The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-03-05
MY AUNT,S STORY.

/ was visiting Ireland and my great
aunt for the first time. Her lovely
home, Glenbawn, nestled at the base of
one of the Wicklow mountains, Sugar
loaf. It was the winter of 1967-S, and
all our neighbors of note had moved
into Dublin, driven from the lonely
hills by the terrors of the Fenian move
ment, which was the one engrossing
topic in every mouth and with every
class.
We had talks in the long evenings,
whenthe curtains were drawn, the turf
fire heaped up with an oaken log in its
ruby heart, it's ruddy glare striving
with the soft, steady light of the wax
candles which burned in old silver
branched candlesticks on every table
and bracket in the pretty, quaint
drawing-room. Then my aunt told me
stories of the early days of Ireland.
You have heard of your Aunt Ma
bel" she said, one evening. "From
the time of your grandmother's death
she. had bseh. my child and darling;
your father was in Demerara, and we
were alone in the world but for each
other, and we were very happy togeth-
or. She married at eighteen; her. hus-
band was an Englishman, younger
son, not rich; he had been in the army
for q few years, but sold out on his
marriage, and took a farm on the other
side of the valley. My wedding-gift to
them was their new home-it was a mere
farmhouse when Will bought it; but
duxing their wedding-tour, which lasted
for six months, and which they finished
by round of visits among his people in
England, 1 had the whole house re-
modelled and enlarged, made into a fit
ting home for my pet. How I enjoyed
furnishing it, remembering all her pref
ty whims and fancies -.
/" 1t was bright home coming. With
what pretty glee Mabel ran from room
to room, delighted with every thing
had done for her Then the pretty shy
grace with which she took her place as
mistress
cone little happy week passed, to
which L shall always look back as the
last of real happiness in my life. You
Know, dear, am happy now and con-
tent, as an old woman should be whose
life is warmed by the loving kindness
of every one around lCr, who has been
given the abiding Joy, which never
grows insipid, of being able to brighten
other lives with some of the brightness
given to her own. And then there is
the best and dearest JOY of all-the
knowledge that the loves of long ago
are kept safely in Gods own care, to be
mine again one day-very soon now
when I too reach the world where the
incompleteness of this will be rounded
and perfected. ..
"But this little week was happy and
warm with joy of another kind which I
have missed ever since. 1t was Christ
mas eve all day my darling had been
busy with decorations and preparations
for the next day, when all the tenants
on their new estate were to be enter
tanned in the servants hall.
"Well, dear, 1 remember coming
down that afternoon. I had been busy
writing in my own room. found the
whole house a bower of greenery, the
last touch given, and May and her hus-
band resting before the fire in the hal,
whose cedar wainscot sent out ruddy
CLEANS and spicy fragrance in
acknowledgment of the light and
warmth. She smiled up at me from a
nest of skins, among which she was
costly lounging, resting her bright head
against Wills knee, and held up two
pretty dusty hands to be exclaimed at.
Go We were talking of:last Christmas,
she said, when had taken the chairWill
drew forward for me. How long ago
it seems, and how strange that then we
did not know each other Will scorch-
ing in India, you and i Christmasing
at Glenbawn, auntie. Oh, L wish ]
could give you those eighteen years,
WILL IT, is so dreary to think you
were not in them. )" 80 : =.
g; You will give me the next eight
cen, and many year besides that will
content nae, little wife. 1 am sure you
were mischievous monkey, and 1 ami
thankful Idid not discover. you until
aunt Loura had tanned you.
p 4' You wicked, unsentimental boy
Sand the dusty hands were twisted
in thick brown beard which was
tenlptingly near, and SC they laughed
and chatted, children as they were,
quite unchecked by my presence, until
a servant came in with message for
me. 1t was news of the sudden Illness
OF one ofsthe servants here. My first
lmpuiseSwas to come home without de-
lay but they, would not hear Of my
DONG SO, ft"was settled that Will
snomd dffve~ over, calling for the doc
ser ~ hs passed through the village,