Litchfield enquirer., 1881-12-01
AUNT AGArHA,s CONVERSION.
CHAPTER I.
Whip it!" said my aunt.

Whip it!" said my aunt. H4 it} .iH
 With kerchief pinned over her well-dcvel- oped bust. and apron tied round her figure, she was engaged Tn manufacturing batch of lemOn-cheese cakes for which the materials had been brought into her neat little s'keep- ing-roonh;" and. just as with sleeves tucked up (she was rather proud of her beautiful arm) she was immersed in the mysteries of rolling, end batting and buttering tins, and lining them with crust, glancing out of the window she had seen the immaculate carriage of Miss Tipple stopping at the door, and gentleman handing out that spruce and dainty little per- sonage. atal4., .,r,i,.,..sr.s .sf |. l.
 Poor Betsy Ward, Aunt Agatha's only ser- want, had likewise taken stealthY peep, and she now hustled into the room. 'a.7'i
 'Lor, mum, 1" said she, ''there's Miss Tipple and strange gentleman; let me clear away the things while you go and make yourself tidy. They can knock again, and I'll have lem away in a minute. :" 'e.@ta a,aa' . knows very well that make my own pastry, and when she comes to see me she must just take me as l am. There, open the door" is
 And she complacently went on with her rolling and batting. r
 The fact is, Aunt AgathY had no great opinion of Miss Tipple. Herself, though very limited as to income, the representative of one of the oldest aud most respected families in Hilderstock. she did not consider that Mss ripple, whose father she remembered as a well-todo grocer, was at all lifted to an equal ity with her by her wealth, and she had not formed a very exalted estimate of Miss Tip ple's sincerity or of her discretion, SO that when she now entered the room, Aunt Aga tha, quite uDdisturbed by her rich and ire proachable costume. looked at her coolly, as hO ohos,1l -e you. my lady, and I don't think much of you.'
 You'd better not come too near me-" said Aunt Agatha as Miss ripple advanced, put ting out pretty little neatly. gloved hand, "for, you see, Pm all over four But those that fear feathers shouldn't go among wild
 My dear Miss Gayfer," said Miss ripple, who always placed strong emphasis on her adjectives, ''you are 80 perfectly fresh and natural that it is always charming to see you ]; so unlike the artificial world which is made up of show. Let me introduce to you MT. Jor- dan, my cousin, our new rector. 1 am sure you will be delighted with him."
 My aunt acknowledged by word or two the new rectOrs salutatiOn, took a good look at him, and didn't feel by any means SO sure about it..
 He was tall, pale man, much marked with small pox, with crisp, black hair and he spoke in low, mellow, cooing voice, which most women found it pleasant to listen to-
 'I trust, Mss Gayfer," said be- ''that we shall be very good friends. understand that you are recognized power Tn Hilderstock, and that your cooperation is quite essential to success here"
 "If you had said that l am pretty well known here, where have spent my life, {" said Aunt Agatha, ''you would have been well within the mark as to influence you'll find that our people have, most of 'em, got will of their own-and it's generally wrong"
 ''That's a less flattering description of my par1shloners than 1 have had from my cousin, said he, with smile. "'
 "Ah, we'll, you'll see. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. don't mean to say but what they are honest enough and good natured. But they are shiftless and wilful, so that it's very hard to help them"
 II am sure, my dear Miss Gayfer," said Miss ripple, "that your example and your in- structions have gone far to cure them of both those faults; and know you will appreciate Frank, my cousin, who is the most methodical man in the world. He has made an absolute conquest of the Blackmans, ana the Wilken- ses, and the Wakelings."
 Aye" said Aupt Agatha, with laugh, thew broOms sweep clean" ataf -rl
 "Of one thing you may be quite sure, Frank, said Miss ripple, turning to her cous- in: Miss Gayfer will always tell you what she thinks"
 ''l certainly shan't tell MT. Jordan. nor anybody else, what don't think, Y" said Aunt Agatha; but all truths are not to be told"
 Presently, when the cheese-cakes were fin- ished and the apparatus dismissed, Miss Tip pie said:
 "You really must let my cousin see your exquisite fernery, Miss Gayfer. You have such perfect taste in all these matters, and manage them so admirably"
 ''lt runs in the blood," said my aunt, not insensible to the flattery. My father was very fond of his garden, and she that comes of hen must scrape. But I've scarcely any pleasure to go into my garden now, since Miss Payne has stuck up that abomiDable red brick wall at the end of it. It scorches my eyes to look upon it. It's not much after all, , she said. turning to Mir. Jordan, 'but such as it is, come and see it.'
 She led the way up the steps which climbed into the garden from the back door. between the dwarf yews and magnificent trees of blush roses, old-fashioned but sweet as the odors of dream, and turning down to 8 little dell where dwarf ivy and periwinkle cambered over artfully- disposed rocks presented her pretty little fernery, lush and delicate in it's verdure, and delicious in it's coolness.
 MT. Jordan examined it with a critical eye.
 Excellent, Miss Gayfer," said he, stoop- ing down, as he spoke, to examine the soil. 'But these scolopendriums would do better if you would give them some sandy loam mixed with leaf mould''
 ''The man has grain of gumption in him, after all, said my aunt, sotto voce. but not so low as to be inaudible to little nephew whose hand she held, and who, having sense of humor, very imperfectly succeeded ID stifing laugh, as he caught Miss Triples eye fixed upon him. There was an awkward hush for second or two, and in the pause tue sound of shears was distinctly visible.
 My aunt gathered up her skirts with inimi- table speed, and proceeded to investigate, followed more leisurely by the cousin, who seemed to be exchanging condolences in a compiacent and effectionate manner, till they were startled by the indignant tones of my aunt's voice exclaiming: ss.,..s :, [
 Hi! you man, what are you doing there How dare you?'
 On the opposite side of the garden rose the hideons red-brick building which had excited my aunt's righteous indignation. Just strug- gling up to reach this had been magnificent crop of ivy :; but the place thereof knew it no more, for man who stood there, open-mouth- ed, with his shears in his hand. and with the spells of his labor all round him, had shesred and trimmed it till the wall was as bare as billiard ball.
 My aunt had followed up her exclamation by rushing across the garden, seizing the in- truder by the collar of his jacket, and shak- ing him till his teeth chattered in his head
 Come away, Frank, come away !'' said Miss Tipple, plucking the new rector's sleeve. s'Ehe woman must be mad"
 But MT. Jordan, without needing the in- junction, with smile on his face, strode to the scene of the conflict, just as my aunt, fairly out of breath, released poor Jobson in condition of extreme physical exhaustion and mental bewilderment.
 'Oh, it's you, Jobson. is it ?" she said, as soon as she had sufficiently recovered her bleath. How dare you come trespassing here. and dest, oying my garden2 You touch another leaf of that ivy, sir, and I'Il make you smart for it, or my name is not Agatha Gay fer"
 There was scarcely leaf left for him to