Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-05-08
ONLY AUNT MARGERY.

"Girls | have some news for you'll
Grand news it is, but papa told me not
TO mention it, so if tell you, you will
let il 20 no further2" and Connie Stead.
man glanced round at her friends, feel
ing herself an important parsonage, as
the youthful possessor of secret usally
does.
"Oh trust US Connie, we won't say
single word to any one; we will be as
dumb as mutes on the subject OK.
claimed Kate Derwent; and her sister
Mary, and their cousin Edith Salter,
who had come in like Constance for a
morning chat, made the required as
severvatiou, and the quartette drew
their chairs close, in delightful anticipa.
tion.
"well then papa told us yesterday
evening-but, Katie, there is some one
in the other room.' and Connie glanced
through the hasf.open curtains in the
large drawing.room, at the further end
ofwhich sat lady engaged in some
quiet occupation.
"Only Aunt Margery,' answered
Katie; 'she is copying some music for
US, and won't near if you speak low.
Now do, dear, Connie, get on with your
story, for | am dying with impatience.
"Well' then, the house on the hill is
ct TO single gentleman, NJ, Maurice
hester, very nice looking, very rich,
who intends to come and live iu it him
self, and give no end OF nice parties
and balls, expect for he asked papa IT
there was society in the neighborhocd
rs he would not like TO settle down in
a dull place. OF course papa gave him
good report Of the land, in that and
every other respect, and so b. decided
to take the house. He will come here
next month, TO ,uperintend the fitting
up, etc
"Oh, how glorious - cried Mary, clap
ping her hands; "now we shall have
fun. But, Connie is he young, thought"
"Oh, yes, about thirty, dapa thought"
answered Connie, rather doubtfully.
Thirty? Why, he is quite old' said
Mary, disguised, from seventeen.
year-old point of view. "Why, he will
do for Aunt Margery--we always call
h,y an old maid, and he is an old bache.
lorw
Nonsense Mary, what stufyoz talk
,aid Kate, who being throeand twenty,
took different view Of matter.
"Thrty is not old for a man. You
only care for boys, like George Bur
den" Mary bIushei. "But you would
not expect him to buy house and es
tate. like this gentleman. The only
thing is--ig engaged, Connie ?'
"Ah, that can't tell you, unfortu
nately. asked papa, aud he said very
ikely, he hadn't asked him; but nam.
ma thinks not, because he would certain
ly have brought the lady to see her fu.
turs home, if h had been. raid Connie.
"Your mamma is right, Connie; he
certainly would have done co." said
Kate, decidedly.
And then followed quite an hours
discussion about the new conner. in the
height Of which, Connie herself "a we'll
as the other two, quite forgot the need
Of secrecy, and the lady go quietly occ1.
pied in the other room must have been
very deaf not to have heard all the con.
versation.
She took very little notice Of it, how.
ever; the girls mad just As much com.
motion If they met new face at a din.
ner.party, or we introduced to
strange partner at . ball, for Maund-
bury was such quiet place and so mis-.
erable short masculine society, except
the old and married, that any chance
acquaintance even caused quite hutter
among the marriageble ladies. How.
then, could the news Of a permanent
residedt fail 10 affect them?
II is said that at no age does woman
give up the hope of marriage, but
must say at the risk ofbeing disbelieved,
that no thoughts Of the matter ever
caused Margery Derwents pulso an
extra nutter.
If her niece Kate had grown to the
age Of twenty three, beautiful and at
tractive as she was with only lovers
who loved and rode away" there
seemed litDs chance for her, Aunt Mar.
gerry, with the faded looks and quiet
manners that sorrow, and loss. and
thirty years Of life bad drowned her
with, 10 be moro fortunate.
Aarg'ry had had her love dream, but
Il had fad I With the lo,g of hcr father