The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-07-11
miscellaneous.
MY MARIA.

Young Mrs. Mayfield h ID been married
| scarcely three months, and already the scarce
pcrceptible shadow of coming trouble was
darkening her life's horizon. Or, at least, Sc
people limited
"Of course" said Aunt Amanda, "she
would die rather than complaint u
"To us, especially" added Aunt Laura
"when we opposed the match so resoutely.'
"She would have her own way" said Aunt
Amanda, mournfully shaking her head.
"There always was a deal of quiet obsti-
macy about Hattie" said Aunt Laura.
but perhaps it is our duty to solicit her
confidence now" suggested Aunt Amanda.
Poor dear" she has no mother of her
own" sighed Aunt Laura acquiescingly.
And so the two gentle natured old maids
tied their stone-coored hats and wrapped
their fleecy shawls about their throats and
trudgcd over to Mayfeld house, where the
bride was in the kitchen, preserving ounces,
with big calico apron tied about her slim
waist.
Hattie was delighted to see her aunts-
that was quite matter Of course. But it
took long time to make her understand
the special errand upon which they had
come.
"My DEAR" said Aunt Amanda, impress.
siyely, ARE you happy ?'
"Why, of course | am happy" said Hattie,
with wide open eyes. why should / not
be happy?"
you have not yet tasted the hollowness
of life then ?" said Aunt Laura.
mot in the least" said Hattie. "And |
can tell you, Aunt Laura | don't mean my
life to be hollowW
"They tell me-" hazarded Aunt Amanda,
"that Mr.. Mayfield was very strict and arbi.
trary with his first wife"
"Well, he won't be with me |" said Hattie,
a certain light beginning to scintillate under
her dark eyelashes and troubled color
mounting to her cheek.
"And," funereally added Aunt Laura, ere
ports have reached us that old Colonel Hop.
kinslhe first Mrs. Mayfeld's falher-is a
great trialH
"Oh, don't intend that he shall be trial
to me !! said Hattie, ladling the ounces
rapidly into row of crystal clear jars -
SO the two old aunts went home, feeling q
little better satisfied about Hattie and her
happiness.
But when the stone-colored silk hats had
gone bobbng down the garden path, and
disappeared behind the hedge of privet,
young Mrs. Mayfield flung down the great
silver spoon.
"How do you know that am not happy Y'
she asked herself. 81 have rigidly kept my
own cOunsel-and yet people look at me
with plying faces, as if were u marlyrp
Old Colonel Hopkins was reading the
paper when Mrs Mayfeld came, all dressed,
into the parlor. He wasa tall, cadaverous
old gentleman, with layers of white cravat
folded around his skinny throat, and CLASSY
light.blue eyes-an old gentleman who al.
ways spoke with sigh, as if the troubles
of the world were too much for him.
Miss Belleville's card" she exclaimed,
glanclng at a bit of pasteboard on the table,
"Has she called here d? Am | not to know
?"
The Colonel pushed his spectacles up on
his bumpy forehead, as he answered, in
mournful accents
Eyes, she called. She asked for YOU"
Sand what did you tell herr" Hattie
asked
81 said you were engagedp tho Colonel
deliberately ans sered miss Bellevile is a
frivolous young woman, whose associations
| can do nobody any good"
Hattie bit her lip. III particularly desired
to see her." said she "She was to tell me OF
the date fixed for the surprise party at the
rectory."
Colonel Hopkins folded his paper in side
out.
eyes" said he, still in the same lugubrious
| accents which grated ON Hatties feelings
| like rasping file, "she mentioned some idle
| merry-making OF the sort. | told her YOU
couldn't CO."
but who gave you authority TO make any
such statements" cried Hattie, flushing red
"Harrietp said the Colonel, "you forget
yourself. You don't seem to know that you
are speaking to your husbands first wife's
/ father"
81 am going to the surprise party" said
Hattie, rapidly losing her temper.
mo, you are not" said the Colonel "My
son-in.law, am quite sure, would not sane
ton any such folly"
Hattie made no verbal rejoinder, but she
walked out of the room with silent dignity
which spoke volumes.
| "Am mistress of the house I" she said to
herself, "or is Colonel Hopkins ?"
Harriet the old man called after her
sis that your best gown"
Hattie turned back. mo" said she. "And
il isn't my second best gown, either"
"It's almost too good TO wear around the
house every day." said Colonel Hopkins
scrutinizing the folds of black silk through
his eye-glass. my Maria only wore silk on
Sunday j hope you will endeavor to avoid
the pitfall of extravaganza. My son-in- laws
income will hardly suffice to keep you in silk
gowns every day"
Hattie Mayfield scarcely knew whether to
laugh or cry when she had safely escaped
from the presence of this terrible old Ger
berus Here, then, was the secret of hel
troubles. Little petty annoyances, sucl
as she could not relate to the good old aunties
nor yet to the nearest neighbor, but which
nevertheless, stung her sometimes into abso
lutte madness. Colonel Hopkins was pryine
and dictatorial, Maurice Mayfield was despot
ic and stcrn-Hattie, who had always hat
her own way as much as any yellow butterfly
which scared In the sunshine found the chat
ing ofthose invisible chains something almost
unendurablel
Dinner was ready when Mr.. Mayfleld re
turned home from his office in the MAR