Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-11-16
AUNT PRUES KINDNESS.

AUNT PRUE'S KINDNESS.
Somehow things began to go wroAg
II the Merrydew household from the day
when Aunt Prudence came to stay there
on short visit, which lasted two years.
You sec she was such an obsarvant per-
son, was Aunt pruc, and she took such
kind interest ia her neice, Helen, and the
.atter'S husband, Jack, that it was more
than she could do to sit silent when she
saw things going on round her with
which she disapproveu. Aud she disap-
proved of most things. Her sense of
right and wrong was very straight, and
she sCOrnCu the conventional cUwardice
Of tolerating those social lasllcs which
she believed to be deadly sins. This
does not mean that she made frequent
reference to Holy Writ in her homiles,
Tor in truth the canon law which she laid
down tor the guidance Of her young rcla-
tlvcs seemed to De altogether of her own
making. She would say: II have found
by experience that this or that course is
foolish, and leads 10 mischief;' and some
times she would add this clincher: Il
wish to act Kindly, and feel it would be
mistaken kindness to bequeath my for
tune to persons woo do not understand
the science Of !ife,' meaning by these
persons Jack, and her ncice, Nell.
Here is the cat out Of the bag; Aunt
Prue lad money, and it was the hope OF
being made her heirs which exercised, it
must be feared, IN ascendancy over the
two 1ncrcenary souls Of the Merrydews,
husband and wife.
If It weren't for her money ia kick
the Old cantlng trump out Of the house,"
bawled Jack, losing all patience one
day, about six weeks after Aunt Prue's
arrival.
Hush, Ioar!' exclaimed Helen, hor-
rihcd. "If auntic lett us she would 90
back to the Moliers, who would intrigue
TO get us di5inheritcd; and how silly we
would look then!'
illusions 10 his cousins, the NIoliers,
always had the effect Of quietlng Jack,
who would have put up with great
deal from Aunt ,Prae merely to spite her
other nephew and niece, whom he hated
These relatives were undoubtedly ang-
ling for Aunt Pruc's fortune. After
harborlng the Old lady IN their house for
three years they had, at last. offended
her, and she had stamped off in dud-
geon; but since that day they had been
tawning IN many sycofantic ways to get
her back; and it was the invariable
threat OF auntie, when thwartcd in any
of her whims, that she wonld return to
the hospitality of those Moliers, who,
Judging by her description Of them on
these occasions, seemed to be paragons
of all the virtues and graces. There came
day when even the gentle soul Of Hell
en- rebclled against the oft-repeated Gu
logy Of the Moliers, and she said to her
husbands:
Jack, can't stand this any longer;
let her cut us off without shilling if she
plcases, but must turn her out Of the
house. I have had enough of being this
old woman's slave"
Hush, my dear, said Jack, taking it
IN his turn to play the peacemaker.
just read this; be quick,' and he pro-
.iueed q folded paper of legal aspect.
20, Jack, it's aunties will Where did
you get itf' exclaimed Helen, whose first
breath was cut short as she read the first
line.
Il found it on the table in her sitting
room; make haste and read it while the
old girl is in the garden,' answered Jack,
WHO was himself much excited.
Poor Helen turned quite scarlet
and her hands trembled from nervous
ness as she read the following words:
Il constitute my beloved niece, Helen
Mcrryde", sole heiress of all my proper
ty, personal and real--to wit: certain
lands in the county Of s., yielding
$4,000 year, and sum of 100000 in
vested in three per cent consols, along
with my plate, jewelry, pictures, and
turniture.'
30, Jack. how very kind" calculated
Helen, as she dropped her hands into
her lap and looked at her husband with
Drumming eyes.
Yes, the old lady is worth pettlng,
answered Jack Merrydew, retolding the
Will.
''How cruelty we have misjudged
her!" said Helen. II feel as if the deyo.
ton Of lifetime, would not be enough
to pay for all this kindness"
well, we'll, she is seventy new, so !
nope our patience will not be put to the
test too long," muttered Jack, candidly
"Oh, Jack, how can you talk sol" re-
pied Helen, in scandalized tone; and
from that time forth she would neve1
hear a word uttered against Aunt Prl-
dence. Ste endured all the lattcr's groans,
lectures and menaces with the equanimitv
of all angel: and Jack found all OCCASION
al tendencies Oh his own part toward
nlutiny repressed with the severest cold
ness.
He had, indeed, done very bad days
work in showing his;wife Aunt Prue's
will. At first he was rather pleased with
the consequences of his proceeding, be,
cause Helen vastly improved the domes,
tic commlssariat with a view to pleasing
her generous relatives palate. She be-
gan to give excellent dinners, and allow
Il 1, h,,.l i