The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-08-23
In Open Rebellion.
BY SHIRLEY BROWNE.

Young Mrs. Mayfeld had been mar
ried scarcely three months, and already
the scarce perceptible shadow of COM
ing trouble was darkening her life's ho-
rizon. Or, at least, SO people limited.
"Of course" said Aunt Amanda,
"she would die rather than complain !"
"To us, especially" added Aunt
Laura, "when we opposed the match so
resolutely."
"She would have her own way said
Aunt Amanda, mournfully shaking her
head.
"There always was adeal of quiet OBJ
stinacy about Hattie" said Aunt Laura.
"But perhaps it is our duty to solic-
it her confidence now," suggested Aunt
Amanda.
"Poor dear! she has no mother oi
her own," sighed Aunt Laura, acqui-
escingly.
"And so the two gentle-natured old
maids tied on their stone-colored hats
and wrapped their heecy shawls about
their wrinkled throats and trudged ovel
to the Mayfeld house, where the bride
was is the kitchen, preserving ounces,
with big calico apron tied about hel
slim waist.
Hattie was delighted to see her aunts
that was quite matter of course
But it took long time to make her un
derstand the special errand upon which
they had came.
"Confide in you?" cried Hattie. "Bu
1 have nothing to confde!"
"My DEAR" said Aunt Amanda, i'm
pressively, care you happy?"
"Why, of course I am happy" saiC
Hattie, with wide-open eyes. "Wh.
should I not be happy"
"You have not yet tasted the hollow
ness of life then?" said Aunt Laura.
"Not in the least" said Hattie
"And 1 can tell you, Aunt Laura, l dc
not mean my life to be hollow !"
"They tell me-" hazarded Aun
Amanda, "that Mr.. Mayfeld was very
strict and arbitrary with his wife. -
"Well he won't be with me !" sale
Hattie, certain light beginning tc
scintillate under he dark eyelashes and
a troubled color mounting to her cheek
"And," furnerally added Aunt Laura
"reports have reached us that old Col
Hopkins-the first Mrs. Mayfeld's ia
ther-is great trial !"
"Oh, I don't intend that he shall be
trial to me" said Hattie. lodline the
ounces rapidly into row of crysta
clear jars.
So the two aunts went home, feeling
little better satisfied about Hattie and
her happiness.
But when the s.one-colored silk hats
had gone bobbing down the garden
path, and disappeared behind the hedge
of privet, young Mrs. Mayfield flung
down the great silver spoon.
elbow do they know that l am not
happy?" she asked herself. 81 have
rigidly kept my own counsel-and yet
people look at me with pitying faces, as
ifI were martyr!"
Old Col. Hopkins was reading the pa
per when Mrs. Mayheld came all dressed
into the parlor. He was tall, cadaver-
Gus old gentleman, with layers of white
cravat folded around his skinny throat,
and CLASSY light-blue eyes-an old gen.
tleman who always spoke with sigh,
as if the troubles of the world were too
much for him.
"Miss Belleville' card !" she exclaim-
ed, glancing at bit of pasteboard on
the parlor table. elias she called here
Am l not to know it ?"
The Colonel pushed his spectacles up
on his bumpy forehead, and answered,
in mournful accents:
eyes, she called. She asked for
you.''
"And what did you tell her?" Hat
tie asked.
81 said you were engaged the Col.
deliberately answered. "Miss Belleville
is worldly, frivolous young woman,
whose associations can do nobody any
good !"
Hattie bit he lip. 'I particularly
desired to see her," said she. "She
Was W tCll LlC Vi TIC OdlC liACd lOi lAC
surprise party to the Rectory."
Colonel Hopkins folded his paper
inside out.
eyes," said he, still in the same
lugubrious accents which grated on
Hattie's feelings like rasping file, "she
mentioned some idle merry making of
the sort. l told her you couldn't 60"
"But who gave you authority to make
any such statement?" cried Hattie flush
ing very red.
:'Harriet ~ said the Colonel, "you
forget yourself. You don't seem to
know that you are speaking to your hus-
bands first wife's father"
81 am going to the surprise party"
said Hattie rapidly losing her temper.
"No, you are not" said the Colonel.
"My son-in-law, am quite sure, would
not sanction any such folly"
Hattie made no verbal rejoinder, but
she walked out of the room with silent
dignity which spoke volumes.
"Am l mistress of the housef" she
said to herself, "oris Colonel Hopkinsf"