Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-08-16

the brother-in-law OF your niece
Mrs. EARLY" sl i pa III
"Oh, you be, eh pa croaked a fee
BILE voice from under the cap frlll
hWell, you may take my umbri
and Basket, and here's paper o
Gingerbread I fetched along fol
lunch, and a bottle o. root beer Far
mer Jenkins wife sent me-its dret
full good for pimbles and sich-ano
I've got a stripid carpet bag some'ei
with the key tied on with Il bit o.
red tape-and here's the brass tick
cts. for the trunks-checks, the fellow
called 'em, if remember rightly
.tIt's all right. ma'am, ] assure
you" said Mr.. Early, "step into the
carriage; willsee that your things
are brought here directly" lE sb
"What be them fellers laughin
at 2" demandrd Aunt Feny, stop
ping short with one foot on the car
riage step, and gIarIng at Messrs.
St. Everil and Montmartin through
the green spectacle glasses. 81
guess Pm as good as they be IL !
amt dressed in the latest agony OF
the fashion. I'v got $40 sewed up
in my flannel waist, over and above
my travelin expenses. and I'll go
bail it's more than they've got %
A suppressed laugh here ran
through the little assembiage OF
spectators on the platform. airaA
'Ilo not let their folly annoy you,
ma'am," said Early, pleasantly
SSt. Everil, stand back "7he added
sternly, ,"if you have no reverence
for old age or womanhood, l will
teach you to respect my right hand.
This lady is under my protection,
you will please to remembes."
Mr.. st. Everil retreated, some
what dfscomtitted, upon his COM
panion's toes, and the old lady
climbed, chuckling, into the car
riage.
'Young man." she began, when
the umbrella, lunch paper, basket
and bottle Were safely st0wed away
and they were rolling rapidly over
the city streets, you've got a good
deal of moral courage. 'Taint every
citysprig would be as polite to an
old creetur as you've been, with all
them fellers pokin fun at you"
Our hero was somewhat embar-
rassed at this plainly-spoken CON-
pliment. uFy ''f
81 hope, madam" he said. 81
shall never be found lacking in the
essential qualities of gentleman In
whatever circumstances / may be
placed"
The antique dame nodded her
cap frills, and held silently on to
her umbrella, without venturing
any other remark until they reach
ed Mrs. Robert Early's mansion.
Josephine was waiting for them
on the threshold she clasped her
ancient relation closely to her arms,
and there was a sort OF triumphal
procession up 10 her apartment,
which Charles was rather at loss to
understand. t-... ..l-..
zone would think Josephine
never had had an aunt fresh out ol
Noah's ark BEFORE" he muttered 10
himself, as he took up the newspa-
per and went out to the vine-shaded
piazza, there to while away the
time until such period as lunch
should be announced.
"Charlie ~
He had exhausted the paper long
ago and had nearly fallen into q
doze but at his sister-in-law's sum-
moning voice he started to his feet
and entered the house.
"Auut Stephanie wants to thank
you for all your kindness to her
this morning." said Josephine.
"Confound Aunt Stephanie I"
thought Mr.. Early, advancing
drowisily toward the front room,
where, In sort OF artificial twilight
produced by satin curtains, he could
dimly descry figure
Suddenly Joseghine drew back
the shadowry draperies, and there,
instead OF a bent and crooked old
woman, stood q lovely girl OF eigh-
teen, with deep blue eyes and gOl-
den curls, set off with a white mus
lin dress, with an abundance oi
floating blue ribbons Iooped and
knotted about it. ..-.s.. ..r-.-..
"Stephanie Osborne!" he ejacu-
lated, instantly recognizing his fair
enehantress OF the seaside.
VI "No-my Aunt Stephanie," inter.
rupted Josephine demureIy.
"What mystery is this ?" deman.
ded EARLY, looking with a puzzled
face from one to the other. 'sAre
YOU" ee.. r..
II am the verltable old lady OF
the railroad train" laughed the
golden haired lassie, with becom-
ing glow of color In her cheeks.
.'Do not look so astonished, Charles,
Josephine really is my niece, only
as her mother, my sister, was mar
ried before I was born, she IL just
ten years older than am" f
ayes: but why"
"Why did assume that Odious
disguise, you would say? Just tc
try your sterling worth and native
chivalry, Charles. somehow fan
cied that the young man who was
polite and attentive to a bent old
woman, would have In him the
stuff for a good and noble hus'
band" A 1
"And may / be your husband
Stephanie 2" demanded Mr.. Early
promptly deducing a favorable In
ference.
"I-l'll think about IL !" said
Stephanie laughing and blushlng
SAT all events, Charlie, like you
ten times better since | have seer
how devoted you were to the pool
old woman In the snuff-coloret
clOak."
Upon my word, Stephnnle, yot
ought to have been an actress" sale
Mrs. Early, archly.
"AlI the worlds \ stage" quoted
Stephanie, ''and have only per
formed my part. Ilenceforth re
liuguish the profession"
80 you are going to marry my
Aunt Stephanie, eh? said Joseph
inc, as she met her brother-in-laV
In the hall after heightened inter
view with his fair-haired goddess
And will you be my uncle then ?
II don't care il l am your grand
father, now that she has said yes,
was Mr.. Charles Early's exaulte'
reply. fx..
The Cheapening Effect Of Protection.