The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-07-13
miscellaneous.
A Jealous Worker.


trio girls, who cut their hair short and part
it on one side, never do. Men don't like
oddly. And then you have such way of
rushing about the streets, at all times and
seasons, and carrying baskets and packages
to poor people One might as well be COM
mon carrier at once. Ifyou expect to form
credltable alliance, you must conform lit
tie to the usages of society"
Nonsense, Aunt Jemima !" said Christina,
laughing. "And suppose | don't marry,
what then p
The three Miss Craclsthorpes looked up from
their three crewel.frames with the amazement
which company of respectable barn-do
fowls might be expected to feel when an err
ratio golden pheasant CHANGED to alight in
their midst and astonish them with its foreign
ways.
All their lives they had been trained to re-
gard marriage as the ultima Mule of all
their hopes and aspirations They had paint.
ed and powered frizzed and dressed, danced
mad tenniscd, with a steadfast eye to this one
end and aim ind here was black browed
gypsy, with hair cut short on her neck like a
boy, Il zig gag tear in her cambria iounces,
and II basket on her arm actually presuming
to doubt the foundation of their platform.
Il know lots of jolly old maids" said
Christina, coaxng the cat to a game of play
over the carpet with the tassel of her parasol
There might be worse fates than that"
II don't approve OF young women making
light ofsuch serious topics" said Mrs Crack
thorpe, drawn downing the corner Other moIth
a In horse shoe shape. And where are you
going now"
"To visit poor Tom Thompson" said
Christina, indifierently
"a man. said Aunt Cnckthorpe.
well, I've every reason TO believe that he
isn't woman" acknowledged Christina.
"My DEAR" resumed Mrs. Crackthorpe,
don't you regard this system of-of misce.
aneous running after the poor rs extremely
Interpretations ?"
Some must visit the poor, aunt" said
Christina And | have leisure, health and
inclination. And promised dear old Mr.
Montagu, when he went TO the Azores for
that ugly bronchitis of his, that none of the
poor parishioncrs should suffer until the new
minister came to take his place"
"Thcre ought to be regular corps of visi-
tors" said Mrs Crackthorpe, "to assume
those duties"
"Well I'm member of the corps, Aunt
Crackthorpe," said Christina. "Selfappoinl-
cdr
"Who is this Thompson creature?" said
Mrs. Crackthorpe.
II don't know" said Christina, Indifferent
ly. "He must be respectable, for he lodges at
Mrs. Sessions cottage. But am very much
afraid it's the same poor fellow who was
committed last month for being intoxicated in
the streets. The mill hand at Hopperlcy's,
you know"
But why ON earth do you go there2" said
Miss Millicent Crackthorpe
Because | found his name on a piece of
paper on my desk" said Christina Carr "If
any of the poor desire especially to see me,
they know that they have only to leave their
names and addresses there, and am Away 8
willing and ready to respond to their call. 7"
"But," cried Marianne, the second Miss
Crackthorpe, "a miserable drinking mill hand
like that do think, Cousin Christina, it
isn't decent for you to go therep
at is always decent to do all the good we
can in this world" said Christina, CURLY.
81 Shall talk To the poor fellow, and shall
give him piece of my mind. They tell me
he is docile and well-nclined when he is not
under the influence fliquor; and who knows
what straw may suffice to turn the current
of his life?"
II don't think it's II woman's business, !"
said Francetla the youngest blossom on the
Crackthorpe family tree a blue nosed damsel
of seven -andtwenty.
Isn't it II woman's business to do all the
good she can in the worldY' said Christina
And then, weary of the catechism to which
she was subjected every time she came to her
aunIs house, she rose and took her leave.
won't you be ut Mrs. Larkins' aesthetic
tea drinking to night? ?" asked Marianne
stflly.
No" said Christina "Pve promised to
show Mrs Hedges little girl the Afghan
stitch this evening, They can get work in
the worsted stores if they only understand
that"
II shall see you at the Modern English
Poets Club at three, shan't | I" questioned
Millicent who was literary.
ooh, | haven't any time for the Modern
English Poes!" said Christina.
But Francetta followed her out into tho
hall-Francetta, who was not an il-natured
girl in the main.
You'd better come TO the club, Chrissy, y
whispered she. THE ladies are getting up d
reception for the new minister, when he
comes Ma doesn't want you to know, be
cause she thinks perhaps he may take fancy
to Marianne but, In ! Marianne hasn't any
chance at all, at her age and with her PIN.
pied complexion. Ministers are like other
men, | SUPPOSEDLY like girls that are
young and pretty"
II dare say he's married man, after all, ,
said Christina, laughing. And | really
haven't time to come but Pm obliged to
you, all the same, Francelta"
And she went away, half amused, half vex
ed, at The glimpse she had had of her Aunt
Crackthorpe's tactics.
Mrs Sessions was quiet little widow, who
let the upper bedroom in her cottage when
she could get respectable boarder. She was
washing at the back door, when Miss Carr's
light, elastic footsteps touched the narrow