The Democratic advocate., 1881-08-13

3 =
/ line to tell her what good care Miss Ellison
takes of me. | must be an awful nuisance
both to you and TO her.
''Do not imagine such thing for a
moment My sister likes nothing better
than the care of a sick person; in fact, it
is her true vocation. will write again
to your aunt and tell her, from you, that
you are content with your quarters here,
aud that you mean to get well as fast as
possible VIII that do?''
Thank you, she answered; care you
certain that | shall get well?'
.'As certain as l can be of anything in
this world. You surely did not imagine
that your accident was a serious one?'
"Well, did hope that it was Of some
little consequence; it is too bad to have all
the pain aud none Of the prestige of a
railway accident.
There is nothing to be proud Of in an
accident caused by ones own carelessness,
said my sister, severely.
"Well, said Violet, II certainly would
rather suffer from my own carelessness
than from any one else's. never bear
malice toward myself.
Aunt Susans letter came in due time
As Violet had predicted, Miss Ferrlrs
declined our invitation, saying that it
would be impossible for her to leave her
brother who was recovering from a severe
illness, but that she felt no hesitation in
trusting her niece to Us; having heard Of
my very great skill in surgical cases.
This latter sentence somewhat bewilder
ed me. Could it be possible, | asked NY
self, that Miss Ferrars had heard of that
successful operation performed by me in
the county infrmary? II certainly had
been mentioned in some of the medical
journals, but then medical journals is
Is hardly the sort Of literature one
expects to find in a country parsonage.
Any way il was gratifying to be thus ap-
preciated. Strange to say, the obvious
explanatiou-iha Miss Ferrars was mis-
taxing me for my uncle, whose namesake
and successor | was, aud who had been
man Of undoubted ability and certain
local Eeputation-neyer once occurred to
me
A letter had come. directed in the same
handwriting to Miss Violet, to whom
sent i, up Ga going li,,le later to pay
her my professional visit, | found her still
reading aud laughing over it.
You seem 90 have an amusing letter,
l said
Aunt Susans letters generally are
amusing, answered Violet, "but this Is
from an unusual caase--a mistake on her
part. cannot explain !, to you, bat il is
very funny.
Perceivins that the mistake was ia some
way connected With myself, asked no
farther questions, aud to change the sub
jec, took up the cover Of Miss Fsrrars
letter, which lay upon the bed.
What a tino hand your aunt writes =
| said.
"shc does everything we'll that she IN
deriakes, aud she undertakes great maoy
things. She IS papa right haud--as good
as another ourate, she says. She plays the
organ aud trains the choir at church, aud
she teaches me.
You consider yourself a decided sue
cess. thea, Miss Violet
You need not laugh, she said, ia 4
digni6cd tone. You ihiak that, because
| an ugly aud awkward, an ignorant
also, bui | am not | took a high place
At the Cambridge Local Examinations last
year, because | was well prepared. Aunt
Sasar has real geaius for teaching
There vas evidestly nothiag Of person
al vanity ia this boast, the object Of which
vas solely to exalt her teacher.
Are You ike your aun,?' | asked
Not 4 Bit | wish I were. am
earicatuFe Of Sny mother, who died when
vas six years Cd Would you like to
sea Aan, Susan photograph Shaw viii
you hud my little tin box It's seine
wbege il ny trunk. thiuk
Il know where It Is, miss, seeing that
'tEas packed il. 'Tis well you've some
body that knows where your things are,
Miss Violet
Mrs Shaw brought tbs bOx--a small tin
one, filed with a regular sehoolboy eollee-
tioa Of odds and ends, which had 10 be
removed before the photograph could be
found
II wonder, said | as stood awaiting
the conclusion Of this process, ''if the ed
nea,ioaal system Of the present day. with
all is advantages, viii produce many wo-
men as really able and cultivated as some
Of those who belong to a former genera
tion--women ike your aunt, for instance
Violet, who had By this time found the
bundle Of photographs, paused with it in
her hand aud gave me a quick inquiring
look. Theu selecting one Of the Photo-
graphs, she handed il to me-
THAT is my aunt, she said.
The photograph was that OF very
swees-looking elderly lady, with snow
white hair and many wrinkles, but in
whose bright eyes aud softly curying lips
much Of the joyousness Of youth still
seemed to linger. She wore mob cap of
lace and muslin, with large handkerchief
of the same material over her shoulders
a costume which made her look like the
original that our modern eoquettes try to
copy.
'.What charming old lady" | ex-
claimed
We'll, said Miss Violet, with an odd
sound in her voice, "Aunt Susan is not
generally considered so.
Il am surprised at that, | said; II have
seldom seen so sweet face / suppose
that. although you call her aunt, she is in
reality your great aunt?'
NO. answered Violet, "she is my
fathers half sister But there is differ
enee of twenty-five years between them.
You may keep that photograph if you like
| have another copy"
My opinion that Miss Yiolets injuries
were not of serious nature proved to be
correct. She mended rapidly, and was
soon able to lie on the sofa in the drawing
room, devouring every book within reach,
and showing considerable appreciation of
Mary's efforts at invalid cookery.
Mary and soon became very fond of
our guest, although we agreed that we
would rather take charge of her in sick
ness than in health. She soon got over
her dread of shocking Miss Ellison,
aud succeeded in doing so pretty eff
feetually. could not help laughing at
the description of some of her pranks, and
| tried to make Mary see that, with all
her unconventional ways she never showed
any want of refinement. She was very
| olayar ond n oraat oradit m her ountiS