The Hawaiian gazette., 1881-01-19

stay with her, while II they came 10 stay with
Miss Frances, they could hardly say they had
left town.
Miss Hester accompanied Miss Frances into
town. She did not think it would do to let
her 60 to the city hall alone. Indeed, she did
not prove an infalliblc guide herself, for they
went first to tho State house, by mistake. But
they met with a gentlemanly official, who
gave them their right direction. Another lit
tic mistake led them into the courthouse at
the back of tie city hall, and they came near
being dragged in as witnesses in pickpocket
case that was being tried in the police court.
But at last they were ushered into the proper
room in the city hall, under the escort of a
policeman. Here all went well. Miss Hester
did all the talking, and came near making the
the necessary signature TO the document
presented, as she instructed Miss Frances in
the proper answers TO be made. She made &C
count of the amount of property she owned
herself, but explained how it was that Miss
Frances was not property-holder, while she
herself was an inhabitans of Swansea. When
it came to the time for Miss Frances to swear,
Miss Hester discreetly turned her head the 9TH
er way, and appeared TO be occupied in study-
ing what the clerks on the other side of the
room were busy with while Miss Frances CON-
mitted this improperly. The Assessor in
formed them, in answer TO their questions,
that Miss Frances could not be registered till
she had paid her poll-tax, when she should go
with her receipted tax-bil to the Registrars.
Miss Hester offered to pay the tax on the spot,
but the Assessor refused to accept it.
Suppose we go the Registrars Office now"
said Miss Hester to Miss Frances when they
had left. 1T seems n pity not to settle the
matter up at once. dare say he will see it
in the same light as we do. 1t will save him
bother hen the fall comes
But they found the registrar immovable. He
would not accept the two dollars
So Miss Frances went down to her nieces,
far, far down beyond Mt. Desert in Maine, to
such quiet place on the bay, where the girls
could go on with their reading, and have a
healthy swim or walk or drive every day.
A quiet summer? 1t did not quite seem so to
Aunt Fanny. A set of friends were in the
next house, and another set down in the viii
lage, and there were boating parties, sailing
parties and rowing parties in the sunset, by
moonliSht,-and such nice, pleasant Young
men as came around for croquet in the morn
ing. They explained the new law about
voting to Aunt Fanny. They brought her
newspapers. She had never been in the habit
of reading the newspapers before, but she
found them very Interesting. She read all
about the schools, she read about women's
voting, she picked up great deal of interest
ing information. At times she was anxious
about that tax-bill, and when it would come,
and where she should pay it, but she could
lind out from the papers when she was at
home again, now she had learned where 10
look for things in the newspapers, where they
kept their jokes, and where the serious part
in large type that you always were to believe.
Meanwhile, many interesting things were
going on about her. 1t was pleasant to be
waited up and down the bay on summers
under a soft breeze, with the lively
pratte of the girls and the Young men. 1t
was pleasant 10 60 across to ST. Andrews, in
the Queens dominions, and buy pretty pack
cts OF needles, and boxes of spools for presents
10 Miss Hester and other friends, Sometimes
she had qualms as to whether this was not
in smuggling, which she as a voter
ought not be guilty of. But it was all on such
a small and agreeable little scale that ner
did not prick her much. Only one
evening there did suddenly and Unexpectedly
arise pricking in that organ. 1t was in
straying back from the boat, across the fields,
after one of these afternoons on the bay. Lily,
the Oldest of tie girls, was walking in front
OF her. How pretty and graceful she is
Aunt Fanny was thinking. She liked her
dress, her clinging red tinted skirt, and her
figured satin " Dolly Warden draped over
it, and her iaunty hat with its deep-red rib
bons. 1t all suited Lily's graceful figure so
well. 1t was sight that could not but give
+ sr pleasure. Near to her, earnestly talking
to her, was IIchard-Richard who always
followed her, set off for walk when she did, |
sat by her side on the poIch, when she was
there with her book. Aunt Fanny liked to
see him with her. They suited each other: |
they looked well together, and so it pleased |
her. And now, how Lily looked up to him as
he drew near her, and then again how she |
looked down. How earnest there talk seemed /
Of sudden
And then Aunt Fanny stopped suddenly in |
the middle of the field. What was she doing ? |
What was she allowing? Richard was not |
The right one
Her sister-in-law, Mrs. Willett, before |
leaving, had taken especial pains to explain |
10 her how they were all hoping something |
might come about between Lily and her third |
cousin, John Maynard The two youog people |
seemed to like each other, and both families |
would be equally pleased, and Aunt Fanny |
was to do everything she could to help it on, |
without of course speaking of it to any one. |
And John had come down before Richard did. |
md had been on all their parties and sat in the |
on the porch. But all of sudden, |
week ago, he had left. He came to bid her |
goodbye, and said he had letter from his |
grandmother that called him away. She had |
wondered little She did not know the mail 4
vas in, and asked Lily if there was anything
serious about Johns grandmother, and Lily /
lad looked very sober, and said >he thought
1 was serious. Aud the other girls said they
supposed he would be back again, aud Rich
lrd and the other young men said something
lbout his going up to study and look up his
aw-ofice. And Aunt Fanny had thought it
III right aud that he would be back before the
nd of the summer, ready to carry out the
,lans of the parents.
The younger girls now came up behind
Aunt Fanny and wondered why she was stop
,ing.
Dear Aunt Fanny, what is the matter 81
Bertha cried. You have not famed your
DOT ~
Aunt Fanny murmured inaudibly, at is
he wrong one !" But they could not UNDER
tand her, and insisted on holding her umbrel-
a for her, and almost lifting her over the
,rassy humps in the fields.
That evening there was great confusion,
lily whispered TO Aunt Fanny in the corner
# the little parlor, in very happy tone at
lrst, and then beseeehing. She was sure her
mother would like it, though it was different
rom the way she had planned. She could
lot help liking Richard. Aunt Fanny shook
Ter head, she was sure it was all her own
ault; she ought to have managed better, aud
ave insisted on Lily's going more with John
n his boat.
at could not have been managed at ALL"
lily said, much injured. 1T was not the
wrong thing: all had gone right, Richards