Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-08-06

when she started woe awake, TO see
a spectral form at the window, and
to hear spiritual rappings on the
panes.
In an instant more the ghost had re-
solved itself into poor woman, whose
pale face was made CHASTITY by black
hood, and who, seeing a teapot and
Aunt Betsy's amiable face In conjunc-
ton, had bethought her to ask for cup
of tea.
Aunt Betsy was kindness itself. She
opened the door to the woman and
made her sit near the stove and COM
forted her not only with the tea and
bread and butter, but with raspberry
jam, and finally went to the door again
to "speed the parting guest with ami
able words and silver coin.
"Ah, poor thing" she said to herself,
as she went into the coy sitting-room
again, Chow hard il is for her."
lizard for whom?" asked Mrs. Ruffit
who returned to the sitting-room we'll
wrapped in the big dressing gown,
which somehow seemed more volumin-
GUS than ever. whats hard for whom,
Aunt Betsy?"
ooh, Rebecc&," said the good old lady,
"a person has been here begginga cup of
tea. Her husbands dead, her sons in
Texas, and she's walking twenty miles to
try and find daughter who married q
man named Smith, fifteen years ago."
ooh, yes" said Mrs. Rufit, who was
only sentimentally sympathetic with
herself. "I see-the old storyl And
you gave her all the small change you
had in your pocket, and she went
away to spend it at the next gin-shop.
You are such a soft-hearted goose,
auntie. I only hope she didn't steal
anything. Good gracious, Aunt
Betsy where is my new dress?"
"You took it up stairs with you,
Becky" said Aunt Betsy.
Mrs. Rufit ran up stairs with more
celebrity than could have been expected
of fair, fat, and fve-and-forty, and
was heard to open sundry closet doors,
to rush about wildly, and to shrek.
Then she reappeared in the sitting
room.
"It's not up therel" she shrieked,
wringing her hands ooh, Aunt Bet
sy, tell me you've put it somewhere!
Don't say it's gone!"
81 don't see how it came to be
gone" cried Aunt Betsy, flying wild
~ up and down, shaking the curtains,
looking behind the sofa; even opening
the six-inch drawer of little work
table.
"Oh, Rebecca, I'm sure you took it
with you I'll find it. Didn't you put
it in the parlor?"
Away the ladies flew, with queer lit
tie squeals and means.
Every spot in the house was ran
sacked, even the coal cellar; bat the
dress was not found.
At last Mrs. Rufit fell into the arm
chain, fortunately as strong as it was
and sobbed:
This is what has come of your alb
surd fondness for drunken beggars,
Aunt Betsy. That woman of yours has
carried off my dress"
"She couldn't-she hadn't thing in
her hands" said poor Aunt Betsy.
Then conscience told her she had left
the woman alone for five minutes while
she took out the jam.
1t was all discussed over and over
again, and the fact that in Miss Betsy's
absence the woman had put the new
dress through the window and picked
it up when she went out, was fully es-
tablished.
The police were notified, a description
of the dress and the woman put in their
hand, and note of regret written to
the Dumsdays.
Mrs. Ruffit was persuaded to take
some tea and toast, and sat bewailing
her loss and rocking to and fro.
"A dress that cost me ninety dollars
before it was made and twenty-five for
the making" sighed Mrs. Rufit. at
can't afford another like it this winter,
and Col. Cowes was to be at the Dums-
days. and he admires me very much,
Aunt Betsy, and it's most annoying.
I'd calculated on it two weeks, and you
must beg and pray tipsy tramp to
come and take tea with you on purpose
to have my dress stolen"
II didn't beg and pray her. She
asked me for little tea, and she wasn't
tipsy,'' sobbed Miss Betsy. "Oh, Re-
becca Ruf1t, how cruel you are"
Il suppose you expect me to dance
for JOY, said Mrs. Rufit. 81 must say
that's too much 60 expect; but I might
be not only robbed, but murdered, if
you could only give ali the money you
liked to drunken tramps. That's your
monomania, Aunt Betsy, and I must
say it if you kill me-"
Then began woful quarrel, in which
all the reproaches that could be uttered
on either side found vent. The ladies'
wept and sighed and bemoaned them
selves. H..
They spoke of parting. They shook
their heads and rocked to and fro, and
the fire went out and the oil burnt low
in the lamp. The clock struck ten and
eleven, and still the ladies found new
determinations to utter. -
At last IL o'clock came. The carriages
which bore the departing guests home1
from the Dumsdays' great party were
heard to roll past, and Mrs. Rufit burst
into fresh food of tears. @
ST feel SO dreadfully sick, Aunt Bet
sy," she said; $50 heavy in every limb
Such q uoiuht Soroobou Won L-o--