Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-02-27

library lay bundle of carpet that had
been brought to the house that day to
refurnish the sitting-room, and having
been duly inspected by the ladies was
temporarily left in tumbled heap in
one corner.
A hasty explanation took place, and
then Charley entombed himself be-
meath the mass with fervid vow that
he would die for her sake, were it
necessary, and Clara then admitted
her aunt.
That relative was not well pleased
at being kept so long on the door step
and sharply demanded what had be.
come of the servants,
"I sent them to bed, dear aunt, so
that might have the pleasure of re-
naming up for your return, but | fell
asleep" innocently remarked the in
genuous girl.
This loving explanation somewhat
appeased the old lady, who after warm
ing herself, walked over to the bundle
of carpet, and picking up corner
wondered how it would look by gas
light
Clara fastened to assure her that it
would not look nice at all, in fact she
was so confident of it that her aunt
need not go to the trouble Of an in
vestigation.
The old lady pondered over the
stuff for few moments, while her
niece sat trembling upon the sofa, and
little Charley felt that the world might
come to an immediate end and not
annoy him a particle by the sudden
ness of the change.
At last, however the crisis passed,
for with some new idea entering her
head, the old lady turned, and remark
ING that she was ''lired to death,
pumped her two hundred and fifty
pounds avoirdupois upon the heap,
and little Charley assumed the shape
Of a human pancake. He would have
groancd, but did not have wind
enough left for the purpose.
A little shrek from Clara attracted
the old lady's attention to her niece.
"Why, you are all dressed up to-
night!'
"Yes, aunt, dear, replied Clara,
mentally conjecturing how Charley
felt in his pressed out condition"
eyes" returned the other, "you
look very well, only rather pale. Are
you sick ?"
'I-I don't feel very WELL" answer
ed her niece, silently consigning her
relation to Chicago, or some other
wicked place.
1'm sure you can't when you lace
up so tight, my DEAR" affectiorately
remarked the incorrigible old lady.
Il don't" family repudiated Clara,
while Charley rasped the skin off one
of his ears in trying to quietly twist
his head in a position where he might
distinctly hear anything of interest,
"You don't! Yes, you do; and at
your time Of live it is positively pre-
posterous. If you were a young,
giddy girl, it would be different, but
for young person of your age"
"Oh, aunt
Charley barked some more skin off
and became decidedly interested.
No, there's no oh, aunt ! about
it, continued the ''incorrigible,' sagely
oscillating her head You some
times act more like silly schoolgirl
than a woman who has seen twenty
six-years Of life"
81 haven't exclaimed Clara, and
Charley put his mouth in shape for a
whistle, but was Immediately fatten-
ed out by an emphatic bounce of the
old lady's.
"You haven't! Why, yes you
have and nearly twenty-seven Why,
what in the world ails the girl What
are you simpering about, Clara?"
"My-my head aches, Please don't
talk, begged her niece, not quite posi-
tive as to the effect her dissection
might have on the young martyr un-
der her aunt.
"Your head aches, does it? Well, I
no wonder, wearing all that mass of
hair on your head is enough to make
it ache. What nonsense it is when
there is no one here to see you; be-
sides it is positively making you bald i
headed y I
'Tm not!' vigorously responded
the young lady, burying her face in
her hands as she thought of all the
nice things the fellow under the car I
pet had been saying !
"You're not. Yes you are. There's ,
a bald spot on the top of your head :
the size of my hand" and the old lady
extended palm in Illustration. "Now, :
what in the world are you crying /
about, Clara? Sakes alive, niece, I
you'll cry yourself sick and then you |
will not be able to visit the dentists
tomorrow"
"Bother the dentist! Do keep still,
aunt y cried Clara, while Charley at ,
empted to scratch his head and had !.
MS arm nearly dislocated by few j
'estless moves made BY the old lady i
Is she Indignantly reprimanded her i
niece for her disrespeot and petulancy.
ut was your own wish to go to the
lentist's, Clara; you know it was.
You said tnat set hurt your mouth,
md you wanted--Goodness, gracious! q
What under heaven does all the girl ?" t
or Clara had darted out of the room '
With smothered cry of rage and an