The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-12-28
ONLY AUNT MARGERY.

Girlsl 1 have some news for YOU
Grand news it is, but papa told me not
to mention it, so if tell you, YOU will let
it go no further?" and Connie Steadman
glanced round at her friends, feeling her
self an important parsonage, as the youth
full possessor Of a secret usually does.
ooh, trust us, Connie, we won't say a
single word to any one; we will be as dumb
as mutes on the subject" exclaimed
Kate Derwent; and her sister Mary, and
their cousin, Edith Salter, who had come
In like Constance for a morning chat,
made the required assevervation, and the
quartette drew their chairs close in de-
ightful anticipation.
Well, then, papa told us yesterday
evening-but, Katie, there is some one
in the other room," and Connie glanced
through the half-open curtains into the
large drawing room, at the further end
of which sat lady engaged in some
quiet occupation.
Only Aunt Margcry, " answered Katie /:
=" she is copying some music for us, and
won't hear if you speak low. Now do,
dear Connie, get on with your story, for
l am dying with impatience.
"Well, then, the house on the hill is let
to a single gentleman, Mr.. Maurice
Chester, very nice-looking, very rich, who
intends to come and live in it himself, and
give no end of nice parties and balls,
expect, for he asked papa if there was
good society in the neighborhood, as he
would not like to settle down in dull
place. OF course papa gave him good
report of the land, in that and every
other respect, and SO he decided to take
the house. He will come here next month.
to supcrintcnd the fitting up, etc"
ooh, how glorious!" cried Mary clap
ping her hands, 'now we shall have fun.
But, Connie, is he young, thought"
"Oh yes, about thirty, papa thought, -
answered Connie, rather doubtfully.
"Thlrty9 Why, he is quite old" said
Mary, disgusted from seventeen-vear-
old point OF view. "Why, he will do for
Aunt Margcry-we always call her an old
maid, and he is an old bachelorr'
''Nonsense Mary, what stuff YOU talk. ~
said Kate, who, being three and twenty,
took n different view of the matter.
"Thirty is not old for man. You only
care for boys, like George Burden"
Mary blushed. ''But you would not cx-
pect him to buy house and estate, like
this gentleman The only thing ISIS he
engaged, Connie?"
"Ah, that can't tell you, unfortunately.
/ asked papa, and he said very likely, he
hadn't asked him; but mamma thinks not,
because he would certainly have brought
the lady to see her future home, if he had
been,' said Connie.
"Your mamma is right, Connie: he GER
tainly would have done so, said Kate, de-
cidcdly.
And then followed quite an hours dis
cussion about the new conner, in the height
of which, Connie herself as well as the
other two, quite forgot the need of secrecy,
and the lady so quietly occupied in the
other room must have been very deaf not
to have heard all the conversation.
She took very little notice of it, however;
the girls made just as much commotion if
they met a new face at a dinner-party, or
were introduced to a strange partner at a
ball, for Maundbury was such quiet
place, and so miserably short of masculine
society, except the old and married, that
any chance acquaintance even caused quite
fiutter among the manageable ladies'
How, then, could the news of a permanent
resident fail to affect them?
1t is said that at no age does a woman
give up the hope of marriage, but must
say at the risk of being disbelieved, that
no thoughts of the matter ever caused Mar
gerry Derwent's pulse an extra futter
If her niece Kate had grown to the age
of twenty three, beautiful and attractive
as she was, with only lovers "who loved
and rode away" there seemed little
chance for her, Aunt Margery, with the
faded looks and quiet manners that sor-
row, and loss, and thirty years of life had
lowered her with, to be more fortunate.
Margery had had her love dream, but ii
had faded with the loss of her father and
all her fortune, except small sum which
just found her in clothes, while hel
brother insisted upon. her making his
house her home. AT first Mrs. Derwent
objected, but then finding Margcry very
useful to call up in the night in case Of
sudden illness, to help take care of tho
children, and to make herself generally
useful, as poor relations are expected tC
do, she ceased to grumble, and Mar
gerry found herself settled at Derwent
house, with sort Of half-recognition il
society, the back seat of the carriage
the coolest place at the fireside always
hens, in return for being constantly al
every ones beck and call
She had never been a beauty, but she
had been pretty and lively, and much