Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1882-12-15

-V0tocc LUMBAR IN Century.
AN UNDERGRADUATES AUNT.
Frederick Flushington belonged to q
small college. and in doing SO conferred
upon it one Of the few distinctions it
could boast-namely. that of possess
ing the very bashfulest man in the
whole university.
But his college did not treat him with
any excess OF adulation on that account,
probably from q prudent fear OF rub
bing the bloom oil his modesty; they al
lowed him to blush unseen-which was
the condition in which he preferred to
blush.
He felt himself oppressed by pauci-
ty of ideas and a difficulty in knowing
which way to look in the presence OF
his fellow-men. which made him never
SO happy as when he had fastened his
outer door and secured himself from
ell possibility Of intrusion; though it
was almost an unnecessary precaution,
for nobody ever thought Of coming TO
see Hushington.
In appearance he was man of mid
die height, with a long scraggy neck
and large head. which gave him the
air of being much shorter than he real
ly was; he had little weak eyes. a nose
and mouth of no particular shape. and
very smooth hair of no definite color.
He had timid depreca'ing air, which
seemed due to the consciousness that he
was an uninteresting anomaly, and he
certainly was as imperyious to the or
dinary influence Of his surroundings rs
any undergraduate well could be. He
lived colorless, aimless kind Of life in
his little rooms under the roof; reading
every morning from nine till two with
. superstitiorsly mechanical regularity.
though very often his books completely
failed TO convey any ideas whatever 10
his brain, which was not particularly
powerful organ.
II the afternoon was fine. he general
~ sought out his one friend. who was a
few degrees less shy than himself, and
they went monosyllabc walk togeth-
er; or II il was wet. he read the papers
nj the Union, and In the evenings after
hall he studied general literature'--
= graceful term for noyels--or labori-
ously spelt out sonata upon his piano.
ularity.
Fortunately for Tushington. he had
no gyp. or his life might have been
made positive burden to him. and
with his bed-makcr he was rather fa-
vorite rs "genclman what gave no
trouble" meaning that when he OBJ
served his sherry unaccountably sinking.
like the water In lock when the sluiccs
are up, Flushington was too delicate TO
refer to the phenomenon.
He was sitting one afternoon over his
modest lunch Of bread and butter, pot
ted meat and lemonade. when al at
and a strange flutier Of dresses coming |
mp the winding stone staircase outside.
and was instantly seized with . cold
dread.
There was no particular reason for
being alarmed, although there were
certainly ladies mounting the steps
probably they were friends OF the man
opposite. who was always having his
people mp. But still Flushington had
that odd prcsentiment which nervous
people have sometimes that something
Unpleasant Is ON its way to them, and
he half rose from his chair TO shut his
outer oak.
II was too late; the dresses were rust
ling now in his very passage was
a pause. few faint smothercd laughs,
and little feminine coughs-then two
taps at the door.
"Come in" cried FIushington. faint
~;
The door opened. and his heart
seemed 10 stop and all the blood rushed
violently to his head rs q large lady
came sweeping In. her face rippling
with broad smile OF affection.
She horrified Eushington. who knew
nobody with the least claim 10 smile at
him 80 expansively as that; he drank
lemonade to conceal his confusion.
"You don't know me. my dear
FrcdP' she said, easily. "Of course.
not-how should youP rm-for good
ness sake. my dear boy. don't look 20
terribly frightened I'm your aunt
your aunt Amelia, come over from Aus
traliar' 1,
The shock was severe one to Flush
ington. who had not even known he
possessed s''ch q relative; he could only
say: "Ohr' which he felt even then
was scarcely warm greeting to give
an aunt from the Ant poles T.
"Oh, but" she added. checrily,
!" "that's NOT all: I've another surprise
for yon; the dear girls ms st on coming
M. too. 10 see their grand college
cousin: they're just outside. Ill call
them in-shail IF' Ii
In another second Flushingson's small
room was oserrun by q horde Of fe-
male relatives. while he looked on
Cnsuinr.