Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-04
THE SCENT OF A DEAD ROSE.


Il shall say no more; you may take your own
way all OF you. / shall never interfere with
you again, for good or bad, so goodbye to you,''
| and Aunt Paulett hobbled off on her ebony
| crutch like the offended old fairy god-mother
The family looked at one another with blank
faces as the door clapped smarty after her.
Aunt Paulett was woman of her word, and.
| if she said she would go back to her husbands
people. go she would undoubtedly, and then,
what would become of them all?
From that day-twenty years agO-when she.
chldless widow, entered her sisters scram-
bling. Out-at-ebows household. to Yesterday
evening. she had ruled them all with a rod of
IRON. by the might of a strong will and long
purse.
Easy-going Mr.. Hilton and his fair. stupid.
eood-natured wife, who spent placid existence
doing woodwork on the sofa her ideas SEEM
ingly bounded by the requirements of the last
annual baby. We're mere ciphers in their own
| house. under her stern. yet wholesome sway.
Ii Mr.. Hilton after one or two cutting re-
marks from her ladyship. had sadly resigned his
ancient and comfortable fashion of spending the
evening in his greasy old dressin9-gOwn and
down-at-heel sppers-if the servants snOOk in
their shoes at the sound of Lady Pauletts bell.
and hint of "Aunt Arabea' quelled the wild
est nursery riOt-yet the handsome premium
which was to start clever Jack on the road to
glory as an engineer. the allowance which sent
studious Pierce to college and saved him from
filling stool in his fathers office DOras pretty
gowns and trinkets. Emys singing lessons and
the new piano. the summer trip to the seaside
the winter pantOmime and Christmas party-in
brief. all the comforts and luXurieS of the
family from the pony carriage to the last
Daby christening robe. came from the gener-
Gus hand Of the same benefcent old despOt
and now. now all were melting away before
their astOnished eyes like summer snow. and
Aunt Arabella was off to spend the rest Of her
days with the George Pauletts-and why?
| Because, fOrsOOth. pretty Dora, instead of car
rying out her aunt's intentions and waiting till,
In the fullness of time, Spencer Paulett should
| return from sea, fall in love with and marry
her, had gone and engaged herself to the parish
doctors long legged Irish assistant with nothing
in the world to offer her but warm Irish heart.
a decent share of brains under his shock head
OF red hail. and an income which he mOdestly de-
scribed as being Ostly on the wrong side of his
account book as We.
There was an appalled, silence broken only by
the sound of the old lady's crutch tapping off
into the distance
Mr.. Hilton retired behind his newspaper with
the air of man who had much to say on the
subject presently.
Mrs. Hilton shifted feebly on her sofa. The
| smallest Hilton but one sat under the table suck
ING It's thumb and. vaguely conscious Of evil to,
come. prepared for wall. In distant window
Dora wept and wept imperviOus to all her Cor.
nelius vigorous whispers of consolation. ..
Pierce had withdrawn discreetly when the
storm broke. through the window into the gar
den, where he was seen walking up and down hi
/ disInared meditation; and Jack surreDtitously
shaking MS INST at the unconscious back of his
Would-be brOther-ir-law, followed Pierce.
MEANWHILE up the staircase and down the cor
rldor went Aunt Arabella brskly enough despite
her lalneness and her eighty years. She had
TWO little rooms in remote corner of the house
sacred from the intrusion of the most audacous
OF liltons. She entered the first of them, where
| pale meek young female sat sewing.
"Parker
''Yes. my lady"
II want my trunks. Find them at once and
pack up everything that belongs to me-
Long attendance her imperiOus mistress
mad deprived the gentle Parker of the power of
expressing any sentiment but that of meek
| acquiescence.
Yes, my lady"
ready
Eyes. my lady"
"And let some one take two letters to the
post for me tonight
Yes, my lady"
Lady Paulett passed on to the next room.
bed room furnished with magnificent cree
tlon OF mahogany and satin damask large
enough to accommodate ten little old ladies like
herself.
There was wood fire burning, rendering
| dimly visible ancient spider-egged tables,
corner cupboard with treasures of old china and
enamel: elaborate works of art in patchwork;
Counterpart. cushions, &C., and some framed
and glazed performances in tentstitch. "Eleazer
meeting Rebecca." 1.-The PrOdigars Return"
and Ruth Cleaning" with faces and hands of
painted Kid faded by age into CHASTITY white
ness.
Lady Paulett seated herself in tall old arm
char by the fire, while Parker lighted large
silyer-braHched candlestick and drew a table
near to her.
MY writing desk. Parker, and you may come
! for the letters in half an hour
sND- L.,
to rummage out her mistress lOng-forgotten
travelling equipments. Lady Paulett i'm her neat
oid-faShOned hand, indited two short notes adj
dressed the one to Mrs. George Pauett, East
holm Hall. Wilmington. Yorkshire" the other
to n j. Blackett. esq ,LincOns Inn, London"
She had finished before Parker reappeared and
after sitting thinking for few minutes drew
from her desk folded paper. 1t was headed
Memoranda for my will, 1862" and contained
sundry notes over which she pondered.
There are the letters, Parker. Let them 90
at Once-but first bring me my dressing case
and jewel-case. They shall have what have
bequeathed to them now, before | go. I'll make
no difference, and then I've done with them all
fOrever-ungrateful set.f'
Parker placed a gorgeous inlaid dressing-case
and a massive brass-bOund Golfer before her mis-
tresS ana departed Lady Paulett drew the
latter to her with some difficulty ut is time
an old woman like me should be rid of some of
those burdens" she said, smiling grimly as she
turned the key and disclosed case upon case of
morocco and velvet slugly stewed away She
turned them out and laid them all open before
her-a brave show in the bright fire and Candle
light.
Parker meanwhile stepped noselessly to and
fro in the background. emptying the big ward
robe of its contents and bearing them away to
pack in the next room.
Let me see. Dora? She's the eldest. She
was to have my emeralds. She'll take it az a
delicate compliment to the nationality of the
man of her choice. Bah, he'll pawn them;
what else can one expect? Well, WELL it
doesn't matter. l always hated them, though
they are the handsOmest set possess. How well
L remember Sir Josiah bringing them home
the day before was presented at Court. and
had thought he meant to give me pearls and
had ordered a pale amber dress! l cried about
1t, but dared not ask him to change them or
refuse to wear them. and felt so disguised I
knew they looked detestable, and heard one
old lady whisper to another, Eggs and Spinach
and the other said something about City and
they both Uttered. One feels those things when
one Is young. Well, hope Mrs. OShane NAV
be happier in wearing them. OShane: pah. I
dare say. though, she'll be as proud of the name
| as was at that time of being Lady Paulett-ah
me!
hat Evil