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

excellent stepmOther."
Yes, see you have been thinking
Of her" returned Aunt Mona, rising
from her chair in fever Of hysterical
anger. You have got your plans
well laid out, husband, and you have
infected the children with them. Oh,
that / should live 10 be insulted like
thisi Maria, you are witness 10 II.
II Is cruel, crueli And / will live a
hundred years II l can, just to spite
you"
With the tears streaming down her
still pretty face Aunt Mona, leaving her
decOction Of herbs 10 is fate, sailed
away. ! felt most uncomfortable. The
young girls must have been iesting, but
for the first time / thought my uncle
heartless. Mrs. Borrow, standing now
outside the open window, had partly
heard what passed.
Mona only told me yesterday that
she could not live week" quoth she.
She kissed me last Sunday when
was going 10 church and said she should
not live 10 see another" spake uncle.
=" Yes, and she has not vet bought us
new dresses, or hats, or ribbons this
summer chimed in Kate. " She said
] ~ NOhAAA bb h1tltHHf VIC bnOull no SOON
have to go into mourning for her. 1t
is too bad for mamma to be so melan-
| chOly."
"And now she is going to live a hun
dred years." sighed Mrs. Borrow, in
anything but a pleasurable tone. " But
/ must wish you all good morning.
have not ordered my dinner az home
yet"
" Uncle Butterfeld," l said, feeling
indignant, as the echo Of her light foot
steps sounded on the path and the two
girls ran after her, "1-Ihav no right,
/ know, to speak so, but do you not
think you are heartless to Aunt Mona
unfeelingP"
al am sorry for it If 1 am" replied
my uncle, but I'm only taking your
aunt at her word. For years she has
! been telling me she was going TO die
and that had better be looking out for
a second wife. don't see that could
choose a nicer one than Mrs. Borrow"
" Has she bewitched you, Uncle But
terfeldP'
81 don't think so, my lass. All the
world recognizes her for a delightful
woman. The children must have a
mother If their OWNS taken from them
What should l do without a wife in a
house like thisP As to planning out be-
forehand, you must thank your aunt for
that"
He set off down the garden with his
long strides to oYertake Mrs. Borrow
Sending the girls back, he accompanied
her home. / could have beaten them
both.
IT., s+o;,s ,o,, 60, ,ol,,,,,. 80 - -, -
to face the girls, to Aunt Mona's room,
expecting to find her drowned in
hysterical tears and sorely in need of
consolation. Not bit of it. She sat
before mirror, arranging her still
abundant and beautiful hair, which,
during these years of illness, real or
imaginary, she had worn plainly tucked
under a cap. There was a fire in her
eye, flush upon her cheek and look
of determination in her face, which
augured anything but well for the pros
poets of the Widow Borrow.
"rve heard every word you have
been saying below" she exclaimed,
glancing at the open window. IL
thank you for taking my part, Maria.
You seem to be the only friend l have.
The idea of that mean, low-Hved, con-
temptible Widow Borrow being here in
my place and the mother of my chill
dren! If l were dead and buried and
she came as Thomas wife L rise from
my grave and haunt her. But, I'm not
dead yet; no, and don't intend to be
while that miserable jade walks the
earth. suppose she paints and pow
ders to make herself look young and
fair, for she's every day as old as am,
and when we were girls together she
was not half as handsome as / was.
Mark you that, Maria"
"She does not paint or use powder,
aunt; ] am sure of that, though she
does look so fresh and young"
"She is eight-and-thirty this summer,
and she does not look eight-and-twen-
i ty," snapped Aunt Mona. And 1,
with my years of suffering, look eight
Y and-forty."
"Yes, aunt, and your perpetual suf-
ferings have brought on the hook OF
age. If were you I'd throw them of
and grow young again. You might il
You would. remember how fresh and
pretty you used to be and how proud
Uncle Thomas was of you"
"I will be so again." cried aunt, res
olutely, in an excess of temper, " if it,
only to disappoint that upstart woman.
I'll throw off all my ailments, though
1 die in the effort, and be as young as
: she is"
Aunt-Aunt Mona-I want to ask
you not to be offended at some plain
truths l am going to tell you. YouI
illness, during all these years, has been
more imaginary than real; your natural
nervousness has rendered you ain easy
prey to quaek doctors and patent medi-
cine venders, who have had no regard
to your health, but only to your hus.
bands money. You have given way to
your fancies and gone about like an old
woman, the greatest figure imaginable.
Look at your gown this morning; look
at the cap you have now put off You
might be well if you would"
"Perhaps, after all, old Stafford may
be right when he tells me have no or.
ganic disease" said she, sadly.
eyes, indeed he is, and now want
you to promise me never to take an.
other drop of medicine unless prescribed
by him."
al never will"
"And oh, Aunt Mona, try to be cheer
full, and TO make home q happy place
for your husband and children. Think
how terrible it would be to lose thei
love-"
"It seems to me that have lost theil
love-" was the despairing reply.
"No, l hope not; no, indeed, Aunt
Mona. They are just little tired Of
your constant complainings, and must
say 1 don't wonder at it. Even the serv.
ants are tired. Think how long it is
since you had acheerful word upon yom
lips or a smile upon your face If you