The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-08-19

| SeAaNUf, out oAl0 0Otnl0g
Miss Cl.ris-a left off eating her short-cake AM
cream. and MED her gray eyes coldly on he
nisce-,n-lsw. Do you not think that . foldet
kerchief would beft your neck, Matilda, better
| th IN thas gsudy fibbonP 1t would at least b.
suitable to the condition of . married woman
and scarlet runner in your hair looks like som,
girl in Der teens do admire dignity and rea
costume in person of your age"
| This WIS too much Matllde Bittershrub hai
but lately tsrnsd her nineteenth year-a person
Of her age!
The tears had no inclination to come now, and
| they should see that she possessed both dignity
and little independence II have not consider.
cd the subject Of dressing to suit the eyes of
out my husband; he admires bright colors and
does not like to see young person either grave
or serious looking. shall not feel that have
offended either good sense or propriety by wear.
ing flower in my hair, SO long as my husband
don't object"
The Rubicon was passed and bridged forever
ny such a speech that Mrs. Bittershrub had
esta blished herself an obedient wife and a wo-
msn without fear but the unfortunate ~. E. ~
whom fate was tireless in buffeting, led the way
back to the sitting.room with very rueful Wis
aye. predicting to himself shat all things were
at an epd," though the exact meaning attached
to such an erroneous and serious assertion might
have puzzled him to determine
He was, however, kind and soliticious, and did
not mean to keep up the Misses Bittershrub be-
yond their orthodox hour of retiring.
Mstters went on pretty much the same as they
had commenced for whole fortnight, and the
practical Mrs. lilly had begun to know the pc.
culsrties Of the old ladies' and taught herself to
smother some of her girlish impulses in their
presence; even neglected to follow j. 3. to the
front door several occasions as he left for his
mornings work in the Odious factory. Miss Ell
mira was not fond of such cOnnubial dernonstra-
tions (her disgust was probably induced by an
utter ignorance Of such codes and pracsices.)
Day by day Miss Clarissa sat knitting gray
and sombro woolens by the window, which dis
closed, when the weather was favorable, q view
Of one tall chimney, with its ftful wreaths of
dun.colored smoke, where the perplexed nephew
worried over his books, and fought hard to keep
the three women comfortable.
Day by day Miss Elmira followed her niece in.
to forbidden recesses, pouring out gratuitously
the experience of great many years In the com.
pounning of edibles and household recipes, and
insisting that Matilda would never become an
economical housekeeper. On several occasions
both the axnts had questioned the nephew about
eligible locations and sites for building in the
village or suburbs, both of the ladies declaring
they believed they had just as we'll spend what
little money they possessed by rearing COM
Portable home, and that then they might endure
tho rest of their days in teaching select young
ladies' school-the very way, in fact that their
modest fortune had been accumulated. They
were to be 9 fixture then-forever.
Then the books and letters were allowed to get
as much involved rs they liked for two whole
days, and Jehial had shown his relatives the
beautiful Elm hill, which sloped down minia-
ture river and bridge, and the most thriving
thoroughfare of Hopevile. The very spot that
he had shown lilly one year before, when first
married, and which enraptured them both on
account of the tall, ereeS grass and beautiful
trees which made the hill such lovely site.
lilly had matters at home pretty much her own
old way for the next six weeks, as the two old
ladies invariably spent the day at the new and
grand house they were having erected, and came
home too fntigued to find complaint with any
thing In an incredibly short time, through
their own energy and perseverance, the fine red
brick house, with Its encircliny piazzas and pref
ty gables, WAS done to the last nail, and the in
laying OF the New England kitchen floor and
pantry.
Then Mrs. Bittershrub was invited to help the
fitting np-the most arduous proceeding of the
wholesaler taste was required about everything.
well, but dear annty, you know loye bright
curtains and pictures and images, and rich car
pets and gilt papers, aud these things would new
CT suiJ JCu 'uu duHt SldIlssd
Never mind, child, they will do very we'll :"
and the old ladies exchanged meaning glances.
And sll the bright and'rich things were put
into the new house, until lilly declared in an
ecstacy that 1t was like palace. Then the
gardener and trellis.worker had finished their
part Of the work, and all Hopevile with open
eyes OF admiration gazed on Elm Hill. And
Jehisl, from his dusty counting room window
could lock on this marvel and sigh deeply and
hopelessly. ...
Then the day came that the two queer old
people were to journey back to Boston and make
their preparation for future living.
lilly hsd begun to like them dearly, as que.
rulous and hard to please as they ever could be,
and begged that they would not delay their re.
turn.
Jehial and Matilda accompanied them to. the
stage coach, and were puzzled to know why they
carried away all their luggage when they meant
to return 40 soon.
With two downright loving embraces and
kiss on Tillys fair cheek, Miss Elmra and her
ulster were gone.
The unpretending little house seemed actually
lonely without their simple presence, but most
did Matilda burst ont into wild explanations
and scream for Jehial when she visited their
empty room.
He sprany up the stairs two at bound, and
there stood the exoitable lilly, crying and
laughing all in breath and dropping big tears
all over blue sheet of paper. written in the
cramped, grabbed character of Miss Elmira and
Clarssa Bittershrub:
OUR DEAR NEPHEW AND NIECE: You will
doubtless be surprized at some intelligence you
may meet with in this letter, but we are con.
WINGED that all will be learned and appreciated
in msnner BETTING. Having no nearer Or
dearer relstives than yourselves-and having
earned in our younger days and put out at in.