Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-06-07

short said Mrs. Early, mischieyousIy.
and her brother law strobe down the
street, whistling, but not for the lack Of
thonght. as he went.
IL wish Aunt Feny was in the Fed
Sea, he thought, little vindictively;
''but / suppose I must oblige Josephine. ;"
So at IL O'Clock precisely HIr Charles
Early stood on the platform at the
! II depot watching the long train as
it slowly gh,ied in like fire. throated
serpent.
"There comes your antediluvian CID
hag, Charlie, said Guy st. Everfi, with
laugh as brisk but somewhat bent
| figure, wrapped from head to foot in a
yoluminous cloak OF snuff colored bonn.
bazie, with huge circular cape of the
same, stepped out Of one Of the last cars
| By the ald OF an iron-hcadcd cane. Her
| bonnet, curlously bent and crumpiel.
barely covered huge, frilled cap. She
wore bright brown wig, set little
awry over her forehead, and massive
| gree n spcctacics sat astride of her nose.
| while brown cotton gloves adorned her
| hands, ard green umbrella, carried
Under the arm, threatened, with it's brass
! fcrulc, the eyes of whoever was rash
enough to crowd her movements in the
| rear.
"Aunt Feny's self, as I live and
| breathe = echoed Bruce Montmartin.
"Charlie, If | were you I'd run for it /"
drop her in the gutter and make OF
with yourself, suggested another young
exquisite, snperciliously srroking down
his mustache.
But Charles Early had too many gen.
tIemanly instincts to pay any heed to
the waggish hints Of his companions.
He stepped forward, chivalrously.
"Allow me to carry your basket for
you, ma'am?' he. said 81 am the
brother-in-law Of your niece, Mrs.
Early"
ooh, you be, eh?" croaked feeble
voice, from under the cap frill. ''Well,
you may take my umbril and my basket,
and here's a paper O gingerbread l
fetched along for lunch and a bottle O
root beer Farmer jenkins wife sent me
its lretfu good for pimples and sich
and I've got striped carpet-bag
some'rs, with the key tied on with bit
O. rcd tapc-and here's the brass tickets
for the trunks; checks, the fellow called
'em, if remember rightly
"It's all right, ma'am, / assure you,'
said Mr.. Early. "S.cp into the carriage;
l will see that your Things are brought
here directly
"What be them fellows laurhin' at -
demanded Aunt Fcny, stopping short,
| with one foot on the carriage step, and
glaring at Messrs. ST. Evcrl, Montmar
tin & Co. through the green spectacle
glasses. II guess I'M rs good as they
be, if amt dressed III the ve:y last
agony Of the fashion. I've got ten dol
lars scwe,l up IN my flannel waist, over
ard above my travcln expenses, and
I'll 60 bail it's more than they've got !"
A suppressed laugh here ran through
the little asscmblaSe Of spectators Oh
the platform.
! "Do not let their folly annoy you,
ma'am,' said Early, pleasantly. Let
me assist you into the carriage. St.
Evcril, stand back :" he added, sternly
'if you have no reverence for old age OF
womanhood, | will teach you to respect
my right hand This lady is under ny
protection, You will please to remember. :
Mr.. St. Evcril retrcatcd, somewhat
tliscom':tcl, upon his companions toes,
and the old lady climbed, chuckling.
into the carriage.
Young man" she began, when the
J | lmhrclla, lunch paper, basket and bot
le were safely slowed away and they
were rolling rapidly overthe city streets
you've got n good deal of moral cour
: age Taint every city sprig would b.
As polite to an old creetur as you've
been. with all them noisy fellers pckin
/; fun 1T You"
Our hero WAS somewhat cmharrassc,
at this plainly-spoken compliment.
Il hope. madam" lie said, Il shall
: never he found lacking in the essentia
Qualities of gentleman, in whatevc
circumstances I may be placed.
=, The au,i,,ne dame nodded her cap
frills. and held silently on to hcr unl
u hrclla, without venturing any other ~
mark until they reached Mrs. Kobcr
Earlvs mansion.
c Josephine ws waiting for them on th
r ,hrc~ hold: she c.aspei her ancient rela
u ton closely in her arms. ard there wa
> a sort oi triumphal procession up 10 he
Q apartment, which Charles was rather
c !. loss to understand.
/ "Cne wouiti think Joscphlne nev'
hal Ind an aunt, fresh out OF Noah Al
c before" he nu,:c-ei 10 himself. Is /