The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-08-18
HIS YOUNG WIFE.

"Well, Aunt Antonia. What do you
think of her?"
MI. Wayland had just come home
from business, and met his aunt II. the
snug little drawing-room, where the
red plush curtains hung In such vivid
folds, and the fire glowed in the twi-
light like crimson jewel.
Somewhere in the room there was a
paphne-tree in full blossom. You could
smell it's subtle sweetness, even though
you could not detect its whereabouts
by means Of the eye and a bright
plumed bird whistled softly in the half
light, as if it were soliloquizing to it
self.
Rufus Wayland had not seen the old
aunt who had brought him up for a
year-a year which, to him, had been
full Of eventful interest, for within it's
bright cycle of months he had wooed
and won the wife who was to him the
sweetest creature in all the world.
And now, that Aunt Antonia had
returned from the South, he had looked
forward to her visit with sense of
happy exultation.
motherless Zoe," he thought; "and she
cannot help admiring the dear little
thing"
! And so he had hurried home from
his business upon this particular even
| ing, to feast his ears on Aunt Antonia's y
tribute Of delight and homage to ZOe's
charms.
| Aunt Antcnia was tall, rather stiff,
elderly lady in black silk with compact
little bunches Of gray curls Oh either
side Of her face, gold spectacles, and Il
mouth which seemed to screw itself to-
| gether, instead Of closing like other
peoples lips.
| She allowed herself to be kissed af-
fectionately by her nephew, and then
Strengthened out her cap-ribbons with a
sigh.
81 think, Rufus" said she, sepulch-
rally, that you have married IL childl"
"Well, she is young," admitted the
husband, laughing. "But she is such
a darlingl'
"She can't be twenty" said Aunt
| Antonia.
"Just eighteen" said Rufus.
| "And so uninfOrmedl" added the old
lady, who had way of heaving up deep
sighs from the lower regions of her
lungs at the end of every sentence,
which was, to say the least Of it, de-
pressing.
| "Y0u mean-"
"No systemic said Aunt Antonia.
"No definite aim in life No logic !"
| But" pleaded Rufus Wayland, :,
"what does she want Of system, and
logic, and all that sort of thing2"
"Sitting on the rug reading fairy
tales" said Aunt Antonia, ''like a
baby And then confessing out and
out, to me, without 50 much as a blush
Of shame, that she has never read Mil
tons paradise Regained,' and is quite
ignorant Of Shakespeare! Any ten-year-
old child ought to be ashamed to own
such tlagrant ignorance And when l
asked her about the aid societies and
charitable club in tho eneighborhood, she
couldn't give mo single item of in
formation, but kissed me, and wanted
me to eat chOcOlate-creams out OF Il
pink-satin boXP'
| Mr.. Wayland laughed.
''That is just like Zoe," he said.
And the next instant, Zoe herself
came into the room--a beautiful young
creature, with golden hair, bound care
lessly with blue filets Of ribbon, Tin a
way which Aunt Antonia secretly pro-
nounced "crazy fashion,') pale-b!ue
silk dress and the prettiest of high
heeled French slippers.
"Tea is ready, Rufus" she said
land we've made real Maryland syll-
abub for Aunt Antonla."
Could there be anything prettier or
more lovable-the young husband asked
himself-than this gold-tressed fairy
who fitted about the room, seeming to
create sweet home atmosphere where
ever she went--this dimpled little play
thing who knelt on the rug, playing
with the cat, and never attempted to
follow the thread of the conversation,
while Aunt Antonio and her nephew
discussed the Concord School of Philo-
sophy and criticised the last volume of
essays and the latest poem2
because, you know, Pm not liter
ary," confessed Zoe, as she drew rose
bud about the carpet to attract the an
tics of pussy, and laughed peal Of
sweet, girlish laughter, when the rose.
bud was captured at last.
But Mr.. Wayland was a little graver
than usual that evening, after Aunt
Antonio and her candle had disappeared,
with a majesty not unworthy of Lady
Macbeth, into her own apartment,
which Zoe had filled with flowers, old
china, Turkey rugs, and all manner Of
prettytrifies. WasZoe really frivolous?
or was it that Aunt AntOnia's higher
plane Of life dwarfed her narrow circle
Of existencep
Zoe" said he, "you must have a
great deal Of timer"
"Oh, plenty % said the bride, inno-
"Dontyouthink you could 60 through