Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-09
AN UNDERGRADUATES AUNT

AN OA OGl5kT nhDO AI1 . NJ " J
Frederick Huntington belonged TO
4mal college, and ia doing so conferred
apon it one of the few distinctions it eoul,
b0ass-namely, that Of possessing the verl
5asnfulest mao in the university.
He vas sitting one afternoon over hi
modest lunch Of bread and butter, pottel
meat and lemonade, when ali at ones b,
hesrl the sound Of unusual voices a1d
strange Autter Of dresses coming up th,
winding stone staircase outside, ana was
instantly seizsd with a cold dread.
There wss no particular reason for being
alarmed, although there were certainly
ladies mounting the steps-probably they
we're friends OF the man opposite, who va.
always having his people up. Bat still
Fiushiugten had that odd presentimeni
which nervous people have sometimes that
something Unpleasant is on its way tC
chem, aud he half rose from his chair "a
shut his outer oak.
1t was too late the dresses were rust.
ling nos In his very p.ssage-thers was q
pause, few faint, smothered laughs and
little feminine coughs, then two taps at the
door.
Come ia, cried Washington family.
The door opened, and his heart seemed
60 stop, and all the blood rushed violently
90 his head, al large lady came sweeping
an, her face ripping with broad smile oi
affection.
The Mortified Plushington, who knew
nobody with the least claim TO smile al
him so expansively as that, drank lemon.
aae 80 conceal bis confusion.
You don't know me, my dear Fred 2
abe said, easily. "Oi course not-how
could you Tm-for goodness sake, my
dear boy done look 90 terribly fright
snsd Im your aunt-your Aunt Amelia,
rome 0vsr from Australia.
"Oh, bat, she added cheerily, that's
oOs all I've another surprise for you
the dear girls would insist on coming mp,
500, 20 see their grand college cousin
they're Just outside. I'll call them 10,
shall II
Ia another second Fiushington's small
room was oyeTrun by horde OF female rela
Elves, while he looked on gasping.
He was once caught aud introduced to ,
charming young lady from NeRhsm. and
sll he could do was TO back feebly into Q
corner and murmur Thank you" re-
psatedly.
He was very little better than that now,
As his aunt singled one girl after another,
We won'C have any formal nonsense
between oousius, she said You know
them already by name, dare say-this is
@lly, that's Jane, here's Flora, KITTY and
Margaret, and that's my istle Thomasina
over there by the bookcase"
Poor Huntington ducked blindly in the
direction of eaon, and then to them ali col.
lecGvely.; ne had not presence Of mind to
offer them chairs, or cake, OF anything
beside there was not nearly enough OF
anything for al of them.
Meanwhile his aunt bad spread herself
comfortably cut in his arm. chair, and was
lntying her bonnet-strings and beaming at
him until he was ready to expire with con.
fusion. 81 do think" she observed at
last, THAT when an old aunt all the way
from Australia takes the trouble to come
and see yos like this you might spare her
Just one kiss
FlushingtoR dared not refuse, he tottered
sud kissed her somewhere about the face,
after which he did not know which way to
look, he wss 90 terribly afraid he nigh,
have TO 60 through the same ceremony with
che cousins. which he simply could not
have survived.
Happily for MIN they did not expect If,
aud he balanced a char on its hind legs,
and, resting one knee upon it, waited pa
siently for them to begin a conversation
be could not have uttered a single word
The aunt came 70 the rescue " You
don't ask after your Uncle Samuel who
used to send you the beetles - she said ap
proviogly.
"No. said Flushingson, VIII, had for.
gotten Uucls Samuel aud his beetles, too.
No: how Is Uncle SAmnel-qaise well |
hopey'
Oaly iolerably so, thank you Fred,
you see. he never got over his great loss.
mo, SAID F,ushington, desperately.
4" OF course not; It was IA large sum OF
money 90 lose an at once"
8" WAS NOS referring to money, said
she, with a slight touch Of stoniness IN her
manner, " wa slluding to the death Of
your Cousin John"
Flushiogson had felt himself getting on
rather well before that, but TINS awkward
mistake-for he couldn't recollsct of having
heard OF Cousin Johu-threw him eff bis
balance sgsin be collapsed into silence
once more, inwsrdly resolving to be lured
into no more questions concerning his rela-
lives.
His ignorance seemed to nave aroused
pathetic sentiment in his aunt 81 ought
TO have known" she said. shaking her
head, they soon forget Us 10 the old couu-
try here's my sisters son, aud he doesn't
remember his cousins death Well, well.
now we're here, we must see il we can {
know one another little better. Fred. YOU
must take tho girls and me everywhere
and show rs every thingh like good nephew,
you know"
Flushington had horrible mental vision
Of himself esreering about al over Cam
bridge, followed by long procession Of
female relatives fearful responsibility to
30 shy man. "Shall you be here long =
he asked.
"Only week or SO we're at the Ball,
very near you. you see and I'm afraid
you think Us very bold beggars, Fred but
we're going to get you to give Us some
thing to eat. I've Just set my heart-so
have the girls ihsven's you, delrs Don
Iunching once with college student in his
own rooms.
Daring luncheon the aunt began to study
Flushingieu's features attentiyely There
is a strong lock OF poor Simon about him
when he smiles, she said, looking az him
through her gold double-glssses. There,
did you catch it. girls Just his mothers
profile ttprn your face leetle more to-
ward the window. so as to get the light on
your nosel don't you see the likeness to
your aunt's portrait, girls z"
And Flushiagton had TO sit still. all the
girls charming eyes fixed critically upon