Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-02-20

take with them by the es .rly train in the
morning, she almost felt reconciled to
think Guy had made the mess of it she had
prophesied-to have give a her this cppor-
tunity of convincing him of the in
fallibility of her pre- science. While
Uncle Hiram packed a big basket
with all sorts of ssgoodie S" of the truck
patch-enough to stock tile Norris junior
larder for weeks.
The late winter sun was not yet half
way UP to the zenith when the cab Uncle
Hiram had hired at the depot stopped at
the street and number designated. and the
country people stepped out, paid their fare,
and stood with their luggage around them,
while Aunt Keturah took critical survey
of the prett y little detached house before
them.
ssThe mga's made mistake. This amt
the place. Guy don't live in any such
house as this. ~ Z.
Uncle Hiram put on his glasses, and
scrutinized the cottage from its tiny bal
conied tower in the top centre to the long,
wide piazza, in cream-and- blue, upon which
the first-foor windows all opened, with
pretty lace curtains and damask lalnbre-
quins to them.
ooh, Guy don't live here, sure enough.
But I'll just step up and ring the bell, an 4
mebbe the folks can tell me where 80 En-
erson street is-for don t see any num-
Der on this.'
| But Uncle Hiram g eyes were not sharp,
or he would have seen the embossed silver
number on the door-bell, as he gave it a
rousing jerk, that brought the neatest Of
little colored girls, twelve or so years old,
to the door, in a dark pink dress and white
apron, pretty stockings and slippers.
| And, to the very great establishment of
both the old folks, she said that Mr.. Nor
ris lived there, but he was sick. Mrs.
Norris was at home. Please would they
walk in and give her their names
Aunt Keturah walked in-grim, solemn
faced, bewildered; while uncle Hiram
went to shoulder the trunk and basket.
TELL 'em Aunt Keturah's here from
York State-her and Uncle Hiram," she
said, little uncertainty, as she stepped
inside the charming little sitting room in
to which Topsey's descendant ushered
| them-a charming, little, bay Widowed
room, where plants grew and bloomed in
the eastern sunshine; with a brown and
orange brussels carpet on the floor, and
pretty, brown red lounge, with knitted
afghan and pillow TO match, cosy Turk
ish chairs and ottomans: with drapery at
the windows, few choice, bright pictures
on the walls, fire glowing in a low, sill
yer barred CRATE. a canary twittering in
gilded cage, and fat, motherly Maltese
cat and three baby kittens lying on a rug
before the fire.
Aunt Keturah looked around in speech
less amazement, a curious little culver
under her eyelids. and sort of haH-shock-
ed, half-terrihed expression in her eyes
tthat Changed 70 one OF admiration impos'
slble to express, as young, beautiful wo
man came into the room-the most beau
j tiful woman Aunt Keturah had ever seer
in all her life before-wjth lovely, bright
brown eyes, with wine-red tints in them
and bronze-brown hair, and a complexion
palely olive, and vivid, scarlet lips, like a
robin breast.
/ $50 this is Guys auntie ? Aunt Ketu-
rah, am quite sure. and Uncle Hiram
: I am Jessie, and am very glad you have
come to see us. Guy is very much better.
and he IS so anxious to see you. Let me take
your shawl and bonnet, auntie, and Annie
will see to your luggage
So gracious. so sweet, so perfectly the
hostess-and actually Guys wife-Guy's
shiftless, lazy, story-writing wife this
: charming woman, who, for all her pleas
ant ways, had certain something about
her that impressed Aunt Keturah with
realizing sense of superiority and proue
dignity.
For once in her life, Aunt Keturah was
l 'snumb-struck. /" she said, afterward: ant
in subdued silence, followed Jessy through
the pretty, neat halls, mp the Brussels-car
peted stairs, and into very bower o.
cheerful beauty, with every comfort hear
> could wish, and many dainty luxuries be
! sides, to where, in dressing gown and slip
pers, their boy Guy lay on the lounge, {
little pale, quite thin, but contented ant
we'll cared for, beyond the shadow of {
doubt.
: 1t was all-everything- very, so re
makably different from what Aunt Ketu
rah had supposed! She had an insane de
: sire to pinch herself to see it she wer
: awake; and as she suddenly thought o
) the things she had brought to feed ant
: clothe Guy and his wife, her cheeks red
/, dened, and she came to a dead stop in tn
. middle of a sentence addressed to Guy.
"What's the matter, Aunt Kitty ?" b
said
a And she bestowed sneeplSh, Sideway
glance on Uncle Hiram, who, although h
n was usually silent, gave ample evidence
q by the tw inkle of his shrewd little eyes
r that he appreciated to nicely now ludi
|, crously they had been mistaken in Guy
a wife and Guys condition.
And aunt Keturan, catching the joll
n glance in his eyes, made one bold stroke
S and laughed outright.
d Il tell you what's the NATTER she said
i stoutly-and then there crept little hal
d ashamed, half-sorry tone in her voice
n we've been couple of old fools, Hir'n
Q and me-that's what sve'pe been But he
it cause we've been in the wrong, Special
e me, amt any reason why we, special
l. me, shouldn't acknowledge it. I Away
was opposed to you, my DEAR" she said t
a Jessie, who listened, flushing little AN
u smiling more, 81 had an idea-rhe Lor
only knows where came by it-that yo
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