The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-04-17

| New 1OrK, ana GloQ see Qer SdIely OI
board the Fall River boat. The hail
trunk meanwhile had been neatly re-
paired and was in as good condition Of
ever, barring its faded and ancient look
and Susan had put a few extra touches or
Aunt Hepsy's bonnet, which gave it
more recent air. Her old shawl gave
way to brand new cloak, and there was
general transformation in her appear
ance. She looked ten years younger
than when she arrived in Newark. Still
all these elegancies Of attire could not
extinguish those characteristics of person
which distinguished her from other in.
dividuals. How many times she inquired
of Prosper concerning the safety of that
trunk as they hurried along on the cars,
it would be difficult to enumerate. At
last they stood together on the wharf
close by the steamer ; Prosper saw her
safely on board and then hurried of
toward home. As she sat looking out OF
the window of the ladies' cabin she dis
covered her trunk on the wharf
and alarmed lest 1t should be left
behind she hurried out and along
the gang plank just in time to meet
a truck load of baggage. The porter did
not see her but kept on, the truck struck
the old lady there was squeak and a
splash few minutes after very wet
old lady was carried into the cabin ; she
didn't look 80 pretty as she did q
few minutes before. She was put in
charge of the stewardess, and the hair
trunk was resorted to. An hour later
she occupied one of the sofas in the cab
in arrayed in other attire and seemingly
as composed as ever. Just then an elder
ly, benevolent-looking gentleman ap-
preached her, and in quiet way in
quired:
"Air you sufferin' from the effects of
your fall, ma'am?"
Aunt Hepsy stammered and hesitated
little, and then pulling out one of her
new stitched, replied, "not partic-
ularly; little sore in spots howsomev-
er; I suppose it always happens to peo-
pie who travel. It's temptin' Provi-
dence, as heard my nephew say once
in sermon, to try to carry sweet'meats
and rose.bushes on a railroad train"
."May 7 ask, inquired the gentleman,
"who your nephew, the pastor, is ?"
"Certainly," replied Aunt Hepsy.
"He's my brothers oldest son, and lives
up to Boston. They say he's one of the
best preachers thereabouts. He's
preached there ten years"
"Yes, yes." mused the old gent,
"and his name is Rev. P. Fucker"
"How did you know it ?" asked Aunt
Hepsy, with start.
s7Because he was installed ten years
ago, and I am q deacon in his church.
Deacon Squeakleather, if you please"
"You don't say it. I've heard Persy
speak of you agin and agin. Why, deacon,
Ifeel as though I had known you for
years." - -,
"I-a-I-a helped you out of the water, "
continued the deacon, as he tried to pull
the cloth over worn button on his
coat. : &
"Now, deacon, how can I thank you ;
did you see anything of my calico bag I?
Now come to think, I haven't seen any
thing of that bag since, and the trunk
nv hair trunk-I do wish I knew what
had become of that. What does make
this boat shake so?"
"It's the engines, replied the deacon.
"They have Just started"
"You don't mean to say they have
Injins aboard, do you ?" inquired Aunt
Hepsy nervously. "Steam engines, !"
suggested the deacon, "the motive
,,oSro~ &c o;p;1;,of;or
"Surely deacon yes [ see; but l
don't think they are much safer than a
real Ingin," and Aunt Hepsy went on
with long account of her experience to
which the deacon listened with evident
pleasure.
"There ma'am," said he, rising from
his seat and pointing out Of the window.
"there is Castle Garden, a famous old
building where Jenny Lind once sung:
eyes, and would you believe it,"
observed Aunt Hepsy, "there was
Prosper, put on his best clothes, came
all the way down from the Corners to
hear her sing, staid week, and would
you believe it, when he came home he
was 80 particular, he said there wasn't
girl in the whole town could sing like her,
and he had the impudence to tell the
leader of our choir that she could not
hold candle to her, and he actually
laughed at her when she said she'd jest
like to try her on old Windham once.
Jenny Lind may have been powerful
good, but I don't believe sac was ahead
of our leader, no how"
The trip to Boston was entirely without
incident. Our heroine was safely landed
at the parsonage, the deacon was seeing
her to the door, in spite of the fact that
his pastor had met her at the station.
Originally she had meditated only q
short visit, but week after week passed
away; still she remained, and nearly
every day might have been seen in front
of the mansion, the deacon's horse and
new chaise. Where was the deacon ?
Why he was inside of course, seeing
after church matters. Nothing of the
sort. He was sitting on the sofa by the
side OF Aunt Hepsy as chirp as chirp-
ing bird.
Aunt Hepsy grew younger every day,
and one morning came down stairs sing
ing,
"This is the way long have sought
And mourned because found 1t not.
"Aunt Hepsy," remarked the Rev. P:
Fucker, "I have an intimation that
Deacon Squeakleather has taken a great
interest in YOU" "Now Persy |" re-
marked Aunt Hepsy, "why Persy, now
what makes you think 80 ?"
appearances, only appearances now
Aunt Hepsy, isn't it fact ?"
"Well Persy, you are 80 pressin',
I think I must tell. There it is; Just
look there" she said holding out her
hand, upon one finger of which was
bright ring.
"When, i" injured the pastor.
"Next week." replied the old lady,
"and I've sent for Jane and Prosper,
and all the folks to come up, and -
just then there was ring at the door
bell, the door opened, and stout fellow
brought in a stylish new trunk marked
in big letters on the end, "Hepsy Tub
Inns Blimkin Squeakleather. - Water
tooOn (M. " Reunion.
A Medical View of Cats.