The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-04-07
AUNT JEMIMA'S A
OUsY.

OUsY.
"What did / hear you say, Emma Ma
tilda-that you didn't believe there was
any real love without shade of jealousy?
Well, that shows what a real silly, light
hearted, u~ncalculating young goosey you
are"
Aunt Jemima drew a long breath, and
shook her head and forefnger with great
gravity at her demurely pretty niece and
then went on:
"You're not content to let things go
smooth and easy, though goodness knows
that Edward Marshall is as nice a young
gentleman as ever knew, and you ought
to be thankful-since you r a woman
and can't pick and choose for yourself,
but must wait till some young man asks
you-that you are lucky enough to be
his choice, without picking flaws in him
and trying to spoil the happiness that SO
few have the good fortune to enjoy"
II am not picking flaws in Edward
Marshall, aunt Nina" protested Emma
Matilda, her niece. "I'm only saying
how sorry / am that he isn't poetical and
more like a story-book lover. Why, he
never goes into raptures, or tantrums, or
anything nice, but just keeps kind and
good natured all the time. / wish l
lived in the days when men were knights
and wore swords and fought for the ladies
they adored-that would be nice! And
then they would not lee anyone even look
at the objects of their devotion. But Ed
ward Marshall seems to think it is really
nice tohaye me taken offhis hands once in
a while: and when / go cut walking
-.;tL aee- -
him wretched, he only smiles, and says
he hopes nHe1sen enjoying myself"
(Which is a clear proof that he has
good sense, and knows enough not to
make a fool of himself!o exclaimed aunt
JemimaeW with conviction. CHOW just
listen to me for a moment, Emma MatiI-
da, and lltell you something that ought
to make you serious: If it had not been
for jealorgy I should not have been your
old maid aunt Jemima! Yes, my dear,
it's no joke to be an old maid you
may well become solemn when you think
oft and new I'll tell you how it hap
pened."
There had suddenly appeared a gush
of tears in aunt Jemima's specialized
eyes and her nose had become alarming
ly red while she spoke.
1t is natural emotion . she observed,
in excuse, "and very likely you may in
dulge in the same forty years from now,
if Edward Marskalfs image rises before
your mind, and you have succeeded in
getting rid Of him through some nom
sensical freak Of jealousy. .
Ny dear, / wasn't just like / am now
when ] was your age indeed, some folks
called me handsome, and I know my
Were red and my eyes were as
s the common run of girls eyes.
II had a sweetheart, too-a likely
young man as ] would care to see
Cuthbert Jones by name, and if you'd
told me in those days that Jemima
would have been on my grave
stone / shouldn't have believed it.
"CHthbert was warm-hearted, agreea.
and polite, but he was awfully
1T may have been his hair-it in.
clined . little to the sandy; OF it may
been his ~eyes-they had a kind of
greeniah tinge. But Cuthbert was
sharp.if any one looked at me,
anda We used to quarrel every time he
me smile at another young man,
even fit was his own brother.
After we had made up-and at first
Il was 90 nice TO make up quarrels
they didn't seem % bad-he used
say it was because he set such store
By me that he was raving angry when
he saw me with any one else, and / used
tosfesl sort of pleased and fattered, and
forgot his black looks and mean yuspi-
cions, But, by.and-by, I got spunky.
/ vowed I would not stand such
tyranny-that I'd never tie myself to i
and have my head snapped
of If I did not mind every. word he said.
"Cuthbert's beard was not blue,
I must say it was rather on the
reddish which may have accounted for
his being fussy 10 his disposition.
aThe girls ii our village got TO teasing
me . good deal about his temper. When
were out II picnics, they'd find an
Sd hat and hang it on d bush near ne.
and then call for him:
Mr.. Jones | Mr.. Jonesl Miss Rodgers
i II danger!
4 used N mortify him awful, for lie
EEaF