The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-08-14
AUNT CHARLOTTE'S YARN.

Now, Ida. my dear girl, take my adj
vice. said Aunt Charlotte TO her giddy
Young niece. land don't imperil your own
future happiness nor be guilty of injustice
by sighting the man 10 whom you have
given your troth. or by foolishly teasing
him In order to test his affection. There
isa story in my own memory that have
never told you and could not now bring
myself to DO 30 only that | see you don't
like me 10 lecture you, and wish you 10
learn wisdom by an easier method than
that of bitter experience.
"When was young girl we lived, as
YOU know. in Canada, I'm one of the small
lake-shore towns between Toronto and
Kingston. Your grandfather was man
of note in the town, and was good deal
sought after. | was giddy, too. and self
ish, though did not then consider myself
so had many admirers and suitors.
among whom the one / liked best was
Harry ysne. From my very infancy
Harry had been my gallant. and though
sometimes pretended to be. and some
times really was. jealous of him or other
wise offended. and he the same with re-
gard TO me. we always made up again and
were better friends than ever. There was
not really any engagement between us.
ndl th-htu lit W lOl III Otlt .
but my parents objected to long engage
ments. and we were not ready to marry.
Matters stood thus when. early one spring.
we had an addition 10 our list Of beaus in
the form Of dashing young fellow. an
Englishman. sent out by wealthy firm
of the mother country for the purpose of
establishing an agency i'm their line of
business. His headquarters had been in
Montreal. but he now announced his in
tention Of making our town his home
during the summer.
He had good deal Of leisure. and
spent no inconsiderable part OF il at our
house, or In promenading the streets with
me. i could scarcely set NV foot on the
sidewalk without encOuntering him. His
name was Downs. and he claimed to be of
aristocratic pareniage. He was handsome
and affable. though rather supercilious.
withal very distinguished i'm appearance !;
30 no wonder the girls of our set wished
20 attract his attention. and were envious
Of me. of course, was proud of my con-
quest. and perhaps carried myself little
haughtily in consequence. For some
time Harry pouted. then openly remon-
strated. even pleaded but as | angrily
asserted my independence. he finally de
sisted from all apparent notice of the mat
ter; and whenever we met he treated me
with Indifferent courtesy. and altogether
showed a manly self-command which did
not fail 10 note and admire. Still. | must
confess that at that time gave very little
thought 10 Harry or TO any Of my old adj
mirers II seems wonderful to me how
completely was fascinated by the prepos-
sessing stranger.
ITO be sure he battered nv vanity not
a little. and my empty head was turned by
his lavish, adulatory style OF compliments.
He rayed about my eyes Of heavenly blue.
the golden glory of my mermaid locks.
my swan-like neck. and an endless flow OF
pathns that ought to have disguised me.
bat did not; and so listened and he rant
ed. Aboutthe middle Of August we made
mp among our set picnic party to drive
out TO Rice Lake Plains. and spend the day
IN boating on the lake. gathering buckle
berries wild flowers, etc, and generally
amusing ourselves.
"fou must know that there Is an irreg-
ular chain Of small lakes extending trans
versedly from the Bay Of Quinte, near the
eastern end of Lake Ontario. to the eastern
end OF Superior. Rice Lake Is the first of
the chain counting from Ontario. and IL
lies at distance offrom two 10 four hours
NAhf' mum -tNNtdA AONU~ vi t'ft
frontier. We hal an early breakfast. and
set of af : o'clock. 80 that we need not be
ON the road daring the heat of the day.
There were several carriages; the one in
which / rode was a handsome barouche.
hired from livery-stable for the occasion.
and by my side sat the all-conquering Mr..
Downs.
For some unexplained reason Harry
Nane did not 20 In any Of the carriages.
but was mounted on horseback. and he
rode gayly by the side Of first one vehicle.
then another. When we had gone little
distance out Of town the country air sights
and sounds were so exhilarafing that we
I'm our carriage began to sing. Harry.
hearing us, lode upand joined in the song.
he being particularly fond Of singing.
Shortly we stack OF into an old ditty.
which he and had sung together count
'ess umes when we stood each first In the
esteem Of the other and no cav stranger