The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1881-06-01

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ket-carriage in order to afford Aunt
Kelley the luxury of daily airing.
And so the rivalry and the jealousy
went on, its effects extending even to
the children of the two families, until,
as Henry Goldsbury observed, his home
and his relatives scarcely appeared the
same to him; and the pleasure of his
life was nearly destroyed. 70 make it
worse he had been obliged more than
once to draw upon the little capital
which he had succeeded in investing,
and bills for luxuries, hitherto unknown
in the family, now began to present a
formidable aspect.
If Aunt Kelley had been grateful and
pleasant the matter would not have
been so bad. But she took everything
as though it were her right; lectured
her grown nephews and nieces and
snubbed the children. Her will ruled
both families, as she happened to be an
inmate of either house. 1t was impos-
sible to discover to which she was the
most partial, since she divided her time
pretty equally between each; when any
thing displeased her in one family,
straiBhtway going over to the other.
Emma" said Mr.. Henry Goldsbury,
desperately, I've had enough of Aunt
Kelley. You've kept her now over a
year. Why not let her go home, and
we enjoy some peace and freedom
again ?"
"Why, Harry, you surprise mel I
thought it was q settled thing that this
was to be aunties home-unless Lucy
succeeds in inveigling her into her own
family. And if she does that, or if
Aunt Keeley leaves us at all, to live
anywhere else, we shall never get q
penny of her fortune, trust me for that.
There will be plenty to hang round and
wheedle it all out of her. People are
SO greedy and mercenary."
But the expense"
Now not a word, Harry, upon that
subject. What is the paltry expense
compared with all that we shall get in
return for it And auntie is old, you
know. am sure am the very last
person on earth to look forward to any
ones death for sake of their money; but
you know that in the natural course of
things auntie can't live forever, neither
very long, at her present age; and our
duty is to make life pleasant for her if
we want her TOTO enjoy herself" con-
cluded Emma. hastily.
"But how do we know that she will
leave her fortune, or any of it, indeed,
to us ?"
because I heard her say, only this
morning, that she didn't intend that any
of her possessions should go out of the
family" retorted Emma, triumphantly.
I've been all day watching for an op-
portunity of telling you of it,"
"Well, in that case, 1 suppose we
must try and put up with her little
longer. But 1 should like to know
exactly what property she has got"
"We know that Uncle Keeley was a
rich man when he died." his wife re-
piled "and warn you, Harry, to be-
ware how you touch upon that subject
again in aunt's presence. She is sus-
picious."
About this time Aunt Kelley began
to hint that she had been accustomed
to spend her summers in the country !;
and then to remark that Emma and the
poor children were looking very badly.
Emma, alarmed at this, and anxious
to crafty the old la'v proposed that
her husband should put for nice
place where they co BOARD for the
summer (; but he assured her that it was
impossible-that country board this
season was unusually high, and that, in
fact, there was no money for it. He
was sorry, but the family would have to
stay at home this summer, unless Aunt
Kelley chose to go somewhere at her
own expense.
But of this his wife wouldn't hear.
Aunt Kelley must not be lost sight of,
let whatever would happen.
"Just like men," Aunt Kelley re-
marked, on hearing of her nephew's de-
cision. 81 never knew a man yet--un-
less it was poor, dear Samuel-who was
ever willing to let his family go away
and enjoy themselves without him."
And listening to her talk, Emma
began to feel herself an ill-used wife.
Probably, in consequence of this state
of things, Mr.. Goldsbury wasn't sorry
when, just about this time, business
called him away from home.
"I suspected something of the sort
all the time," Aunt Kelley observed,
significantly.
And Emma felt herself more ill-used
than ever.
Once away from the now depressing
atmosphere of his own home Mr.
Goldsbury experienced a sense of relief
and exhilaration.
Meeting with some old friends he was
prevailed upon to accompany them
"down the country" for some duck
shooting, and thence to the Fair Oak
races.
Here, carried away by the excitement
of the occasion, he offered to bet on q
friends horse, won, and generously gave
his friends an oyster supper.
The report of these doings reached
home before he himself did.
g II is just as / thought" remarked
Aunt Keeley, calmly. "And if 1 were
you, Emma, would have more spirit
] than to submit to it."