The daily gazette., 1878-03-20
The Old Maid q Aunt.
BECCA's STORY,

should say she must have been thirty.
On, no, she wasn't ugly she was quite,
fine looking for her age and she wasn't
cross but you know a girl don't like to
be followed all about by an Old maid
aunt, who has forgotten all about her
youth, and thought it very mean of har
--eUer so mean.
=. We were living at -, then, just a
little out of town, and he came down to
the hotel for the summer, and he'd
known mamma and papa and called on
us. oh, | haven't told you he was
Colonel Morrison; and very handsome
about tive-and-thirty, great, black eyes
beautiful. waving, black hair such
broad shoulders.
Men are young at five-and-thirty, You
know, and when he first saw me he start
ed and colored beautifully.
"My daughter Becce," said mamma,
always would be called Becca. Why
they gave me that old fashioned name
can't think. | would not have the
whole oft put on me e.And his face light
ed up, and the color came and went, and
he bowed.
"We named her after my sister," said
papa.
And I shall never forget how the col
onel looked at me. After that he often
came to see us, and 1 could not help
knowing that he had a motive for COM
ing.
1t would have been too delightful, but
Aunt Rsbecca spoiled it ALL
If he wanted me to play to him, there
she was at the piano. If he wanted me
to walk in the garden, there she was too
Out boating with him we had her. /
showed her as plainly as l could that /
didn't long for her company, but she
was stupid, and ! finally said
"Aunt Rebecca, really there are times
when two make better company than
three"
She looked at me and blushed. Yes,
she blushed.
"Not when people think so much OF
each other as IRE do, Becca," she said.
eyes, even them" said 'and one
doesn't think so much of one who is lit.
tie in the way. 1t is tiresome man
must have chance to speak, you
know"
"I'm sure men can make chances, il
they choose" said she. "It's not for a
woman to do it for him. And really it's
all your imagination. Becca."
"hdeed," said and was cross at her
all day, but couldn't make her angry AT
me. She went on behaving in the most
hideous manner, and at last it dawned
upon Illt tIdt Slit was, dlltl uht lllt
maiden aunts IN the books, and had taken
it into her head that the colonel was in
love with her.
1t was funny, but | coulden't help be-
ing ashamed, too, that my aunt should
make such perfect stupid of herself. /
was little sorry for her, too so maze
up my mind to keep quite, and let her
find out her own mistake. She would
be mortified, of course, but / could not
help that.
Heigh OH How handsome the colo
mel was, and what talker, and how well
he rowed and rode and danced. i was
of him one afternoon, sitting on
the piazza in the shade .of the wisteria
vines, for it really was too warm to do
when little black Linda came
up the steps with note.
"Please, where is Miss Hunter, Miss
Becca ?" said she. "1've been looking
everywhere for her; can't find her no.
whar got letter for her from de officer
gentleman"
"Colonel Morrison?" said L.
"Yss, Miss" said she.
"Why do you think it's for auntie, Lin
da ?" said l. 81 am Miss Rebecca Hun
ter, toe"
"Wall, de colonel said Miss Hunter"
said Linda, "and | always hear you talk
ell OF rs Miss Becca."
Not by gentlemen, l hope" said L.
This Is for me, | think. Any ans
swer 2"
mo, MISS" said Linda.
So / walked off to my room, with the
letter in my had. My heart was beating
faster than 1t ever beat before, and
was wondering what the colonel could
have written to me. l turned my key
before / opened the envelope, and then
Gained myself down and read this:
'DRAREsT GIRL Don't tease me any
more, want to see you by yourself, and
YOU knon do. l am down in the woods
by the little rock spring, and want you
to come to me there lcithout company
You may like person immensely, and
yet not want her always. l shall wait
here until the sun goes down, unless you
come before, for must say something tc
you. "Yours ever, MORRISON.
Say something TO me? OF course, he
meant to make an offer. l ran to the
glass, settled my hair, tied on my pret
TEST hat, took my parasol, and tripped
down stairs.
| stole past aunty's room like a kitten
and then / was in the open air, going
for the first time, to meet him alone.O
it was delightful. Every moment | fear
ed to hear aunty's step, but she did moi
follow.
When | had reached the woods they
were so fresh and green, and the shad
ows lay so pretty across the paths, max
ing Just the very background for ro
mantle scene; and down by the rock
spring IA tall figure was standing. 1t was
Colonel Morrison, and he was watching
the path by which l came to meet him
He hurried forward eagerly, but. as we
stood face to face, he paused, looked al
me in the saddest way, and with some.
thing like annoyance i'll his tone
said:
"Miss Becca," and just bowed.
Then he turned away, and walked
slowly toward the spring then suddenly
turned again, hurried back to me, and
said:
81 beg your pardon, Miss Becca. Have
you any message for me ?"
Message 2" repeated. "l-I receiv'
ed your note"
"My note," said he; then his face
flushed. He had a way of blushing
beautifully. "That stupid Linda" he
muttered. $50 Linda gave that note tc
you, Miss Becca. 1t must have puzzled
you little"
Eyes," / said, scarcely able to speak
al was surprised"
81 intended it for your aunt" he said
"She would have understood. We knew
each other when she was your age, and
we quarrelled, but we are friends again
LJ-vou are old enough to understand