Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-09-16
From Chambers Journal.
SWANSDOWN VILLA.

We are not rich, but we are better off
than people think us, which is my idea Of
comfort. Live in a somewhat quietcr
stvle than Your income might allow. and
and YOU have margin. OStentation Is
very nice thing for people who like 1t,
but it neceSSitates pulling at your ex-
penditure to make ends meet; and then,
If the income tax is doubled or another
child comes, YOU are worried and per-
picked. We have two children and an
aunt, and desire no increase to our family.
on the aunt-side we are pretty safe; on
the child-side we hope for the best, but
there Is no knowing The rising genera
ton is very perverse, and crops up occa-
sionally in the most unexpected way.
Aunt Sarah has lived with Us ever
since the second year Of our marriage,
when she had the misfortune to lose her
FIdo: and being of an aHectionate dis
position. bound to love something, she
fixed on our baby as ft object for at
,achment.-She has her two rooms and
her own maid, and can be as independ-
ent as she pleaSes. OF course, the
fact makes no difference in our feelings
toward her or in our desire for her COM
fort. but | NAV mention incidentally that
her money is entirely at her own disposal,
and that she has q good deal of 1t. She
Is only my aunt by marriage, and | am
quite as fond of her as could be of a
blood relation, perhaps more so, for since
il is notorious that man loves his wife
better than himself, ,or ought to-, 1t
seems to follow by analogy that he must
also prefer her family TO his own, eSpec-
ially any member of it to whom he feels
grateful for what she will very probably
do for him or for his children some day.
Aunt Sarah liked our home. 1t was
close to London; vet park where fresh
almost country air could be breathed was
within a short walk Water, too, was
visible from the drawing-room windows;
and as the happiest portion of her life had
been spent on the banks of the Severn,
she was partial to water and liked to
watch the vessels passing to and fro. 1t
is true that our substitute for river was
but the canal in Regents Park, but still
It pleased her; and probably we should
never have left the suburb of Art if we
had not been pretty nearly blown out Of
| it by the famous gunpOwder explosion
which created such a panic early one
morning few years ago. When the
powder-barge blew up it shattered our
windows and Aunt Sarah'S nerves.
When my wife had assured herself that
the children were safe, she went to Aunt
Sarah's room, and presently her voice
rose in wild alarm: "CharleS, Charles
Aunt Sarah gone!" was much shocked,
thinking she alluded to fatal effect.
And you must 90 after her directly
This was even harder blow, for
fancied my spouse had been frightened
out of her wits. go after her." | ex-
claimed.
YES; the hall door is open; she must
have run out into the road. Oh, do fol-
low her at once!"
obeyed without delay, though my
costume was grotesque and insufficient
and taking, fortunately, the right turning,
came presently upon the poor old lady,
who was standing bewildered at a street
corner, with bed candle in her hand. ]
knew her by instinct, or | should never
have recognized her in her night attire
which consisted of a variety of wraps and
q most portentous night-cap that imag-
ination can conjure up. 1t was some
minutes before | could coax her back
and when at length she took my arm anC
allowed me TO lead her away, the specta
Gle we presented must have been curious
The effect of this event upon Aun
Sarah's nerves was so serious that she
could not bear 70 remain In the same
neighborhood Il was in vain that re-
lated to her the precaution of that leg
endgry mathematician who, happening Il
be on board frigate during a naval &C
ton, thrust his head through into the frs
shot-hole, and remained in that position
like nautical ostrich, till the firing wa.