The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-04-27

1.-THE fact is, | suppose, 1T depends
| somewhat on that aunt of Miss Hates,
of whom we hear now and then. My
impression is that the aunt's consent
will be necessary before Miss Kate will
even listen to a proposal, far less
promise to marry any one L know
| Katie sets great store by her aunt
is always what will auntie say-and
will auntie like tor would auntie
be willing L should do so and SOP"
Well, we'll l wish this mysterious
auntie would-what you call it2-put
in an appearance laughed Mr.. Pierrot,
anyhow, l hopeshe won't be the means
of keeping Miss Kate from making Il
good match--probably her last chance,
too"
A few days later Miss Kate came
owe quite early in the day-an I'M
usual thing, for her calls were generally
made in the evening, and as soon as
| Mrs. Pierrot saw her she felt that a
crisis of some kind had come.
"What is it, dear?" she asked with
the quick sympathy natural to the
feminine temperament on such oc-
casions. "Something has happened, 1
am sure"
eyes, dear Mrs. P~ierrot," answered
Miss Kate all in Il futter, "my aunt
has come and L have left them to-
gether."
He has proposed Theoretically
proposed?"
"Oh, yes, long ago." Miss Kate
aunbod md adIaI with a blucb UanI
was accepted too"
"And younever told mel" murmured
Mrs. Pierrot reproachfully.
MY dear friend. l couldn't until my
aunt came" said Miss Kate, deprecat-
ingly.
"And now you have left them to-
gether," said Mrs. Pierrot. "Well she
won't be so mad as to refuse her con-
sent. She won't send him away"
"Oh, no; she will never send him
away any more Miss Kate murmured,
dreamily; and though the phrase
seemed extravagant to Mrs. Pierrot,
she only smiled, and was careful not to
intrude on her friends happy musings
except by an occasional sympathetic re-
mark.
The timepassed. minutesinto quarter
hours, and quarters into hours, but
Miss Kate seemed in no hurry to return
to her enamored swain.
At last Mrs. Pierrot, who began to
get out of patience with her calmness,
dreamineSS. Observation-Disclosures it was
said: "Kate, you do take things
l ann1Iu 1ntct CIV Pm C1rn Hnnh
S%herbourne must be tired waiting for
you. He has surely said all he could
possibly have to say to your aunt by
this time"
al am not at all sure of that" Kate
returned with a sparkle OF mischief in
her quiet, soft gray eyes. MY aunt
is thought by many people to be a very
lovely and charming woman"
"Lovely and charming" repeated
Mrs. Pierrot with IA toss of her head,
figuring to herself as Monsieur would
have said, some t%yrannical old gorgon
Of sixty, pray, what may be her age?
this lovely and charming relative of
yours"
Aunt Nell will be tweLty-one her
next birthday" Miss Kate returned,
demurely.
"Twenty-one," screamed Mrs. Pier
rot. "You are laughing at me; it's
impossible; why, you are yourself -"
Just thirty-one my last birthday"
Miss Kate concluded. seeing that her
friend had paused, unable to complete
| her sentence.
"People arc usually surprised at first;
but the explanation is quite simple and
natural. l was ten years old when
| Nell was born. You see we were a
large family, and l vas the lirst child
of the eldest daughter. who, having
married very young, made me grown
up niece TO a baby aunt, and lots of
fun it was, for l was lovely Nells
favorite nurse, and almost brought her
up by hand, for poor grandma never
recovered"
BY this time Mrs. Pierrot had some
what recovered her breath. She started
up hastily, put on a hat and mantle,
and eXclaiming, 81 should like to see
this wonderful aunt Of yours" started
at once for the front door, closely ac-
companied by Miss Kate. AS soon as
they hal reached the street, the latter
continued.
q was just going to ask you to &c
with me and be introduced to my
aunt-in fact. that was partly why
l came over, you see, Nell was married
at eighteen"
Married" exclaimed Mrs. Pierrot
with another cry of establishment, and
insensibly her pace slackened--she was
not in such desperate haste to reacl
Miss Rates house. And is she still
married, then"
"Well she hasn't divorced her hus
band, though she once thought of do
ing s., for there was a terrible misun.
derStanding between them, but that il
happily made right now"
"And he is still living-she's not q
widow; the husband, l mean" Mrs
Pierrot gasped out in great confusion
but Miss Kate understood her.
"She is certainly not a widow" sh'