Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-10-23
"Aupt Katherine never owned the mar.


divorce, and she gave him large sum to
promise in writing never to claim her,
and she burned the certificate. And as
for letting me marry the nephew of this
man, and having him drop in upon US at
any time, why. she shouldn't, and she
ended by declaring that it was my for
tune james Lavater (there, the name is
out wanted, and not me, and that not
one cent of her money should ever 90 to
forgers and fortune hunters.
Matters didn't mend. Neither gave
up. We couldn't; we were born so. It
was Just as impossible to either as to sit
crooked or to make our hair curl; and
We were just alike. | felt sorry for my
aunty, | must say; but saw no reason
why her bad luck should keep me from
happiness. Well, Kitty, it wasn't many
we, ks after that aunty died. Died in a
moment, of heart disease. Nobody knew
she had it, unless maybe herself, for she
had looked strange and shaken for some
days, and guess she felt it coming on.
At the funeral | saw a stranger, an old
man standing close by the grave. You'd
have though, he was chief monrner, and
James Lavater, my James, went up to
him, looking very red. and they walked
| off together, talking low.
That was aunty's husband. ! found
il out afrerward. and that he had been
lowering atout the neighborhood for a
week or two. And the next thing that
came out was that the Masons were TO
have the old place and furniture, but the
500 900 that were have gone to me,
were nowhere. Aunty had drawn that
whole sum out of Government securities,
a little while before her death, aud 1t was
all gone.
"Uf course knew that the good-for-
nothing husband had seen her, and either
frig ghtened OF couxed her into giving 1t to
him. lie left the country right after
ward"
How perfectly courageous cried
Kitty. Did she leave you nothing:
MY dear, she LETT me trunk with
some old clothes in II. One dress IN par
iicula she stated she hoped would wear
wien married. She needn't have troub-
led herself TO write that bitter sneer in
the new will she made only two days
before her death. Of course you know
never was married. Aunt Katharine
Judged James Lavatar right. Perhaps
there is something in name. After
home and fortune went, the lover soon
followed. Never mind the details.
II went away Just then as a hospital
nurse, Kitty; and it did me good. You
know | had little property from my
mother, and came to her old neigdoor-
hood when the war was over, and this
house | hired. had $1,000 a year to
live on, and peace and independence II
nothing else. don't say / have not
been lonely and sad. Kitty; but, If you
can content yourself here and put up
with my tidgety ways, there IL be some
brightness left after all in your old aunty $
life"
Kitty felt the appeal, and responded
with a caress but answered in a hesitat-
ing voice:
"You know, darling aunty. you are
all ! have to cling to now, and this seems
my right place; but-bu,-l must speak
frankly"
Freely and fully, my dear. | like
plain speaking"
In the first place, aunty, the money
question. must pay my share.
Aunty looked thodgh,fully, and then
nodded.
81 see, dear. You would be most
welcome to what | have; but know
what i, is to be tom independent. You
shall do as you like"
"Oh. you dear, sensible thing cried
Kitty. giving her hug. Now that is
comfortable. Let us have it all over at
once. You say you have twelve hun
dred a year. will put in another
twelve hundred, and We can live quite
nicely on that, in very small way.
Can't wef'
Kitty! Kitty! that is twice too
much"
mot one cent, aunty. / could not
possibly live on less. We will have two
maids, and make pretty garden, with
lots of roses and vines"
"Earwigs and slugs," remarked arnty.
grimly. "And the maids will quarrel.
Well, 90 on. You haven't got through,
! can see.'
"Just one thing more" Aoundered Kit
ty. This house don't feel bad, dear
is so hopelessly ugly"
"Ugly, Wei. i declare, Kitty Ran
dali, do you mean to drive me crazy with
modern art Are you going to tack up
Japanese fans and idio,ic paper parasols
all over the walls: Must have a row
of kitchen pie-plates on the mantel shelf
and stick sunfower in the middle of the
dinner table, Are you an aesthetic young
lady, Kitty.
Kitty laughed heartily.
Don't be afraid, aunty. only want
my earwigs and slugs, and the maids
shan't quarrel; but | want some low
chairs and a pretty little table and lamp,
and a place to put my piano and pictures
and pretty things. And | want to send
away this dreadful stove and have an
open wood FIRE. l saw some beauties OF
handirons and brass fender in the attic,
aunty."
"But wood fires make lot of dirt,
Kitty
"The new girl can sweep it up. Let
US put this carpet in your room, and stain
the floor and put down rugs. 1t is SO
much cleaner. see you are going to