The Dickinson press., 1883-08-11
HER ARISTOCRATlC WAYS.

HER ARISTOCRATlC WAYS.
You notice the title reads like IAN K
clamation, and please imagine a very
contemptuous tone of voice in conjunc-
ton with the explanatory clause and
you have it complete just as Aunt Phe-
be put it.
I was spending the summer with
auntie in the thrifty little town of N
not far from the White Mountains, and
its proximity to the refreshing noun
famous region made it a popular resort
for ''summer boarders," a few OF whom
were annually accommodated at the
ample farm house where I had delight
edly taken up my abode for the "sea-
son."
My home was in an always retired
New England village, and the hustle of
a Summer campaign" jnafor-the-tinre-
being fashionable locality, was an expe-
rience of which I had long dreamed
with most joyous a%nticipations; and they
said all the rooms at the spacious hotel
had ALREADY been engaged, and were
rapidly being occupied, although it was
only the first week in June.
Uncle Eben had gone to New York
city on business, and Aunt Phoebe had
received a letter from him which she
was reading, when suddenly her brow
became clouded, and, with an express
sive "Humph," she exclaimed:
"Dear me! if Eben hain't gone and
engaged to take that Rosa Van Withren
for the summer! Well, I never did"
"Well, auntie,"l began, ~ though
you wanted some people to come here:t
what difference does it make?"-but she
cut me short
"You know nothing about it, Maggie;
the Van Witherns are one of those old,
rich, important feeling families who
hold themselves above v ry one else;
they were at the hotel last summer, and
this laughter Rosa wa withthem; I can
see her nov with her aristocratic ways!
Her aristocratic ways! She is not the
kind l want in my house. What will
Mr.. and Mrs. Herbert think, / wonder,
staid, sensible people as they are? That's
the class of persons [ like to entertain,
wealthy to be sure, but totally free from
fashionable ideas and humbug airs!"
"Another thing" Aunt Phoebe con-
tinued, excitedly, "Rosa Van Withren
is a very different person, Maggie, from
what your mother would wish to have
you thrown in with. You're a tolerably
sensible girl now, but there's no know
ing what a few months with a prinking
New York girl would make of you. Well,
all is, we must treat her politely, but
you've no need to make a companion of
her, and as to all the world of furbelows
and earthly vanities she will bring along
in her great "saratoga,'- YOU must re-
ing to the Lord; it's all of the earth,
earthly, and no one with true religion in
their heart will run after such things"
Now l heard Jane-Aunt Phebe's
cook say that "of all the close, fussy
creatures she ever heard of, that rich,
disagreeable woman from Springfield
ranked first and foremost" So I might
be pardoned for concluding in my "
mind, how we'll [ should like "staid,
sensible Mrs. Herbert" but Jane had
added, that most persons who came
from Massachusetts, and particularly
from Boston, were '.iust splendid" very
kind and considerate Of the "help," and
mice, sober people" But way down
deep in my wicked little heart, l secret
ly rejoiced that this proud, handsome,
stylish young lady was coming home
with Uncle Eben. My reading had fur
nished me with some idea Of what a
person might be and l really trembled
with neutrality-suspicious. crea-
ture that l was--at the thought of in
habiting the same house with a real live
fashionable" True, there must be
sin in it. but like stolen waters. the
very fact Of sthe dangers accompanying
the forming of such an acquaintance,
seemed to possess a forbidden sweet
ness.
Mr.. and Mrs. Herbert were to arrive
next morning, and in the evening Miss
Van Withren and Uncle Eben were ex
pected; SO all was hurry and hustle fol
the remainder of the day. The great
square, front 70 m on the second story
was to be reserved for the Herberts,
Miss Van Withren was to occupy a spa
cious room next theirs, and my room
was next to hers, the third apartment
on the same floor.
CHOW mind" Aunt Phoebe again eau
mate with that Miss Rosa; though 1guess
there's no danger" she added "for she
won't probably notice you any more
than if you were a post"
She wouldn't eh! Well, after all, tina
was perhaps the very best thing Aun'
Phoebe could have said. 1t restored my
equilibrium. I had expected to blush
and tremble when she came, but if tina
was to be my treatment, she might ig
more my presence as she pleased
: shouldn't care.
Sure enough the next morning. with
what seemed to me a great deal Of pomr
and hustle, came Mr. and Mrs. Herbert
No great wonder she cared but little FOL
the pride and fashion of life. She was
fully so years of age, and weighed about
200 pounds, ana it took the entire house
hold, me included, all of two hours tt
Wait upon her after her arrival. Not 81
Mr.. H., he settled down at once IN
comfortable arm chair and troubled NJ
one.
And toward evening, just before tes
time, came Uucle Eben and Miss Val
Withren. She was the fairest creature
I had ever seen. l mean the flares
and loveliest. The day had been warm
and the journey from New York Ions
and tedious. A mass of bright, crimpy
hair partly shaded her white forehead
while her great hazel eyes had a wor1
look in their liquid depths which wen
to my heart. Aunt Phoebe was pleasan'
and cordial enough to her, but she look
ed SO tired out and sweet withal that
forgetting my intended Indifference.
almost instinctively took her travelling
satchel and offered to 60 with her tx
her room