News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-05-01

"1ts all right, ma a'am, assure you,
said Mr.. Early. ''Step into the carriage;
1 will see that your things are brought
here directly"
"What be them fellows laughin' at o.
demanded Aunt Feny, stopping short,
with one foot on the carriage step, and
glaring at Messrs. st. Everil, Montmar-
tin & Co. through the green spectacle
glasses. 81 guess I'm as good as they
be, if amt dressed in the very last
agony of the fashion. I've got ten dol
lars sewed up in my flannel waist, over
and above my travelin' expenses, and
I'll go bail it's more than they've got I"
| A suppressed laugh here ran through
the little assemblage of spectators on
the platform.
'.Do not let their folly annoy you,
ma'am," said Early, pleasantly. 'Let
me assist you into the carriage. st.
Everil, stand back p he added, sternIy;
''if you have no reverence for old age or
womanhood, / will teach you to respect
my right hand. This lady is under my
protection, you will please to remember.
Mr.. st. Everil retreated, somewhat
discounted, upon his companions toes,
and the old lady climbed, chuckling,
into the carriage.
"Young man." she began, when the
umbrella, lunch-paper, basket and bot
tie were safely slowed away and they
were rolling rapidly over the city streets,
''you've got good deal of moral cour-
age. 'Taint every city sprig would be
as polite to an old creetur as you've
been, with all them noisy fellers pokin'
fun at you"
| Our hero was somewhat embarrassed
at this plainly-spoken compliment.
"I hope, madam" he said, 81 shall
never be found lacking in the essential
qualities of a gentleman, in whatever
circumstances may be placed"
The antique dame nodded her cap
frilIs, and held silently on to her um-
brella, without venturing any other re-
mark until they reached Mrs. Robert
Early's mansion.
Josephine was waiting for them on the
threshold; she clasped her ancient rela-
ton closely in her arms, and there was
sort of triumphal procession up to her
apartment, which Charles was rather at
loss to understand.
"One would think Josephine never
had had an aunt, fresh out of Noah's ark
before" he muttered to himself, as he
took up the newspaper and went out to
the vine-shaded back piazza, there to
while away the time until such period as
lunch should be announced.
"Charlie p
He had exhausted the paper long ago,
and nearly fallen into a doze; but at his
sister-in-law's summoning voice he
started to his feet and entered the
house.
''Aunt Stephanie wants to thank you
for all your kindness to her this morn
ing," said Josephine.
"Confound Aunt Stephanie, Thought |
Mr.. Early, advancing drowsjIy toward /!
the front room, where, in sort of arti-
fetal twilight, produced by satin cur
tains and Venetian blinds, he could dim
ly descry figure.
Suddenly Josephine drew back the
shadowy draperies, and there, instead of
a bent and crooked old woman, stood
lovely girl of Is, with deep blue eyes
and golden curls, set off with a white |
muslin dress, with an abundance of float |
ing blue ribbons looped and knotted |
about it.
"Stephanie Osborne p he calculated, |
instantly recognizing his fair enchant-
ress of the seaside.
''No-my Aunt Stephanie p inter
rupted Josephine, demurely.
"What mystery is this ?" demanded
Early, looking with a puzzled face from
one to the other. care you
'I am the veritable old lady of the
railroad train p laughed the golden
haired lassie, with a becoming glow of
color in her cheeks. ''Do not look so
astonished, Charles. Josephine really is
my niece. only as her mother. my sister
was married before I was born, she is
Just ten years older than I am p
eyes, but why"
"Why did 1 assume that odious dis
guise, you would say? just to try your
sterling worth and native chivalry,
Charles. 1 somehow fancied that the
young man who was polite and attentive
to bent old woman would have in him
the stuff for a good and noble husband,
and"
"Aud may be your husband, Steph-
anie ?" demanded Mr.. Charlie, promptly
deducing favorable inference.
"I-I'll think of it." said Stephanie,
laughing and blushing. SAT all events,
Charlie, like you ten thousand times
better since 1 have seen how devoted
you were to the poor old woman in the
snuff colored cloak p
Upon my word, Stephanie, you
ought to have been an actress p said
Mrs. Early, archly.
'All the worlds a STAGE" quoted
Stephanie, ''and have only performed
my part Henceforward I relinquish
the profession p
$50 you are going TO marry my Aunt
Stephanie, eh ?" said Josephine, as she
met her brother-in-law in the hall, after
heightened interview with his fair
haired goddess. "And will you be my
uncle then p
81 don't care if 1 am your grand
father, now that she has said yes," was
Mr.. Charles Early's exultant reply.
Burned to Death i'm Jail.