The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-08-21
"Do you mean to say you have writ
Lar, to t,Nxr o,,,1k g1S

Most unequivocally."
Let me see the letter."
"That Is unreasonable. / never see
yours, nor ask to. Besides, it's on Its
way to Ohio before this time"
We shall see," said the wife. And
SO they did. In fifteen days, precisely.
from the date of our friends letter, just
as the couple were sitting down to tea
there was knock at the front door. A
tall figure in travelling attire superin-
tended the delivery from the stage coach
of "great trunk, little trunk, bandbox
and parcel" !" carefully counting them on
the sidewalk, and as carefully enumera-
ting them after they were removed into
the hall.
Where's my niece ?" she asked,
when the tale of baggage was found to
be all correct.
"My dear aunt !" said the young wife,
who had now the first suspicion who her
guest was. Speedily the baggage was
removed to the best chamber, and the
niece hustled about, the happiest of the
happy. With flying visit to the kitch-
en-, to bid Betty increase the materials
of the entertainment, and flying visit
to Aunt Expectation, who was bring
ing false fronts" and bits of lace ruffle
out of their receptacles with now fin
ger of aid in the toilet, and now hand
of assistance in the kitchen-with look
at the parlor lamp, and poke at the
parlor fire, little wife was in a transport,
and husband felt placid. Now, in doing
the honors of his house, she was his wife
" in haste"
Presently, all prim and stately, Aunt
Expectation was formally introduced,
and placed at the tea-table. Every effort
was made to give her welcome. Her
new nephew, in the delightful and un-
expected hurry of the scene, said very
pleasant and polite things, and rather
overacted such hospitalities of the tea
table as he ventured upon. But that
was natural, and to some extent, agree
able.
Still, Aunt Expectation seemed sur
prised at something which she did see,
or which she did not. The aspect of
matters was evidently not what she had
counted on. She was long in coming
round to anything like feeling of pleas
ure corresponding to what her hostess
displayed. There was a sense of con-
straint upon her which was supposed to
be the fatigue of her journey, and she
early retired to rest.
In the morning the cloud had some
what abated, but not entirely disappear
ed. Our friend voted inwardly that his
wife's aunt was soured maiden, but
gave expression to no opinion. When
the husband had left, she said
"Well, my dear, am glad to see you
so well and happy. The pleasure is not
the less" (her face gave her the lie as
she said so,) that it is unexpected.
Unexpected ~
" Read that letter. See first that there
is no prepayment, which regarded as
an evidence of hurry and anxiety"
The niece took her husbands letter,
and read as follows:
Z" MY VERY DEAR AUNT Il can
postpone writing to you no longer, and
regret that 1 have done it so long. am
anxious to receive visit from you at
your earliest convenience, and my wife
desires it very much. Trusting that we
shall soon see you, | am
Yours, in haste"
The poor wife's face wore first look
of blank establishment, and then chang
ed from white to red, and white again,
under Aunt Expectations fixed gaze.
"What does that mean ?" said the
aunt.
/" 1 don't know"
" But what does he mean by Il can
postpone no longer and visit at my
earliest convenience, and my wife de-
sires it very much ?"
"The fact is, my dear aunt, that my
husband is a very negligent correspond
ent. 1 gave him no peace till he could
tell me he had written. He could post
pone it no longer in comfort-that is all.
Your earliest convenience is mercan-
tile phrase in soliciting payment, which
slipped into the letter in his haste. And
that did desire to see my only blood
connection in the world is certainly very
true, as have written you a hundred
times"
1 see it all but it is very little salts
faction to me for the fright and uneasi-
ness which have hurried me over the
mountains, long journey, and at bad