Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-14
AUNT AGATHA's CONVERSION.
CHAPTER I,

engaged In manufacturing batch of lemon
| cheese cakes for which the materials had been
brought into her neat little excepting -room;'
| ana, just as with sleeves tucked up, (she was
rather proud of her beautiful arm,) she was
immersed in the mysteries of rolling, and pat
ting. and buttering tins, and lining them with
crust, glancing cut Of the window, she had seen
the immaculate carriage Of Miss Triple stopping
at the door, and gentleman handing out that
spruce and dainty little parsonage.
| Poor Betsy Ward, Aunt Agatha's only ser
want. had likewise taken a stealthy peep, and
| she now hustled into the room.
'Lor, num-" said she, there's Miss Triple
and a strange gentleman; let me clear away the
things while you go and make yourself tidy.
They can knock again, and I'll have 'em away
| in minute"
"No, Betsy" said my aunt, Miss Triple
KNOWS very well that 1 make my own pastry,
ana when she comes to see me she must Just
take me as am. There open the door,"
And she complacently went on with her
rolling and patting.
The fact is, Aunt Agatha had no great
opinion of Miss Triple. Herself, though very
limited as to income, the representative Of one
OF the oldest and most respected families in
HilderstOck. she did not consider that Miss
WHOSc idtIeT size remembered as Well
TODD grocer, was at all lifted to an equality
with her by her wealth, and she had not formed
very exalted estimate of Miss Triples sincerity
or of her discretion, SO that when she now en-
tered the room, Aunt Agatha, quite undis-
turbed by her rich and irreproachabie costume,
looked at her coOy, as who should say: I've
taken the measure of you, my lady. and don't
think much of you"
hot flor mt &0n ii
Aunt Agatha as Miss Triple advanced, putting
out pretty little neatly -glOved hand, .for you
see I'm all over flour. But those that fear feath-
ers shouldn't go among wild fowl"
MY dear Miss Gayfer.' said Miss Triple who
always placed a strong emphasis on her adiec-
tiyes. You are so perfectly fresh and natural
that it is always charming to see you; 80 unlike
the artificial world which is made up of show.
Let me introduce to you Mr. Jordan, nv cousin,
our new rector. am sure you will be delighted
with him.
My aunt acknowledged by word or two
the new rectOr's salutatOn. took q good look
at him, and didn't teeibyany means so sure about
He was a tall pale man, much marked with
smallpox, with crisp black hair and he spoke in
low, mellow. cooling voice, which most women
found it pleasant to listen to-
II trust. Miss Gayfer" said he "that we shall
be very good friends. / understand that YOU
are recognized power in HilderstOck, and that
your cooperation is quite essential to success
here"
''If you had said that am pretty well known
here where | have spent my ife' said Aunt
Agatha, 'yOu would have been well within the
mark; as to influence, you'll find that our people
nave, most OF en- got will of their own-and
it's generally wrong"
That's less fattering description of nv
pensioners than have had from my cousin"
said he, with smile.
"Ah, well, you'll see. The proof of the pid-
ding is in the eating. don't mean to say but
what they are honest enough and good natured.
but they are shlftless and willful, so that it's
very hard to help them"
:" am sure, my dear Miss Gayfer," said Miss
ripple THAT your example and your instruc-
tlOns 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 am absolute conquest
OF the Blackmans, and the Wllkinses, and the
Wakelings."
AYE" said Aunt Agatha, with a laugh, :'new
brOOms sweep clean"
"Of one thing you may be quite sure,
Frank, said Miss Triple, turning to her cousin:
Miss Gayfer will always tell you what she
~ certainly shan't tell Mr.. Jordan. nor any,
body else. what 1 don't think" said Aunt
Agatha; ''but all truths are not to be told"
Presently, when the cheese cakes were
finished and the apparatus dismissed, Miss Tip
pie said:
AOu ICauy mUSt leu lily COuSIu see YOUR eX-
quisite fernery, Miss Gayfer. You have such
perfect taste in all these matters, and manage
them SO admirably"
at runs in the blood" said my aunt. not
insensible to the fiattery:. my father was very
hen must scrape. But I've scarcely any plea
sure to go into my garden now, since Miss
Payne has stuck up that abominable red brick
wall at the end of it. 1t scOrches my eyes to
look upon it. It's not much after ALL" she said,
fnr to NJ vord0 g1,r,%,
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 a
dream, and turning down to little dell where
dwarf ivy and periwinkle clambered over art
fully-dispOsed rocks, presented her pretty little
fernery, lush and delicate in its verdure, and
delicious in its GOODNESS.
Mr.. Jordan examined it with critical eye.
Excellent, Miss Gayfer," said he, STOPPING
down as he spoke to examine the soil. but
these scolOpendriums would do better if YOU
would give them some sandy loan mixed with
leaf mould"
after al, = said my aunt, soto vOce. but not so
low as to be fnaudible to little nephew whose
hand she held, and who, having a sense of
humor, very imperfectly succeeded in sitting a
laugh, as he caught Miss Triples eye fixed upon
him. There was an awkward hush for a second
or two, and in the pause the sound Of shears
was distinctly visible
Ny aunt gathered up her skirts with inimit-
able speed and proceeded to investigate fol-
lowed more lesurey by the cousins. who
seemed to be exchanging condolences in COM
placent and afectiOnate manner, till they were
startled by the indignant tones of my aunt's
voice exclaimlng:
'Hi! you man, what are you doing there?
How dare yOu2"
On the opposite side Of the garden rose the
hideOus red-brick building which had excited nv
aunts righteous indignation. Just struggling
up to reach this had been a magnificent crop Of
Ivy; but the place thereof knew it no more, for
a man who stood there, open-mouthed. with his
shears in his hand, and with the spoils of his
labor all round him. had sheared and trimmed it
TILL the wall was as bare as a billiard ball
My aunt had followed up her exclamation by
rushing across the garden, seizing the intruder
by the collar Of his jacket and shaking him till
his teeth chartered in his head
Come away, Frank, come away" said Miss
Triple, plucking the new rectOr's sleeve ''The
woman must be mad"
But Mr.. Jordan, without needing the iniunc-
tion, with smile on his face strobe to the scene
OF the conflict just my aunt, fairly out of
breath, released poor Jobson in condition of
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