The Van Buren press., 1874-09-29
MISCELLANY.
Fred's Speculation.
By ANNA sHIfLDs.

/
Mrs. Gorham put dom a letter she
had been reading, and looking around
the table at her blooming. daughters and
Two tall, handsome sons said and in a
doleful tone:
Your Aunt Sabina coming to the
city ano has invited herslI here. -
"When p asked Aralsla, with an in.
tonation of int use disgut
"She will come by he train that
reaches here at four 0dock this after
noon. Will. you will haze to meet her"
"Sorry, ma, but have promised to
drive Miss Caldwell to lie park. Fred
can go.
Certainly | will 60 fred said grave
iy, though there was ut lush on bis
forehead.
:" am very fond of Amt Sabina
"Nonsense p said his nother You
have not seen her for fouteen years.
never went near the detesahle old farm
alter your father died. :"
Nevertheless, havet vivid rccollec
ton of Aunt Sabina's klMness when we
were there, of her doughmls and Co kies.
and bowls Of milk with nd strawberries
in them.
Dear me. Fred" Guwled Luci.la,
don't be sentimental wish the old
thing would stay at hom' and fry dough
nuts, can't imagine wat she is con
ing here for.
"She is our fathers siaer, said Fred,
land ! cannot find anything surprising
IN her looking for a wslcome amongst
her brothers. children.
Mrs Gorham shrugged her shoulders.
If she had spoken her tbought it would
have been:
Fred is so odd Just like his father"
But she only said:
~ may depend upon you, then, to
meet your Aunt, Fred | will see about
her room "
1t was a source of great satisfaction to
Mrs Gorham that her children were all
ike herself, "true Greers every one of
them, except Fred, she would say con-
sratuIaliug herself that the plebeian blood
Of" "Gorlam pee" was not transmitted
in the feature of her elder son Wilbur, or
any Of the three girls.
That Greer pride meant intense self
ishness that Greer beauty was of cold,
hard type; that Greer disposition was
tyrannlcal and narrow minded, did not
trouble Mrs. Gorham That the son who
was "all Gorham," was proud TO the
core with the true pride that knows no
false shame. that he was noble in dispo
silion, handsome in frank, manly type,
generous and seit sacrificing she could
uut appreciate Ills naiids and feet were
not so small as darling Wills, he had no
fashionable atlrctations, and no " Greer "
look. So his molher thought him rough
and coarse, and his sisters declared that
Fred had no style at all
But outside Of the home, where great
show of wealth was made by many pri-
vate economies, Fred was more appre-
ciated When he became man, and
knew that his fathers estate, though suf
fcient to give them every comfort, was
not large enough for the extravaganza
mis- mother indul ged in, he fitted himself
for business and took position in u
counting house as book keeper, thus be
coming self supporting, though his moth
er declared no Greer had ever been in
trade That the money she lived on was
made in soap boiling the fashionable la
dy ignored entirely. Darling Will, had
studied law but his first client had not
yet appeared, and Mrs Gorham support
ed him, trusting his destinations would
touch the heart Of some money belle.
Miss Caldwell was the present hope.
She was her own mistress. an orphan
heiress, and very handsome. That she
was proud and rather cold In manner,
was only an additional charm to Mrs.
Gorham. and LueilIa. Arabella and Co.
rnne were enthusiastic in their admira'
lion of "Cornelia Caldwelrs quecnly
manner.
Nobody suspected that Fred, blunt,
straight forward Fred, hid one secret in
his heart confessed to no living being
And that secret was love, pure and true,
for Cornelia Caldwell-a love that would
shut itself closely away rom any suspi.
cion of fortune hunting-hat only droop-
ed and mourned thinking OF the heiress.
| At four o'clock Fred wis at the depot
with carriage waiting br Aunt Sabina.
What a little, old fashioned figure she
we, IN her quaint black silk bonnet and
large figured shawl. Blu, Fred knew her
kindly old face at once, though he had
not seen it since he was welve years old
"You are Aunt Sabna" he said, 20
inv Quickly to meet her.
Se looked ut the handsome face, aud
caught a quick, gasping breath.
You must he one Of Johns boys
she said "How like YOU be to your
pa!
II am Fred" he answered.
Dear heart! How yol have growcd
Is your ma here p
Sue is waiting for yun at home "
The good old country woman had new
er had the least doubt Of, warm welcome
at her brothers house, aid Fred certain
~ confirmed her expectations He found
the ola black leather trunk, the bag the
band box, the picter' paper bought on
the cars, the great bungling umbrella,
and put them all in the carriage without
one smile Of ridlcue lie made his Aunt
90 to the restaurant and refresh herself
with hot coffee and oysters before start.
ing for the long drive home He listened
with respectful interest to all the mishaps
of the long journey, and sympathized
with the
Ruination Of every mortal stitch I've
got on, dear, in the dust and smoke"
Aud he chatted pleasantly OF his child.