The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1872-08-30

in life. He had been the one CLEAN of
sunshine in her lonely life, and to his
honor be it said, he had never be IN un-
worthy Of the love and confidence
which she gave to him. "Aunt Barby"
was to him the only person in the world,
and although people marveled at the
affection ofthe bright-faced young fel-
low for the grim old aunt, it was genu-
inc and true. He had gone through
college in thoroughly satisfactory
manner, and afterward had settled
down into as steady and trustworthy a
young business man as there was in the
city, and for three years had behaved
entirely accorling to his dear aunt's
wish IN every respect.
''One day, however, the peace and
tranquility of Miss Barbara's usehold
was broken up by whisper which
came to her ears-John, her John--was
paying attention. to somebody! She
was at first incredulous, but as the DAYS
went by she was forced to believe it !;
for one night, John, sitting at her feet,
with his yellow hair shining in the fire.
light told her with much confusion and
embarrassment that he "was going to
get married"
Miss Barbara was a good woman, but
she was very whimsical, little selfish,
and above all very jealous of her own
dignity, and the knowledge that John
had asserted his independence and
actually planned out his future life
without consulting her before hand, was
a very hard thing for her to bear. She
was not patient nor forgiving, and the
result of Johns confidence was a yery
unpleasant scene; she who had never
spoken harshly before, overwhelmed
him with hard, bitter words, and then,
when he was gone, wcpt herself asleep
over his ''ingratitudc," as she called
it.
When az last he was really married,
her anger knew no bounds, and his first
visit to her after that event, ended a:
we have seen.
The days passed slowly after John
with his bright face and ringing voice
was banished, and Miss Barbara, half
regretting her harshness, was olton tenn
pied to send for him again, but her OBJ
stinacy, or 'pride," as she called it
prevented her, and SO she fretted ant
worried until Jane was almost driven
distracted by her irritability and un
reasonahleness. She was 50 cross, s,
hard to suit, and SO lawfully savage ,
as John would have said, that Jane be-
came at last entirely worn out, and one
day, when her duties had been morn
than usually hard, she surprised hel
mistress by packing up her movable
property and departing from tic house
Then Miss Barbara was wretched. For
three days she sat in a solitary state
and then, sending for her lawyer, direc
ted him to insert an advertisement ir
the leading papers to the effect that shl
wanted ''young, neat and lady-likt
person, for companion"
"No more old women for me,' she
said savagely in response to the lawyer
look Of surprise, latter the behavior o
Jane, who has been with me for thirty
years." and then authorizing him t.
examine the applicants she sent hin
away and walled.
Two days after the lawyer returned
accompanied by tall, slender woman
who had come to see if she [ Miss Bar
bara would engage her. Miss Barbara
black eyes looked keenly at her fol
some time, and after inquiring sharply
into her antecedents, references and tn.
like, Miss Barbara pronounced hersel
satisfied, and Alice Worthington (as
the lawyer called herr was duly install
ed in the office of "companion," and &
most charming companion she proved
to be.
Miss Barbara was at first disposed to
be bit critical and captious, but the
young girl was SO anxious to please, SC
sweet-tempered and amiable, so quiet
and self-forgetful, that Miss Barbara's
severity melted away by degrees and al
last she began to love her attendant
and try in various little ways to make
her cheerful and contcuted in her new
home.
"Alice, she said one day as the young
girl saa opposite the fire, chow old are
you?"
"Not quite nineteen," was the shy
answer.
And Mrs. Barbara looked at her in
surprise. "Not quite nineteen" and
yet so quiet and dignifed, and woman.
ly; it was almost incredible. Miss
Barbara looked at her again, and with
a new appreciation in her face; she saw
how pure and sweet the fair face looked
with the shy brown eyes halfhidden by
the white lids; she saw how smoothly
and plainly the brown hair was fastened
back, how neat and trim was the dark
dress, how snowy were the cuffs anG