Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-05-03

S"AA ~AN.
ruined And sot so much store by it..
To think that old grandma Charity's
trunk should come to such an end! If
that man that was takin' care of it was
| only alive, I'd like to see him just to tell
him what think of him. But we must
unpack it, Prosper" And they did un-
pack it but sad sight indeed was it,.
! There was the jar of ounce preserves
smashed all over Aunt Hepsy's best cap,
| which lay deeply embedded in a pumpkin
lpie lover it was generously spread all OF
her snuff, by way of spice; a bottle OF hair
ldye had soaked its way through the purple
and fine linen into loaf Of cake, on the
bottom of which was pasted a box of corn
ealve. Susan comforted the old lady,
while Prosper extricated the cap from it's
bed of Pumpkin pie, and Betty, the maid,
ran for glass Of water; it was evident
that accumulated misfortunes had over
come Aunt Hepsy, for Prosper was only
through with his work in time to save her
from sitting down in the coal bod. She
had tainted. #eA
At the conclusion of Aunt Hepsy's visit
to the Judge mansion, she had so far re-
covered from her fatigue and trepidation
that it was decided she should visit anoth-
er nephew in Boston. the Rev. PersimmOn
Fucker; furthermore to make the trip as
agreeable as possible, Prosper was to 60
with her as far as New York, and then
see her safely on board the Fall River
boat. The hair trunk meanwhile had been
neatly repaired and was in as good condi-
ton as ever, barring its faded an ancient
look, and Susan had put a few extra touch
es on Aunt Hepsys 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 extin-
guish those characteristics fperson which
distinguished her from other individuals.
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 off toward home. AS she sat look
ing out Of the window of the ladies' cab
in she discovered her trunk on the wharf
and alarmed lest it should be left behind
she hurried out and along the gang plank
just in time to meet truck load OF bag
gage. The porter did not see her but kept
on, the truck struck the old ladys there
was squeak and splash; a few minutes
after very wet old lady was carried into
the cabin; she didn't look so pretty as she
did 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 cabin ar
rayed in other attire and seemingly as
composed as ever. Just then an elderly,
benevolent looking gentleman approached
her, and in a quiet way inquired:
sAir yon sufferin' from the effects of
your fall, ma am p
Aunt Hepsy stammered and hesitated a
little, and then pulling out one of her new
hem stitched, replied, mot particularly
a little sore in spots howsomever; I sup
pose it always happens to people who trav
Ell. It's temptin' Providence, as heard
my nephew say once in a sermon, to try to
carry sweet-meats and rose bushes on a
railroad train.''
"May l ask, - inquired the gentleman,
&c
Certainly replied Aunt Hepsy.
"He's my brothers. oldest son, and lives
up to Boston. They say he's one of the
best preachers whereabouts. He's preach
ed there ten years.
eyes, yes,'' unused the old gent, "and
his name is Rev. P. Fucker"
elbow did you know it % asked Aunt
Hepsy, with start.
''Because he was installed ten years ago,
and am deacon in his church. Deacon
Squeakleather, if you please.'
"You don't say it'll I've heard Persy
speak of you agin and agin. Why, dea-
con, feel 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
"NoW, deacon, how can I thank you;
did you see anything of my calico bag ?
Now come to think, | haven't seen any
thing of that bag since, and the trunk
my hair trunk do wish 1 knew what had
become of that. What does make this
boat shake so p
''It's the engines" replied the deacon.
They have just started
''You don't mean to say they have In
gins aboard, do you ?'' inquired Aunt
Hepsy nervously. ''Steam engines" sug-
gested the deacon, ''the motive power of
Civilizations .
''Surely deacon; yes I see; out I don't
think they are much safer than a real In
gin,' and Aunt Hepsy went on with long
account of her experience to which the dea-
con 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," obser-
we'd 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 so particular, he said
there wasn't a girl in the whole town
could sing like her, and be had the impu-
dence 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 Widham once.
JENNY Lind may have been powerful good,