The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-05-01

hind the curtain, aud deemed it unkjnd.
But then she is sick, and that is rea, on
enough. / daresay i should be no bet
ter in her place." And tender-hearted
Hettie flushed with sympathy for her
queer old aunt.
well, by the way, Het, 1 admire
your pluck and candor exceedingly.
How ever did you have courage to
acknowledge your acquaintance with
that 'conceited monkey?'' asked Ma
rion, laughing merrily.
Hettie colored little Indignantly,
a. she answered:
II meant to have told aunt long ago.
1 advi.ed Gordon to leave all 20 me,
rs 1, perhaps, might gain her consent
best, understanding her nature as
/ do"
Il presume ought to congratulate
you, COZ; but the fact is, think you
are throwing yourself away! In fact,
you are too good for such as he. l
always considered Gordon Lyle per-
feet dude; and he has nothing to buy
bread with, let alone q place OF shelter
and such comforts as You have always
been accustomed to" exclaimed Ma
rion. positively.
Il did not suppose, for an instant,
that you could look with favor upon
any moro than the one OF the male
sex" exclaimed Hettie, somewhat sar-
castically. "If Val Merrivale is more
than reputed wealthy, shall be very
much mistaken And Hettie felt as
though she had sent that arrow home
"Well, we will not quarrel, Het; but
/ like Algernon Sydney's little finger
better than Gordon Lyle's whole body,
to use familiar saying and if love was
not blind, as it is In your case, you
would have said yes, instead OF no, to
him month or two ago, when he laid
his honest heart at your shrine.
"You are getting more eloquent as
you progress, fair COZ; but I'm sorry
it is all lost on me. Every person in
this civilized age has right to his
own opinion. claim that privilege as
mine, therefore, and yield up very
willingly to you 'the marrying the bear
for the sake of his den,'" laughingly
responded Hettie. II will visit you in
your palace, and after that, if you are
not too far above me, you may come to
my howell. Now is not that fair?"
"Yes, perfectly. And L shall not
envy you your precious poll-parrot,
either, promise you. You may keep
feathers and all, and the fun-loving
Marion laughed as though she enjoyed
the Joke ut her cousins expense.
what do you mean, girls, by such
hoydenish proceedings?" came in
sharp, shrill tones from the curtained
alcove. "Loop back this curtain, and
drop forever those vile slang phrases.
How many times have l cautioned you
not to use them, and how will people
think / have brought you up? No
credit at all; no, none You may
leave the room, both of you, if you
choose. The sun is declining, and l
should like short time alone, to
think, ere you ring for lights" Ma
rion, only too glad to be dismissed from
her aunt's vigilant eye, fed precipi-
lately from the room, singing as she
went, Come, haste to the wedding,
looking teasingly at her cousins more
leisprely gait, over her shoulder; and
said, as they reached the hall below,
Come ont on the balcony, Het, and we
will watch the glorious sun decline, as
aunt expresses it,"
And while the two cousins are
thus employed, we will return again
to the sick room, and learn the
mind of Aunt Cynthia, if possible,
as she sits, propped up with pillows,
her old, withered hands fondling the
plumage of her pet-her parrot. so
it was Gordon Lyle! How neatly /
found out all about him! Cynthia
Crowell, you were always called clever
And now to ascertain whether your
niece or her prospects is the object Of
his visits. Let me see Yes, 1 have
it; q brilliant idea, too. Well see how
it viii work. Patience, Cynthia, you
are worth two dead women yet"
Polly wants cracker, came in shrill
but faint tones from the fast failing
bird. poor Poll wants a cracker !"
And you shall have one, too, pet. y