The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-18

AUNT PRUE'S KINDNESS.

on short Visit, which lasted tWo years
You see she was such an observant per-
son, was Aunt Prue, and she took such
kind interest in her niece, Helen, and the
latter's husband, Jack, that it was more
than she could do to sit silent when she
saw anything going on around her with
which She disapproyed. And she dlsap-
proved of most things, Her sense of
right and wrong was very straight, and
She scorned the conventional cowardice OF
tolerating those social laches which she
believed TO be deadly SINS This does not
mean that she made frequent reference to
Holy Writ in her homilies, for in truth
the canon law which she had laid down
tor the guidance of her young relatives
seemed 10 be altogether of her own max
ING. She would say: III have found by
experience that this or that course is
foolish, and leads to mischief;" and
sometimes she would add this clincher:
Il wish to act kindly, and | feel it would
he mistaken kindness to bequeath my
fortune to persons who do not under
stand the science of life" meaning by
these persons Jack and her niece, Nell.
Here is the cat out of the bag; Aunt
Pruc had money, and il was the hope it
being made her heirs which exercised, OF
must be feared, an ascendancy over the
too mercenary souls Of the MerrydcWs,
husband and wife.
If it weren't for her money Fd kick
the old canting trump out of the house,"
bawled Jack, losing all patience one day,
about six weeks after Aunt Prue's arrl-
val.
''Hush, dearp exclaimed Helen, horri-
fed If Aunte left Us she would 60
back to the Moilers, who would intrigue
to get lis disinhetited; and how silly we
should look thenp'
Ailu,ions to his cousins, the Moilers,
always had the effect OF quieting Jack,
who would have put up with great deal
from Aunt Prue merely to spite her 9TH
ct nephew and niece, whom he hated.
These relatives were undoubtedly angling
Tor Aunt Prues fortune. After harboring
the old lady in their house for three
Years they had, at last, offended her, and
she had stamped off in 8 dudgcon; but
since that day they had been fawning in
many ~ycophantic ways to get her back;
and it was the inyariable threat OF
Auntie, when thwarted in any OF hel
whim.. that she would return to the hos,
pitality of those Moilersi who, Judging
by her description Of them on these oc'
casons, seemed to be paragons OF all the
virtue, and graces. There came a day
when even the gentle soul Of Helen re-
bellcd against the oft-repeated oulogy OF
the Moiers, and she said to her husband
'Iack, | can't stand this any longer
let her cut us of with q shilling, ii sh'
plc;,ses. but must turn her out Of th'
house | have had enough Of being
. Jhis old woman's slave"
"Hush, my dear" said Jack taking i
IA bis turn to play poacemaker. "Jus
read This: be quick! !" and he produced :
folded paper of legal aspect.
"Oh, Jack, it's auntie's will. Where
did you get tT' exclaimed Helen, who's
breath was cut short as she read the frs
line.
81 found ii on the table Of her sittin!
room: make haste and read it while thu
old girl is in the garden," answered Jack
who was himself much excited,
Poor Helen turned quite scarlet an,
her haud, trembled from nervousness a
she read aloud the following words:
II constitute roy beloved niece, Heller
Merrydew, sole heire.s Of all my prop
erty, personal and real--t0 wit: certain
lands in ,he County Of S., yieldin'
$4,000 q year, and sum Of 100000 in
vested in three per cent, consols, alon,
With all my plate, jewelry, pictures an'
furniture"
"Oh, Jack, how very kind!" calculate,
Helen. ~ She dropped her hands into he
lap, and looked at her husband wit
brimniDg eyes.
eyes, | think the old lady is wort
petting" answered Jack Merrydew, IT
folding the will.
How cruelty we have lnisjudged her..
said Helen. II feel as if the devotion G
lifetime would not be enough to pa
Ior all this kindness" v"
"Well well, she is seventy now, 50
hope our patience will not be put to tn
est too long" muttered Jack, candidly
"Oh, Jack, how can you talk so?' IT
oiled Helen, in a scandalized tone; an
from that time forth she would neve
near word uttered against Aunt Pru
dence. She endured all the latter
groans, lectures and menaces with tn
eq,lanimity of an angel; and Jack foun
al occasional tendencies on his own pan
toward mutiny repressed with the coIde,
severity.
He had indeed done very bad day
work in showing his wife Aunt Prue
viii. AT first he was rather pleased wit
the consequences Of his proceeding, b.
cause Helen vastly improved the dome
tic commissariat with view to pleasin
her generous relatives palate She bega
give excellent dinners, and above
aer husband carte blanche in laying in
arge stock Of highly-priced wines. Bl
proportion as Helen became more su
-ervient, SO did Aunt Prue grow more e
acting, not willingly, poor old lady, ft
20 use her own terms, she was person i"
,owly taste, thankful for trihes," b
then it was her maxim that people shou
10 their best to please those they love