The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-04-22
Pleasant Surprises.

Happening to say something before
my friend Smith one day about pleasant
surprises, he replied with groan and
shake of the head. "Ah, don't tell me
about pleasant surprises. They are a
snare and a delusion! Surprise may be
the essence of wit, as some authors tell
us, but it certainly is not the essence Of
pleasure.
"You speak feelingly on the subject"
said I.
"You would not wonder at that"
said he, "if you knew what causes
I had to do so. would tale unfold
on this point if you would care to hear
it"
On my assuring him that l would, he
proceeded to give me the following re-
cital
"When I was a youth my mother
had maiden sister, with whom | was
an acknowledged favorite, and as Aunt
Abigail possessed handsome fortune
in fee simple, there were other grounds
besides those OF sentiment for rendering
her favor a desirable thing. She lived
at handsome country place, which
she took great pride and pleasure in
keeping in the pink of order. Indeed,
it would have vexed and mortified her
for her owa brother or sister to have
found the least thing out of place or
repair on her premises, so ambitious
was she of sustaining her reputation of
having the best-ordered establishment
in the community. Nor did she take
less pain with her dress and personal
appearance, which like her home
were handsome and imposing. Being
somewhat ceremonious herself, she did
not encourage infornality in others, so
they seldom approached her except by
express invitation, and no one had an
opportunity to see either herself or her
house behind the scenes. Hence she
kept up all the greater prestige amongst
her friends and acquaintance, whose
almost solitary impression of her was
of queenly digni6ed woman, clad in
elegant black silk or satin, with soft
thread lace ruffles at her throat and
wrists, faint rose tlnge like the pale
reflection of the last rose of Summary
still lingering on her cheek, soft chest
nut locks bordering her brow, and
row of sound, white teeth cleaning in
her mouth when she would smile gra-
ciously,
Though in . stately kind
"When l was in my eighteenth year,
Aunt Abigail attended the intermediate
celebration at my school on February
l4th, and seemed much pleased with our
professor, whose ornate and excessively
polished manners latter the Grandiso-
man schooD were exactly to her taste
He entertained her with many labored
gallantries and much "genteel CONVEX
sation, judiciously seasoned with deli
cate fattery and profound Difference
for her own views. In looking back to
all this, / now see what | was too I'M
sophisticated to see at the time, viz
that the professor executed all these
stiff freaks with some view to matri-
mony; at least he had vague idea that
if the worst came to the worst, Cedar
wood (my aunts home) would not be
an undesirable retreat for an elderly
widower My aunt had no idea of con-
tracing any matrimonial alliance, but
still she had not reached the age what
woman ever doesD when the homage
and admiration of the other sex were
distasteful to her, 80 she permitted the
professor to offer her his antiquated
gallantres and was not Ill pleased by
them. In fact, he so far ingratiated
himself with her that she invited him
to come with me and spend Easter at
her house, together with large party
of friends she expected then from
town.
sowing 10 severe sickness on the part
OF the assistant teacher, our Easter va
oatien was granted three or four days
earlier than usual, and it flashed over
my impulsive mind, 1t will be . good
idea to give Aunt Abigail . pleasant