The Baltimore County union., 1883-12-01
AUNT ANN.
EY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

". y. Ledger.
II was the beautiful voice of Alice
Stanley that first attracted Mr.. Archi-
bald Verne as he sat in his pew on
Sunday, for he could not see her from
where he sat; and it charmed him so
deeply that he began to take pains to
discover At what concert she sang, and
to hire seats to hear her. Then he
found out that she was beautiful, and it
vas very easy 70 get an introduction to
her, and after that easier still TO fall in
love with her. And then he began to
r,il occasionally with flowers and books,
md all the little offerings gentleman
privileged to make his lady friends.
He was handsome, he was rich.-
Whether his connections were Of good
ocial position or not did not matter,
or no one ever saw any Of them. He
lad the graceful manner Of parlor
might and all the accomplishments
necessary and he had romantic eyes il
Ie had not 4 romantic heart.
Alice liked romantic eyes, and the
manner Of society. She was ilattered
~ the alterations Of 4 man so highly
hought of-the guest Of the best people.
so agreeable in his manners, SO well
,red. Finally she felt that when he
would say "Will your" she could not
ay "No." And coming to this point,
he was pleased to think that he was
ich, for she could not doubt that there
would be n welcome in his heart for old
Aunt Ann, who was her charge and
are. and had been since her mother
ded; and she betrothed herself to him
Happily when the words she had dream
cd Of were spoken, and waited for him
to mention the subject Of Aunt Ann
himself. At last he did so. 1t was
after the day was set for their wedding.
"Wherc will your aunt 60 after We
are married?" he asked. "Has she
any relatives?"
''Not one besides myself" Alice an
swered. awe are the last Of our race.
al thought so," said Archibald. -
"And as feel kindly to the old soul.
tell you what I'll buy her into the Old
Ladies' Home, at Primrose, and she'll
be comfortable and out Of our way. Eth,
Alice1"
al don't want Aunt Ann out Of my
way" said Alice. "She is my dear
friend and companion. She is not SC
very old, Archibald-not suitable fol
such life at all. In fact, while | have
my voice and my fingers to keep heI
from it no such fate shall be hers.
can earn all We need"
"But you forget, my love-" said
Archibald, "my wife can't sing in pub
lie, or teach little girls their notes. She
viii be Mrs. Archibald Verne. You'll
have no private purse, and as hold the
purse l shall provide for your aunt as
think proper"
"The proper way is that she shall
live with me-" said Alice, quietly.
"But wife must obey her husband
that you acknowledge is right1" said
Archibald.
ave are not yet married." said Alice
still more quietly.
"But we shall be in a few weeks, u
Situ AINtttDdtus
"When / am married my aunt will
live with me-" said Alice. "Share my
home as she has always done, be m,
friend, my companion, always"
She looked away from him as sh,
spoke, but he looked at her angrily.
"I've always said I'd never have ;
mother.in-law about my house and AZ
aunt-in- law would be worse" he said
slowly. "We shall live at a hotel, ant
an old fashioned person like that woul,
be in the way. You don't notice i
perhaps, but your aunt is very old-fash
ioned and acknowledgements"
"Yes, understand the slang" re
piled Alice, "and others things are ais,
quite impossible. For instance, that
should insult Aunt Ann"
She looked him in the face again a
she spoke and drew from her finger he
engagement ring, in which a cost,
diamond cleaned like a star.
al release you from your engage
ment," she said, quietly, and droppe'
il into the palm Of his hand, out
stretched at the moment, in a gestur
which had followed the word impos
eihle