Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-12-12
AUNT JAMES ONLY OFFER.

event was about to happen, which,
though it may more than once in a
woman's life, On its first happening is
especially fraught with excitement.
One Of the Misses Tibbs, the eldest,
Jennie, q very pretty blonde of twenty
two, was about to be married, and nat
urally the talk aud thought all ran to
matters matrimonial.
The three Misses Tibbs were very
busy, intensely SO, not really making
up the trousseau, for that important
matter had been intrusted to the hands
Of Madame Lolipop, the eminent mod
iste Of Fifth avenue and Twenty third
street, but in evolving the hundred lit
tie nothings that are supposed to apper-
tain to wedding, and that must, in
the majority Of cases, eranate from the
home circle or near it.
AT this employment the three misses
were busy, assisted by their Aunt Jane,
who, as far as q surname went, might
as we'll have had none, for Aunt Jane
she was to everybody, even those who
could not even claim ninety ninth cous-
inship, though really, Aunt James name
was Hopkinson.
The three girls--Jennie, the eldest,
named after her aunt; Josephine, the
second, aged twenty, named after her
Uncle Joseph, and Maud, the "baby,"
aged sixteen, and named after nobody,
lad often discussed Aunt James charm
ing qualities and how pretty she must
once have been. but it had never occur.
red to them to think of why Aunt Jane.
still ut the age of fifty, renamed O.
maiden, with no apparent aspirations
toward changing that condition. But
now, brought forth by what was soon to
happen to one of the trio, everything
that bore upon the subject came promi-
nently forward, and every acquaintance
of the female persuasion became sub
iuct to discussion
do you know" said Josie, "what
" tS Glle reason Gllul lllllc SuliGl ull ilOl
marry John Penn?'
MOP was Jennie's response. Give
always wondered, but never knew"
"I'll tell you. 1t was because when
John went OIL. as he did after his en-
gasement, to Chicago on business, and :,
Of course, bad to write Title letters, for
the first time she discovered that not
only he did not write good grammar,
but did not know how to use The capital
letter, and so she broke off the eng Age
ment You know Tillie is very partic
ular and teaches in a public school.
"Why, how absurd !" said Jennie. IL
don't think my Tom is perfect in his
letters, but love EN-, and I'm as glad
to get em as though they were classical
ly correct. think it was q fortunate
escape for Mr.. Penn"
$50 do l." said Maud. "Ill never
p1t on such nonsensical airs as that
with anybody. You know I'm too in
fantile-so YOU al say--to think Of get
ting married. and I think 50 myself,
but can't help it it don't like every
body that likes me. Now, you know,
you wanted me to explain why it
was that I wouldn't come down
stairs the ether evening, when Young
Charley K"rLer called. Well, I'll tell
you. It was because when he came
last Wednesday evening, just week
ago to-day, he leaned back in his chair
against the wall, over in that corner,
and be left that grease spot that you
see there from the back Of his head.
Now, gjrls, even if I WAS ten years old
er, I wouldn't want anybody coming to
see me that creased his hair SO as to
leave spot On the new wall paper.
"Well, / don't know, Maudie, but
what you may be right" said Jennie,
thoughtfully, "but T don't think /
would send my Tom away for that. I'd
try and clean the spot, and if [ couldn't
I'd show it to him, and tell him he
must be careful the next time"
Aunt Jane" said Jennie, Impatient
ly, as if the ideu had just reached her,
chow was it that you never married ."
"Perhaps it was because I had no Of
fer" said the old maid with smile.
"Oh, that's impossible, said the three
Misses Tibbs in chorus.
"Why impossible, my dear girls :?
Everything is possible" replied Miss
Hopkinson gravely:
Eyes, auntie, but know that you had
everything attractive about you to draw
the best of offers. Mamma says that
you were one of the most charming
girls she ever knew"
"Your mamma, my dear, is very kind,
but you must remember that she speaks
with the prejudice of u sister, and be-
sides that woman does not look upon
shese things with the eyes of a man."
"Oh, but, auntie, know for myself.
( can see how very pretty you have
been, and can see that you have not
lost it yet. One can grow gracefully
old, and keep all their good looks to
those who love them, even though they
be little shaded by age"
"Yes!" put in Josephine, "and there's
one thing ordained by Providence on
that point, which is that we do not see
those we are with every day getting
old. We never notice age creeping on
them unless cur attention is particularly
called to it," r. -,~ o.. -
II think that may be so in some
cases." said Aunt Jane, smiling, "but
it could hardly be, girls, in your cases
with me. I have watched You from the
cradle up. and could almost count
every day. It may hold good with
those who are about the same age as
yourself. Now, I confess that I have
never thought of age as regards your
mother, and yet am seven years older
than she is" -
"Oh, no; mamma is just as young and
beautiful as ever," said "The Baby, "
enthusiastically, 'sand I remember her
for twelve years. No. think we no.
tice the advances of age upon ourselves