The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1873-05-01

'How long is she going to stay!
asked Tom.
Gas long as she pleases," my moth
er replied.
"How on earth do you manage to
amuse such a living statue? I would
not be one of you girls, shut up
in a room with her morning after
morning, for something. She would
mesmerize me. y
"You pain me, Tom, when you
speak SO. There is nothing attract
i've about your amt; but I am sure
she is a very worthy person, and de-
serving of your respect" said my
mother.
"What! for hooking the old gentle
MANI"
''Tom, said Nettie," ''do you think
that is Aunt Janet''s hair, or a wig!"
Gn a confident tohe)
ga wig, to be sure" said Tom, de-
terminedly.
81 cannot bear it, Tom" said my
mother; '.you must really go out of
the room.-Come, Nettie, and show
your aunt some Of your water-colors.
I dare say she likes looking at draw
ings."
"She looks like a judge" said sar-
castle Jane. sa@
Nettie went to the piano after a
while, and sung a ballad or two of
Balfe's and Lindley's, sliding out of
them into some Scotch airs, which she
sang uncommonly well. Twas watch
ing Aunt Janet's uninterested face as
Nettie sang, and thinking, with some
pity, how great privation hers was,
when Nettie struck the first bar of
Ye. Banks and Braes, and a change
swept across the immobile face for an
instant, as if she heard-at least, 1
mean that for second 1 fancied so,
for as 1 looked, the face was dull-deaf
as ever.
"Poor thingT said mymother, show
I wish she could hear those sweet
Scotch airs
81 should not think it would make
much difference to her" said Jane. 81
don't suppose she is inclined to be
4
Two or three days afterwards, my
father came into the morning-room
just before lunch, and seeing Aunt
Janet, was about to withdraw. 81
wanted to tell you" he said to my
mother.
'TeIl me what, dear?"
Nothing that Jacob told me
that they were going on Thursday.
He is getting fdgetty at being away
from the Office so long"
"Janet spoke about going to me
this morning"
"Well, I hope you have kept her
amused. She must be conciliated at
any cost. We must have them again
soon, though I hate the sight of her.
[ really cannot enjoy my dinner in
the least, shouting out as I must be-
tween every mouthful. But it cannot
be helped"
81 like her." said my mother: 'she
is quiet and sensible" as my father
moved back out of the doorway.
Thursday morning came, and our
guests were to leave US. Uncle Jacob
was particularly kind in his manner
to us all, telling Nettie and me that
we must come and pay our aunt
visit in town, after they moved into
their new house in Hyde Park Gar
lens.
'EYou shall see all that is to be seen,
rs your aunt means to Keep a car
iage," he said kindly, and we thank
I'd him, as in duty bound; but I don't
think we either of us felt inclined to
venture on our new aunt's hospitality.
We all went up stairs with Aunt
Janet, to help her to dress herself in
ler wraps and furs. When she was
dressed, she sent the maid out of the
'oom, observing to my mother as she
lid SO, that she never gave visitors
money to servants.
':Nor to anybody she can help"
said Jane.
'There you mistake me" said our
aunt, turning round sharply on the
Jane in an instant. 81 act
rom principle in not giving to serv-
ants, not from greed"
''How ever did she hear met"
yasped Jane, in lower tone to me.
GAS I hear other people" said my
lunt quietly.-aGood by, dear Mary"
and she turned to kiss my mother).
You have been very kind to me. I
never expected you to think me
beauty, you know; you gave me cred
t for being 'kind-hearted and sensi-
ole'-I think that vas it-and that is
ii I want from you. Believe me, I
,hink all the better of you for having
ived with you for three weeks in the
palace of Truth"
''Why, Janet! then you're not deaf
4fter all?"
But what she answered. or what
ny mother said after that, I don't
NOW, for we beat hasty retreat
rom the room. We could not even
,ring ourselves to go down and say
good bye when we heard my father
md Tom shouting last words at the
,arriage-door. I do not think we
broke silence for some minutes, till
Nettie said: eve have done it now!
How she nTSt hate mol"