Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-04-02

Maria, she softly said. II win think
Of Il; / win try"
And she began forthwith. That very
evening she dressed herself up aud
went 70 the penny reading concert, TAX
ing Kate and Louisa. Uncle Butter
field was there, sitting beside Mrs. Ber-
row. My mother, all unconscious Of
the treason, crossed the room 10 sit
with them; / went 70 Aunt Mona. We
all went home together az far as our sew
eral ways led us, and though uncle did
see the widow home aunt did not begin
moaning again.
How wonderfully from that time her
appearance and manner changed, you
would hardly believe. She grew young
again; she grew cheerful. Cheerful
and more cheerful day by day. Her
dress was studied; her servants, house
hold and children we're actively cared
for. She took to visit again and 10 20
10 church on Sundays; she invited
friends 10 little parties at home. The
pills, and herbs, and physics and de-
coctions were pitched away, and the
bottles sold by old Sarah. Uncle
Thomas was charmingly sunny tenn
pered in the house, as he always had
beeni but he did not give up his visits
10 the Widow Borrow.
But he will in time, Maria" said
aunt, privately 10 me, a world Of conf
dent hope in her voice. "Only yester-
! day he smoothed my hair down with
his gentle hand and said looked as
young and pretty in his eyes as did the
| day we were married"
"Yes, aunt, you are winning him
back, you see. knew il would be so. -
" And oh, child, i am 50 much hap
pier than used to be, with all my pains
and my nerves and my lowness Of spirits
goner'
1t was month or two after this, all
things having been going on in the
incest possible way, that Mrs Borrow
one cold morning, for December had
come in, presented herself in Aunt
Mona's parlor, smile on her ever
| pleasant face. / was there, helping
| Aunt with the things intended for the
Christmas tree. She had not had tree
for years. Not been cable" to have
one, she used TO say. Uncle Thomas
had told her laughingly this year not TO
spare the money over it.
Mrs. Borrow, coming in, say, with
her bright face, went straight up to
aunt and kissed her. Aunt Mona did
color little at that
Il am come to ask you to my house
for the 9th of January" she said, "you,
| Mona, and your husband and the two
girls. Your mamma has already her
invitation, Maria, and yours, too" she
added, nodding at me.
g Is it tea partyP' questioned Aunt
Mona, stiffly.
"No; breakfast. And l hope you
will attend me to church beforehand
and see me married.
"Marriedr' | cried, staring at her.
"Yes, my dear. have been engaged
these many months past" she answered,
with equanimity. alt is to my cousin
Stanton-a very distant cousin, as you
know. We should have been married
| before but for that business which took
him TO Spain. And when he got there
he found he was obliged to 90 on to
Valparaiso. There he was detained
again. Altogether it is nearly six
months since he left England, but'he is
back now"
"And-you have been engaged to
marry him all that whilep' gasped
aunt, in her surprise.
q All that while, and longer. Since
last April. Your husband has known
it from the first.
"Oh, Carolinen'
"And has been transacting all kinds
of business for us both preparatory to
the marriage"
"Why did you not tell meP"
Caroline Borrow laughed
"Then-was that-that nonsense that
you and Thomas talked together
about-about your succeeding me a
joke?"
"Why, of course it was, you silly
thing. AS if your husband could have
cared for me or for him--in that way.
He has never cared, he never will care,
for any one but his wife, Mona"
Aunt Mona burst into happy tears
and put her face down upon her old
friends neck to sob them away.
We all went to the wedding on the
9th, and Uncle Butterfeld, looking so
bright and sunny, gave the bride away.
But neither of them told Aunt Mona
what learned-that the plot was con-
cocted between them to bring her to
her senses.
And it did it, as you have seen. And
there never was woman more free
from nerves" and imaginary aches
and pains than Aunt Mona is now. Il
thank God for it every day of my life,
Maria" she whispers to me sometimes.
And think we all do.-M Y, Herald.