The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-05-18

bag, and the other fat umbrella. Sht
looked comfortable and common from tor
to toe. She peered at the group through
her steel-bowed spectacles and tuckine
her umbrella under the carpet-bag arm
she extended her hand, "Wa'll, now,
s'pose you don't know me. I'm Jerushf
Hevington-yer cousin, Jerusha Heving
tor"
The stricken family were dumb. Mr.
Fenton was the first to recover. He took
the proffered hand, shook it warmly, and
led the lady to chair, begging her to be
seated; he could not say that she was well
come, but he tried to make her feel as il
she were. Mrs. Fenton then came forward
and sitting down beside her asked some
friendly questions about the journey j. and
the girls, little conscience smitten, offer
ed to take her things.
"Wa1l, guess 1 won't jest now, thank
yer-pve got to GO and see about my trunk
in minute; ! had it left in q grocery
store jest around the corner. The young
man was awful pleasant when l told him l
was one of your folks-he seems to set a
heap by you"
"Good gracious ~ thought Florence,
with shudder. ~ wonder if she has
been going all through the city advertis-
ing her relationship to us!"
"Wa'al, Samuel" began Miss Jerusha
Yer've got two likely gals they'd ought
ter help their mar sight in dom house
work and SIGH. 1t must take a powerful
heap o. work to keep all them fussn's
clean with an admiring, rather awe
struck glance about the room. Then she
went on. els them all the children yerve
got, Maria9"
Mrs. Fenton answered that she had two
more, a son and Il little daughter. Mabel
offered to send for her little sister, think
ing that child might make conversation
easier, but Miss Jerusha answered, with
such evident alarm and disrclish, For
laws sake, no! l can't bear children"
that she drew back, offended. Miss Fen
ton looked annoyed; but Miss Jerusha, un.
abashcd, began to complain of the awful
drought up in their place, while an awful
silence fell upon the rest.
A quick, light ring made the girls start,
and fervently hope that it was not Mr..
Vanderpool-I am sure for the first time
of all beings in the world, see this dread
full relative-Mr. Vanderpool, whose father
belonged to the oldest Knickerbocker fam
lilies. and whose mother was an f. F. W;
who was so fastidious and refined herselfl
1t took only few seconds for this to rush
through their brains, when in Mr.. Wander
pool walked. lie was greeted in a rather
embarrassed manner by them all, and en-
weighed into a seat as far as possible from
Miss Jerusha on pretence of its being
cooler by the window.
But Miss Jerusha didn't mean to be left
in the back ground-she got up from her
chair and stalked over to the group.
who's this young man 2" she blandly
inquired, indicating Mr.. Vanderpool with
her cotton forefinger.
Mabel, with very red face, introduced
Miss Hevington," mentally grateful that
Mr.. Vanderpool made an astonishing
bow, but Miss Jerusha held out her hand,
and gave his an unmerciful grip, exclaim-
ing heartily, I'm real glad to see yer,
mister. But see here, ito Mabel-"I
amt ashamed O. bein' your cousin-yer
might hev introduced me as sich." Then
ordering Mr.. Vanderpool "to set down on
the sofy," she took her place beside him
when he had obeyed.
"Wa'al now, | didn't spect to see SIGH
a fine young Teller the fust mite l come-a
beau o. yeun, l s'pose ?" she said to
Mabel, in loud voice.
Mabel wished that the earth would open
and swallow some one of the party.
"Wa'al yer needn't get so all fired red ;
yer amt got no call to be ashamed o. him !;
he seems nice huff kind o. young man."
Mabel felt the cold shivers running up
and down her back, and thought she knew
the meaning of purgatory now.
Miss Jerusha, quite blissful, turned to
Mr.. Vanderpool, and put some searching
questions in regard to his trade" Mr..
Vanderpool politely answered that he was
studying for the bar.
Hum bartender; shouldn't hev
thought it'll" was Miss Jerusha's comment.
The girls sat shuddering, and wonder
ing what was to come next. Mr.. and Mrs.
Fenton were holding council of war in
the back parlor.
Miss Jerusha was silent for the space of
three minutes, gazing upon Mr.. Wander
pool with such ardent admiration that he
began to feel nervous.
"You're awful like Linus Swinefield !"
she exclaimed at length" the tust beau
ever he'd. | know'd him when we went
to the deestrict school. They ulster call
him Piggy then. and none o. the gals could
bear the sight o. him, and when he growed
up, was the only one who'd go to prayer
meetin' with him. My stars but he was
powerful like you. He'd jest the same
kinder tow-colored har, and Whitley blue
eyes. | was awful fond o him." She
sighed, and edged little nearer the now
thoroughly uncomfortable Mr.. Wander
pool; then she sighed again, and edged
still nearer. "You're dreadful like him."
she said, and buried her face in big red
handkerchief, and, grooming, moved nearer
still another groan, another sigh, made
the girls rise in fright. Was the woman
crazyG Still another sigh and groan
wedged Mr.. Vanderpool against a sharp
corner of sofa. He, somewhat alarmed :,
tried TO get up, Miss Jerusha, with spas
modic twitches all over her face, threw her
arms around his neck, exclaiming, convul-
sively, my dear, dear boy !!
Mr.. Vanderpool Indignantly struggled
to release himself, but the clinging arms
refused to be unlocked. Mabel and
Florence stood wringing their hands in
despair. Mr.. and Mrs. Fenton rushed 10
the rescue, and in the scuffle that ensued,
off came the poke-bOnnet and the green
veil, carrying with them the spectacles and
gray hair-and there was Toms curly
brown head confessed.
"Oh, Tom, you dreadful boyl" cried
the girls, as Tom sank down on the sofa
shouting and shaking with laughter.
1t took about the space of lightning
flash for them to grasp the situation, and
such peals of laughter rang through the
rooms that it was wonder the neighbor-
hood was not aroused; but then it was
hearty rather than noisy, and that makes a
wondrous change.
Tom, with many chokes and roars, told
he In lodi linz I'll,