The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-12-16
spluttered Mr.. Remington. upsett1ng the
powdered sugar into the picked salmon.
81 never heard Of s11ch a fhinrr

Il never heard of such thing.'' {.
"Oh, no; it's only too true. Jus
listen to this, Dear mother, for goodnes!
sakes, don't write any more letters K
Miss Penroy. am not engaged to hel
at all. am engaged to her aunt, Mis-.
Boggs. You'll be here on Monday, se
I'll tell them all then. In haste, YOU
loving son, Fred Oh, I'll never forgive
her for entrapping my poor innocent boy
such q vulgar name, too-Boggs.';
"Horrid old thingl'' muttered Minnie
'Dreadful creaturep' chimed in Bes.
sie.
Girls said the mother suddenly, eli
does no good to abuse that woman-we
must simply 60 on and stop it.''
No dissenting voice was heard, and
the old lady arranged the entire plan
before they left the table. Mrs. Remine-
ton and the girls would start by the first
train in the morning. Mr.. Remington
would stay home to look after the estab-
lshment.
II am glad he didn't want to go, Mrs.
Remington confded to the girls, che
might say something harsh to that poor
boy and he sorry for it afterwards
The next day-will Minnie and Bessie
ever forget it to their last hour-the dust,
the heat, and the depression of spirits
combined. At last the conductor yelled
some unintelligible sound in at the door,
which instinct and the timetable told
them was Eastrodes.
A lank kind Of cattle-shed was pointed
out as the depot, and IN the oven like
waiting room of it they bestowed them
selves.
'This is dreadful, girls.'' sighed Mrs.
Remington, surveying the blistering
hayfelds on every side, and the long,
straight, treelless road, where two COWS
were choking themselves with the dusty
grass on the edges.
II wonder if there is nything like an
hotel in the place? Just ask the ticket,
man. child.''
Minnie crossed the room, and held a
consultation with a blank-minded old
man, who was postmaster as well as tick
ct agent, and who insisted at first upon
informinging her that there were ssno
letters. At last she made him under
stand. and cleaned the fact that there
was "sorter hotei' just back of the
depot.
A tall, angular woman here entered
the building strong-featured, big
eyed, black-haired woman, who might
have been very handsome, say hundred
and fifty years ago. She stalked over to
the postmaster, and Minnie joined her
mother.
"Well,' sighed Mrs. Remington, II
suppose we had better go to this hotel, OF
whatever it is, and send word on to Fred
but, oh, dear, it's dreadful-to think he
should ever do such thing! I'll never
forgive that Miss Boggs as long as live
she has just entrapped my boy for his
money, dreadful old thing-oh, girls, on
ly think Of 1t!''
"Air you Mrs. Remington asked the
gaunt woman, stepping up to the group.
Eyes, answered athe astonished Mrs.
Remington, "and are you she could
not finish the question.
"Yes, I am" the gaunt woman tartly
said; 'and I'd like to know what you
mean by dreadful! Your son amt none
too good for a Boggs, I can tell you
and you needn' suppose you're going to
marm it over US, cause you aint," wax
ing worth, and glaring down at Mrs.
Remington with her big eyes.
"You awful woman!'' the poor old lady
gasped, "what would Fred say to hear
his mother abused in this way-perhaps
that might cure him--oh, dear! oh,
dear!'
Sand as for your son, he wouldn't be
half the man he is, if it warn't for me-
if hadn't nussed him, and nussed him,
and rubbed taller on his nose, and here
you come raisin' fuss about lawful
woman, indeed''
"Mother," cried the girl, s'you shan't
stay here-come to the hotel at once.''
So Minnie picked up the sachels, and
Bessie gave her arm to Mrs. Remming-
ton, and they all three left the depot, the
gaunt woman snorting and exclaiming
after them to the last minute.
The "sorter" hotel proved as close and
ugly as it was possible for any building
to be. They we've shown directly to an
apartment commanding an extensive
view Of blank wall and the roof Of the
depot-anything more unlike their own
pretty bedrooms could scarcely be
imagined. The girls tried to make Mrs.
Remington lie down, when they had dis
patched a message for Fred, but she
would not.
''What dreadful infatuation!'' she;sob-
bed, sitting on the edge of the bed. II
can't understand it,
"Just one of these coarse creatures men
fall in leve with" said Minnie.
Erred talked Of her eyes-great sau-
GERS. 'Douted Bessie
81 can't understand it" repeated Mrs.
Remington; "she has neither youth nor
beautv-nor even mental attractions
vulgar bad tempered; but I suppose
she got round him by taking care Of
him when he was sick-rubbing taller
as she called it, on his nose ugh art
full creature working upon his sense of
gratitude oh, dear, oh, dear!''
.But suppose Fred persists in marry
ing her-we can't do anything said
Minnie.
81 wonder if we couldn't fix her up,
suggested Bessie; ''she's not really bad
10 liking, you know.
Minnie caught eagerly at the idea.
mo, she's not bad looking, and dress
has SO much to do with ones appearance
"Oh, girls, don't give in that way; do
try to persuade him, begged the mother.