Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-12
AUNT AGATHA'S CONVERSION.
CHAPTER /.
''Whip IT." said nv aunt.

DUST, ana apron tled ROUND ner ngure, she was
engaged in manufacturing batch of lemon
cheese cakes for which the materials had been
brought into her neat little 'keeping-room;"
and, 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 out 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 strange gentleman; let me clear away the
things while you 60 and make yourself tidy.
They can knock again, and I'll have 'em away
in minute"
mo, Betsy" said my aunt, miss Triple
knows very well that I make my own pastry.
and when she comes to see me she must lust
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
Triple, whose father she remembered as a we'll
to-do grocer, was at all lifted to an equality
with her by her wealth, aud she had not formed
very exalted estimate of Miss Tippie's sincerity
or OF her discretion, so that when she now en-
tered the room, Aunt Agatha, quite undis-
turbed by her rich and irreproachable costume,
looked at her cOolly, as who should say: 1--we
taken the measure Of you, my lady. and don't
think much of YOU"
YOU'D better not come too near me-" said
Aunt Agatha as Miss Triple advanced, putting
out pretty little neatly-gloved hand, 'sfor 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 strong emphasis on her adec-
tives. ''you are so perfectly fresh and natural
that it is always charming to see you: 60 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."
the new rector's salutation took a good look
at him, and dNn't teelbyany means so sure about
it.
He was a tall pale man, much marked with
smallpox, with crisp black hair, and he spoke in
q low, mellow, cooling voice, which most women
Il trust. Miss Gayfer," said he, ssthat we shall
De 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 l have spent my lite" 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 less fattering description of nv
Pensioners than have had from my cousin J"
said he, with a smile.
"Ah, well, you'll see. The proof Of the pud-
ding is in the eating. don't mean to saw but
what they are honest enough and good natured.
But they are shiftless and willful, so that it's
very hard to help them"
al am sure, my dear Miss Gayfer.~ said Miss
ripple THAT your example and your instruc-
lions 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, and the Wllkinses, and tha
Wakelings."
AYE" said Aunt Agatha, with laugh, 'snew
brooms sweep clean"
"Of one thing you may be quite sure,
Frank, +" said Miss Triple, turning to her cousin:
Miss Gayfer viii always tell you what she
81 certainly shan't tell Mr. Jordan, nor any
body else. what 1 don't think" said Amt
Agatha; but all truths are not to be told"
Presently, when the cheese cakes were
and the apparatus dismissed, Miss Tip
pie said:
"YOn really must let my cousin see your ex-
quisite fernery, Miss Gayfer. You have such
perfect taste in all these matters, and manage
them so admirably"
" It runs in the blood" said my aunt, not
fond of his garden, and she that comes of a
hen must scfape. 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.
turning to Mr. 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, oid-,ashloned but sweet as the OdOrs of a
dream, and turning down to a little dell where
dwarf ivy and periwinkle clambered over art
fully-dispOsed rocks, presented her pretty little
fernery, lush and delicate in it's verdure, and
delicious in its GOODNESS.
Mr.. Jordan examined it with critical eye.
Excellent, Miss Gayfer," said he, stooping
down as he spoke to examine the soil. but
these scOlOpendriums would do better IL YOU
would give them some sandy loan mixed with
leaf mould"
.'rhe man has a grain of gumption in him.
after all said my aunt, soto vOce, but not so
low as to be inaudible 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 Tipple's eye fixed upon
him. There was an awkward hush for 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 leisurely by the cousins, who
seemed to be exchanging condolences in COM
placent and affectionate manner, till they were
startled by the indignant tones Of my aunt's
voice exclaiming:
eli! you man, what are you doing there1
How dare you?'
On the opposite side Of the garden rose the
hideous red-brick building which had excited my
aunts righteous Indignation. Just struggling
up to reach this had been magnificent crop of
Ivy; but the place thereof knew it no more, for
q 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, selling the intruder
by the collar Of his jacket and shaking him till
his teeth chartered in his head.
"COme away, Frank, come away I" said Miss
Triple, plucking the new rectOr's sleeve 'sThe
woman must be mad"
But Mr.. Jordan, without needing. the iniunc-
tion with smile on his face strobe to the scene
IF tho conflict inst nv amt fairly ont Of