married years
ago IL had had time; but was always so deep
in other folks troubles that could not give my
mind TO it."
.'Ten us about it," said Mrs. Obenreiser
"What ~ said Aunt Desire, with a touch OF
that cOmplacence which every woman shows
when she counts her scalps.
Z" The last offer"
"Oh. that was this winter, when I went to
New Bedford. (Susans children had the mea-
sles, and she sent for me.) Her husbands father
lived with them, a fine old gentleman, smart as
a cricket (only Susan says he does have the
rheumatism awfully) and maybe he liked the
way 1 tended the children, for he asked me all
of sudden one day to marry him. L confess
that i thought for just minute how nice my
OmbStOne would look with 'Mrs. Desire SO-and-
So, beloved wife of So-and-SO' on it; but then
thought Of that worthy woman who lived with
him 30 many years here. and perhaps is waiting
for him now in the other world"
What did YOU tell him, aunt?'
"a told him 1 would have had him in a minnie,
II he had only thought OF IL fifty years sooner
But yea didn't know him so long ago, did
you 20
I" oh YES, ! did, and had no thought of tomb
stones then" \ rosy flush spread over Aunt
Desires sunken checks. andtOok at least twenty
years from her age for one instant.
" Now tell Us about the first Ofier,'' said Mrs.
ObenreiSer.
a. That was the frst-and last" said Aunt
Desire, laughing at Mrs. Obenreiser's expectant
face till the tears ran down her cheeks.
4" NOu have proved my doctrine, that a girl
does wrong TO tie herself down through all her
best years"
d" No, have only proved that every woman
has at least one chance to-maTry."
- II Sadis chance does not come till she is
seventy, II might as well not come at ALL
:" don't think 80, said Aunt Desire, with a
faint, sweet smile, that reminded me of the per-
tune OF flowers long pressed in a book. " Let
Sadi sit in her chimney corner, and make smooth
the way for my old feet and the little ones to
tread. She is fitting herself 10 be good
woman, which Is a better thing because less
selEsll) than good wife. Her lover will come
sometime"
al wonder how he win look ?" saidI.
a. II he is the right man." said Aunt Desire
che should have light hair and blue eyes, be-
cause yours are black He must be of a hopeful
and sanguine temper, because you are inclined
10 look on the dark side"
4" In he comes with a glass slipper In his hand
You will be the fairy godmother," said I.
1.-The prince did not come" said Mrs. Oben-
reiser, It'll the godmother had taken Cinderella
90 the ball. He didn't see her first in her Chin
newcomer"
80 thou of little faith.n said Aunt Desire.
s.Sadi's lover is to be thrown from his horse, or
more likely his carriage, in front of this house,
and brought in on q board and laid at her feet
When he OPENS his eyes and looks IN hers, full Of
Sublime pity and sympathy"
1.-The rest Of this story IA to be found in the
next number said i, suddenly, putting out
Aunt Desires prophetic IRE. "Matrimony is
the one god OF women, and you are its prophet"
When Mrs. Obenreiser was gone, Aunt Desire
Fifty years was long time TO wait, said,
after a while
al Was not waiting at all. I was hard at work
all the time. I had my little disappointment,
and buried il decently, and from that time took
more interest I'm mems wives than in themselves.
Those few pleasant weeks, when the sight OF my
Mrifskled face began 20 stir up the embers or his
oldTe,gard for me, were sort OF reward OF merit,
sometLlag to make little glow in my heart
when i tEpught of il, but il was free gift from
above, NOT asked for nor expected"
.sHaye YOU had a happy life, Aunt Desire?'
"Nes, Sadi If had IL to do over again,
don't know that / would alter single thread
but I suffered good deal because OF people Ike
Mrs Ohenreiser-as YOU do, Sadi." -
." I'm glad OF il. / thought myself the only
girl that ever was silly enough 70 mind It,"
4" All women mind it, II a. a vulgar cruelty,
that has driven many girl into An unhappy