Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-02-26

81 don't know hut that we ought TO
go on 10 this Eastrodes, Minnie.
am sure Miss Penroy must be sweet
girl, but I'd like to see her."
We might take a run on there next
week" suggested Minnie; g,
think we need little change, and you
won't take us to any fashionable place
because we don't come cut for another
year"
"I'll think it over" said the mother.
But while she was thinking it over
the next day, II letter came That sent her
flying TO her girls.
1.-The climax has come" she cried,
half-laugling, and yet with tears in her
eyes. "He Is engaged to be married.
Just listen TO this"
And with daughter on each side,
she read rs incoherent,. happy, illogical
an epistle as ever lever indited since the
days of Adam.
"That settles it; we 20 there next
week. In the meantime we must all
write to him, and TO her, too"
And they did all write that very day,
dear lovi:g home letters, giving Miss
Penroy n sweet welcome to their family,
and telling Fred how charming they
were sure she must be, and how glad
they W ould be to meet her the following
Monday.
That was Thursday afternoon. On
Friday evening thunderbolt was
handed Mrs. Remington at the tea
table. Outwardly it was one of Fred's
regular letters, but inwardly il was
thunderbolt.
She opened it all unconscious, read
The few lines, and clasped her hands
almost tragically.
sanI, bt1Gbaudff gha Uaanpd 80 oh
Minnie-Bessie! that my boy should
ever~lo such n thing. II isn't Miss Pen
roy he's engaged to-it's her auntm
"Her aunt! Stuff ans mons nse ~
spluttered Mr.. Remington, upsetting
the powdered sugar into the picked
salmon. II never heard of such n
thing"
"Oh, no; it's only too true. Just
listen TO this: Dear mother for good
ness sake, don't write any more letters
TO Miss Penroy. I am not engaged TO
her at all. l am engaged TO her aunt,
Miss Boggs. You'll be here on Monday,
so I'll tell all then; In haste, your low
ing son, Fred Oh, I'll never forgive
her for entrapping my poor, innocent
boy. Such n vulgar name, too-Boggs."
"Horrid old thing" muttered Minnie.
Dreadful creaturem chimed in
Bessie.
Girls" said the mother, suddenly,
lit does no good to abuse that woman
we must simply go on and stop it,"
No dissenting voice was heard, and
the old lady arranged the entire plan be-
fore they left the table. Mrs. Reming-
ton and the girls would start by the
first train in the morning. Mr.. Rem
ington would stay home Ito look after
the establishment.
u am so GLAD he didn't want to
go,n Mrs Remington c-nfided to the
girls, "..s might say something harsh
to that Soor boy aEG be sorry for it
afterward."
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 conduc-
tor yelled some unintelligible sound in
at the door, which their instinct and
the timetable told them was Eastrodes.
lank kind of cattle-shed was pointed
nut rs the depot, and in the ovPn-like
waiting-room of ii they bestowed them
selves.
This is dreadful. girls" sighed Mrs
Remington, surveying the blistering
hayfields on every side, and the long,
straight, treeless road. where two cows
were choking themselves with the dusty
grass on the edges.
" wonder If there is anything like
an hotel in the place? Just ask the
ticket-man. child"
Minnie crossed the room, and held n
consultation with n blank-minded old
man, who was postmaster as well as
ticket agent, and who insisted Mt first
upon informing her that there we're
mo letters" At last she made him un-
derstand, and CLEANED the fact that
there was n "sorter hotel" just back
Of the depot.
A tall, angular woman here entered
the huilding-a strong featured. big
eyed, black haired woman who might
have been very handsome, say n hun
dred and fifty years ago. She stalked
over to the postmaster, and Minnie
joined her mother.
"Well," sighed Mrs. Remington, ~
, suppose we had better go to this hotel,
or whatever 1t is, and send word on TO
Fred-but, oh, dear, it's dreadful-to
! think he should ever do such thingi
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. only think of itm
, Air you Mrs. Remington" asked
the gauRt woman, stepping up to the
, group.
Yes" answered the astonished Mrs.
J Remington, "and are you" she could
not finish the question.
Yes, / am." the gaunt woman tartly
said and I'd like TO know what you
mean by DREADFUL Your son amt none
too good for n Boggs, can tell you
and you needn't suppose you're going to
marin it over US, cause you aint," wax
ing wroth, and glaring down at Mrs.
Remington with her big eyes.
"You awful womanl" 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!"
And as for your son, he wouldn't be
half the man he Is, If 1t warn't for me-
If hadn't nussed him, and nussed him.
and rubbed taller on his nose, and here
| vOtI pona raiciuf f1sa uhnut IL al