Evening star., 1877-10-20
AUNT JEMINA'S JEALOUSY.

da-that you didn't believe there was any
that shows what a real silly, light-hearted, /,
uncalcustiDg & young goosey you are Aunt
Jemima drew a long breath and shook her
head and foTefnger with great gravity al ner
demurely pretty niece and then went on:
"You're rot content 10 let things go smooth
and easy. though, goodness, that Edward
Marshall is as nice a young gentleman as
ever knew and you ought to be thankful
since you are a woman and can't pick and
choose for yourself, but must wait till some
young man asks yOu-that YOU re lucky
enough TO be his choice, without picking
flaws In him and trying TO spoil the happi-
ness that so few have the good fortune TO en-
81 am not picking flaws in Edward Mar
shall, Aunt Nina" protested Emma Ma
tilda. . I'm only saying how sorry | am
that he isn't poetical and more like story
book lover. Why, he never goes into rap
lures or tantrums, or anything nice. but just
keeps calm and good Datured all the time.
wish lived In the days when men We're
Knights, and wore swords, and fought for the
ladies they adored-that would be nice And
then they would not let any one even
look at the objects of their devotion. But
Edward Marshal seems to think il is really
nice to have me taken Off his hands
once in while; and when go out walking
with a gentleman friend, hoping TO make
him wretched, he only smiles, and says he
hopes I've been enjoying myself
(which is clear proof that he has good
sense, and knows enough not to make a fool
ofhImSelr" exclaimed Aunt Jemima. "Now
just listen To me for a moment, Emma Ma
ttlda. and III tell YOU something that ought
TO make YOU serious. Ifit had not been for
jealousy should not have been your old
maid Aunt Jemima! Yes, my dear, it's no
joke TO be an old maid; you may well be-
come solemn when you think OF il. and now
III tell you how il happened" There had
suddenly appeared gush OF tears in Amt
Jemima's s Spectacle1 eyes. and her nose had
become alarmInsly red while She spoke.
alt is natUrai emotion she Observed in
excuse, "ard very likely you may indulge
in the same forty years from now, If EIw ard
Marshall,s Image rises before your mind.
and you have succeeded in getting rid OF
him, through some nonsensict a freak OF
jealousy. My dear, wasn't just like am
now when ] was your age; indeed. some
folks called me handsome, and i know my
cheeks were red and my eyes were as bright
as the common run OF girls eyes. i 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 Je
NINA Rodgers wound have been on my
grave-stone 1 shouldn't have believed 1t.
Cuthbert was warm-hearted, agreeable and
polite, but he was awfully jealous.
alt may have. been his hair it inclined
little to the sandy; or 1t may have been his
eyes-they had a kind OF greenish tinge.
p But Cuthbert was mighty sharp If any one
looked at me, and " e used TO quarrel every
time he saw me smile al another young man,
made up-and at first IL was so nice to make
up our Quarrels that they didn't seem SO
bad-he used TO say II was because he set
such store by me that he was ravfng angry
when he saw me with any one else; and /
used 10 feel sort of pleased aud flattered, and
forgot his black looks and mean suspicious.
But, by apd-by got spunky. and vowed /
would not stand such Is ranny-that I'd never
tie myself to a Bluebeard and have my mead
snapped OFF II l did not mind every word he
said. Cuthberts beard was not blue, though
i must say il was rather on the. reddish,
which may have accounted for his being
fussy In his disposition. The girls in our
village got 10 teasing me good deal about
his temper. Wnen We were out on pic mics,
they'd find an old hat and hang it on bush
near me. and then call for him: Mr.. Jones
Mr.. Jones. Miss Rodgers is in danger!' 1t
used TO mortify him awful, for he was easy
frustrated but il didn't cure him. Nothing
could do that, ii seemed.
"One evening cousin Sarah Jane Brown
came over in a sleigh from Peltonville, and
brought her young brother, Abe, with her.
They were going to stay all night at our
house, and then start next day over to Nor
wood, to spend a week with their grandpa
rents there. Now Abe, he was only fourteen
years old, but the most over-grOwed fellow
as tall as his father, and broad accordingly,
but he had the softest, sawney kind OF look,
being red and white. like a baby, and having
real fiaxen hair. i don't know who started
the nickname, but every body called him
Sissy Brown, and he was Just as clever and
ood-natured a could be, and never took the
least offense of IL.
al was quite sorry that Cuthbsrt was not
going TO spend the evening with us, as usual,
for Sarah Jane was first-rate company; and
i thought he would like Abe, too, though he
had never met either of 'em before. But
Cuthbert had gone TO the city on business,
and said he would not be likely TO get back
before next day; and SO, 10 amuse the folks
l started the idea of having a candy-pulling.
They were in the huInor of II, and so We had
fun, tell you
"Abe was up to all sorts of capers, and
could pull candy equal 20 any one. My hair
wasn't this color, then; some folks called il
golden. but reckon il was a sort of yellow,
that looked well enough when il was fixed
up with blue ribbons. Well, Abe he pulled
and pulled TIL he got and matched my hair,
and then he twisted IL up into a curl, and
vowed be was going TO hang 1t on TO my
away, but he chased me clear out on to the
front porch, where IL was bright moonlight
and We had kind of ftussle in which / came
on best, for stuck up his TOW hair so that
he had to wash IL in hot water TO keep il from
standing out in horns.
"While we were laughing and struggling,
heard the gate click. and when looked up
after awhile, IL clicked again, and some one
went out. If hadn't known Cuthbsrt was
out OF town, should have said il was him
the city, concluded was mistaken. Next
day found out different. i had seen Sarah
Jane and Abe of, and was going on an er
rand 10 the store, when met Cuthbert, and
ne passed me, scowling just as If / was his
bifterest enemy. i was so astoni shed that
just stood still and looked thunderstruck
"He turned. looked back at me, and finally
retraced his steps. Il have no right to adj |
dress young lady who has promptly Sc
cured new lover 10 my absence! says he in
blazing scarlet and his eyes almost glared.
Are you addressing me in that way,
sir?' says for / had spirit OF my own,
and he knew it.
"'Yes. i am alluding TO the gentleman
you were so familiar with last evening that
you arranged his hair for him on your front
porch
"For a moment stared at him. and then
took to roaring and laughing. for IL really
seemed too good fun. You're jealous again.
Cuthbert,' says i; and this time IL is OF Abe |
Brown; who won't be fourteen years old for
q month or two"
"Somehow, this thing got ont, and Cuth- |
bert, was plagued about II a good deal. The
Browns stopped on their way back from
Norwood. and when Cuthbert saw what |
baby chap his rival was, he felt aw-
fully silly, though we had made il ali up by
that time, on his solemn promise never to be
jealous again."
Aunt Jemima heaved a deep sigh.
81 suppose II was his nature" she con-
tinued. "The leopard's spots and Ethio-
plans skin are hard TO change, and so was
his jealousy. He'd been just as gooi as pie,
never finding fault with me aoout glancIng
at any one else, or taking me TO task for
speaking TO any OF the beaux for nearly
month. when one day Rejoicing Peters, an
old maid, who made dresses for most OF the
families In our place, and who was q far