Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1873-01-18
MISCELLANY.
Johns Wife,


Miss Barbara Snyder sat in her
straight backed chair before the fire, her
feet on the fender, her head dropping,
her eyes closed=-to tell the truth, al
though she would have Indignantly de-
MED it, Miss Barbara Snyder was asleep.
Her maid hard-featured, middle.aged
woman, was moving about the room,
"put,ng it In orders as she did fifty
times day, as her mistress commanded,
and watching her furtively to see that
she did not fall into the fire.
"Jane," said Miss Barbary, suddenly
waking and sitting bolt upright with un-
blinking eyes, eff he comes-and l am
sure he will--don't let him in"
mo ma'an," answered Jane, very sub
missively.
"Tell him lie has seen me for the last
time-the hypocrite Ito pretend to be
always so fond of me, and then marry
some empty.headed dolIibaby. Be sure
and send him away, Jane"
eyes, ma'am."
A sudden commoton in the lower hall
Interrupted them few bars of bopu-
lar air whisteled in mastery manner; a
rapid clatter OF boot heels on the stars,
and then youLg gentleman, who might
have sat as the model for modern Her.
cules, rushed in, and, falling over an otto
man, upsetting chair, and making "con-
fusion worse than confonnded" in the quiz
ct room, dashed at Miss Barbary, and
took her by storm.
"ConQratulate me I" he cried, after i'm.
printing halfdozen kisses on her with
cred cheek. Aunt Barby, she is the dear
est"
"You may go, Jane" Miss Barbary
had recovered from the shock a little, and
as Jane had retired, she folded her nit.
tened hands tightly together, and turn
ed upon him with "Nephew john ~
There was comical expression of de-
spair on his face at this unpropitious be-
ginning, but he said nothing.
Nephew John, l am badly disappoint.
ed in. you am not angry with you,
but am deeply grieved-"
"Why Aunt Barby!" The blue eyes
of her listener opened wide. but she 81
fenced him by stately gesture.
"Please be quiet. wish to speak. -
| have done my duty by you, JOhn,"-
there was a little tremble in her voice
as she said this, but she went on grimly
and, now that you were just coming
to man.hood"--John was twenty six
and had begun to trust you little,
you desert me now for doll.baby."
"She is not a doll-baby |" said the
young husband Indignantly. at you on
ly knew her, you would love her dear'
ly."
"Nonsence!" the black eyes snapped
decidedly. "All girls are fools now'a'
days-but no matter, you have chosen
between US. My will is made, and
shall not change it, but you will never
be again to ME what you were before"
There was a real distress in John Bar
toms heart as he rose and stood before
her. "If you will only let me bring her to
YOU" he pleaded. 81 ain sorry you are
so displeased. Aunt Barbara, do not
let this part u.s."
"You have chosen" The sphyn,
could not have looked more unmoved
II ordered them not to admit you-yol
need not come again."
"It you will only hear the"
| l. u.
| And so John left her, with her tac
turned away from him, and her hand
still clasped before her.
Miss Barbara Snyder was proud, Mis-
Barbara Snyder was wealthy, Miss Bar
bara Snyder was fond of her own way
but still she was woman, and in he
heart of hearts she loved John Barton
her handsome nephew dearly. Hi
mother, her only sister, had died whe
he was a child, and, his father dying 500
after, Miss Barbara had, in a fashion
adopted him, She had INDUCED him th
: first day of his entrance into her hous'
She had watched over hirti, and mad
him her one object in life. He had bee
the one CLEAN of sunshine in her lionel
life, and, to this honor be it said, he ba
: never been unworthy OF the love an
, confidence which she gave to him. "Aur
Barby" was to him the only person
the world, and, although people uiarve
ed at the affection of the bright-face
4 young fellow for his grim old aunt,
was genuine and truc: .r.,
He had gone through collegein tho
oughly satisfactory manner and atterwart
bad settled down into as steady ar
Trustworthy voting business man
there was in the city, and, tor tht'
years, had behaved entirely according
bis Aunt's wish In every respect.
One day, however, the peace and tia
: guilty Of Miss Barbara's household W,
9 broken up by whisper, which came
Z her ears-John, her John, was all "atte
. tion" to somebody shs was at FIRST |
creduloas, bat, as ths days wsht w 81