The examiner., 1882-02-18

l OAS>Sk her hands tragically.
 "He ain't a huckster And I don't
 care if he is," asserted Bella, with as
 tonishing logic, "he's nice."
 "Oh, Bella--Bella r mourned Au- rora, that the pride of the Bslsamap-
 ples should have fallen so low as this Y
 "Bother the pride of the Balsamap- pies p cried Bella, stamping her foot. "Who are the Balsamapples that they should tower above everybody that's as good and as smart as they are? Selling crooknecks aiu't a sin The Balsam- apples haven't got any sense. and l won't be Balsamapple minute longer than I can help. Now!"
 "And, oh, what will Cousin Amasa think when he comes to Orabsboro," l" continued Aurora, despairingly, "and one of his relations losing her head about man that peddles crooknecks These rich old fellows are always so ultra-fastidious It'll spoil all my chances"
 Aurora flung her herring into cor ner and burst into tears.
 "Dear sakes Don'G cry, honey '" said Bella, who was soft-hearted. with all her faults. "It won't matter 8 pin. Cousin Amasa is too distant relation to build hopes on, if we wanted to. He's got lots of kinsfolks nearer than we are -nephews and nieces, and things we never even heard of. Not likely he'd leave us anything, anyway"
 "Bella Balsamapple, are you 8 dunce?" asked Aurora, sharply. "Who expects forty-second cousin to leave them anything on that ac count Cousin Amasa hasn't any wife. Now do you understand"
 "Oh," said Bella, with little jump, "that's the game, is it? But how do you know you'll like him, Ro2 You never saw him."
 "I'm mighty certain to like his bank acc unt," answered Aurora; "and that's the point just now. And I could help you to a good settlement, too, if you wouldn't encourage this"
 1T will" cried Bella, before her sis ter could pronounce the objectionable ''huckster." "I don't want any settle ment. I've liked him ever since we first bought things of him, and I know he likes me. And now that we've been introduced he's coming to see me; and he's gentleman, and I wouldn't treat him mean for all the Cousin Amasas that could be raked up, if they were so rich they couldn't walk straight"
 In evidence of the platform she had chosen Bella appeared the following week at the Crabsboro church festival in the company of Mir. Robin Russet.
 Entirely against my wishes, con- fided Miss Aurora Balsamapple, to her friend, Miss Cyrilla Dumps. II very much disapprove of MT. Robin Russet, ard I must say think he's 8 presum- ing, bad-mannered creature!"
 What, ma'am-what P exclaimed a fiery-looking old gentleman, with red whiskers and snapping little black eyes, who, being immediately behind the two ladies, had overheard the re- mark. "You're very free with you're tongue, outrageously so. Do you know Mir. Robin Russet is my nephew, ma'am?"
 Miss Balsamapple scrutinized the peppery interrogatCr with critical calmness.
 "Sir," she replied, "I did not know whether the gentleman in question was your nephew or not; and, permit me to add, I didn't in the least care. Still further, allow me to remark that you have no manners whatever-that you arc a ridiculous old goose, and your nephew probably resembles youl"
 Ma'am-what ?" began the old gen. tleman, almost strangling in his fury.
 But Aurora swept away in calm dls- dain, and left him foundering in storm of wrath.
 ct My dear," said Mrs. White, sailing down on her as she passed that lady's stand, "isn't Bella the slyest little piece ever born? Here she is snugly engaged to Rob Russct, and the rest of the girls are going wild because they've just discovered that he's got terrific ally rich old uncle, who arrived the other day from some mysterious place. I met him once. Til introduce you if I can find him oh, here he is Mir. Amasa Higgingbotham-Miss Balsam- apple"
 Aurora took glance at him and turned pale. Cousin Amasa and the l peppery old gentleman were all one. He appeared to have recovered his l temper and was chuckling quite iovially. 1
 "I-1'm sure, Cousin Amasa," began l Aurora, with sweet, womanly meekness, " you won't mind what said to you2 l You know"
 "Not at all-not at all r interrupted 1 the old gentleman, with chuckle." " It's all right, cousin"
 "And you know I wouldn't have said a word against MT. Russet if I had known he was your nephew. only
 "Ot course not-of course not r