Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1877-11-09
An .Orieimal Story.
THE MAIDEN AUNT,
OR
a RIST0CRATIC TROUBLES
CHAPTER III.


The next morning after his return
home, when breakfast was over, which
was at late hour, Luther started for
visit to the scenes surrounding the old
homestead, where the hours of his child
hood had been passed in sport. He soon
found himself walking beside the ripping
brook in which he had cast his line upon
the evening that it was decided to send
him to college. Along its banks be
slowly walked listening to the musical
water as it glided along its pebble path,
and thought of the change which the
seven years since he last listened to that
ceaseless ripping had wrought in him.
Then a mere boy Of ten years, now the
graduate of a college and man. Yes,
though but seventeen, a mana man in
knowledge, a man in inclinatlons, man
in feeling, man in proportions. Time
had spared no effort for his improvement,
and be was even more handsome than his
boyhood had promised. Fully five feet
and eleven inches tall, and so proportion
ed as to complete perfect symmetry of
form. The black eyes beamed and flash
ed with look more manly than when
they gazed defantly at the maiden aunt
seven years before. The cheek was as
rudy, the lips as pretty and the mouth
as handsome as then, to which was add
ed promising moustache giving more
manliness to his appearance. AS alb
| eorbod IN tbonnbt I utLor et,olIoJ ,,Ion.
a rabbit frightened by his approach start
ed up Immediately before him and bound
ed away. He watched it until it was
out of sight, and was just starting again
upon his walk when he saw in front OF
him a short distance the figure of young
lady evidently deeply interested in the
contents of book which she held in
her hand. She was sitting at the foot
of large oak tree--the very spot one
would seek when wishing no other CON-
panion than book. She had evidently
not noticed his approach, and was totally
unaware of his proximity For some
moments Luther gazed at her, and final
ly smile played upon his lips as he soft
| ~
81 thought knew those features"
Then bearing considerably to the left
he softly walked on until he was behind
the tree where she was sitting He step
ped almost noiselessly up to the spot and
glanced over her shoulder at the book
Seeing that he was still unobserved, he
leaned back against the tree and quietly
said -
"How sentimental! Tom Moore and
sol;tudel"
The bursting of shell or the falling
of lightningbolt before the fair reader
could not have created more establishment
as she leaped to her feet and confronted
the speaker. For moment she stood
looking at bin in startled wonderment,
and then followed the natural question in
frightened tones -
where did you come from p
The young man slightly smiled and
replied :
II am the overgrown son Of the fairy
which presides over this grove, and as
| stepped from this lily at my feet which
is my home, caught sight of you read
ing Tom Moore, aud could not resist
speaking to you"
The young lady bad somewhat recov-
cred her camposure by this time and re-
piled =
81 think that lily is rather small for
your habitation, but from the indicate
aud ungentlemanly manner Of your in
trusion | should say that your politeness
could dwell within so small compass
without any inconvenience whatever"
The same good humored smile still re-
NAMED upon bis lips as he said -
Perhaps / owe an apology for my
abrupt intrusion, and it doubtless would
have occurred very differently if had
not supposed that little Rose Fadden re-
membered the playmate of her brother"
"The playmate of my brothcrl Oh,
then you must be Lu-I beg your par
don--Mr. Wilmington. Your sister in-
formed me you were expected home"
Then you know my sister," said
Luther, in an iDquiring tone.
"0h, yes, know her," said Rosie,
"but doubtless you think it strange, as
does your maiden aunt, that Fadden
and Wilmington should be acquainted
with each other"
There was mingled bitterness and
irony in her tone that made the young
man feel rather uneasy, but he said with
more sclf-possession than be might
"No, do not think such an acquain =
tanco stronOo hul I .gondarod how Kate