The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-07-12
THAT DREADFUL MAN.


Deacon Smith brought me letter. 1t
was from my nephew Tom, and read;
Dear Old Aunty:
I've lost every cent of that money. Spec |
was g. What's to become of Hettle and
the baby2
I leaned back from my half-eaten
supper, showed my spectacles up on my
intel e etual forehead, and wr1nkled my
pug nose with disagreeable thoughts.
1t seemed as though had not escaped
domestic troubles by refusing twenty
wears before to marry Hiram Grlm-
wood. Single life had its vexations,
too. Tom was my favorite nephew
my dead sisters only child-and from
the hour / took him from his sisters
arms in petticoats and brought him
home to be the joy and torment of my
life he had keptme stirredup. Measles
and mistakes were the principal themes
of his baby days, and love and lawless-
ness attacked him in turn as he got
older. / never drew a free breath till
he was safely married to pretty little
Hett:e Maynard, our minister's daugh-
ter, who had all the sense of the family,
and the good looks, too. was most as
much in love with her as Tom was, but
she had one fault-she didn't see
( through Tom, and thought his wild
goose chases were sensible, legitimate
ways of making money. l Always
could take. care of my money myself.
Giving Tom money was like pouring
water into sieve. But Hettie believed
that Tom was the greatest business
man in the world. She believed every
thing that hoy told her and even, per
suaded me into believing in him too.
Now he had done it. Ihad advanced
him Zoo of the modest inheritance
which would be his upon my death, or
his sacred assurance that he woulC
double the money and return me the
original sum. And he had gone anC
lost every dollar of it.
1.-THE lame and the lazy are alwayi
provided for" | thought bitterly. 80
course Hettie and the baby can't starve
III go down to the city and bring then
up till he gets something to do, tn
scamp"
NOW am an old maid and live alon
since Tom married, and it didn't tax
me long to shut the house up. l len
the cat to my next door neighbor, toll
htm she might have him for his kee
till came back, and the bird l tool
with me for company and sate-keeping
Somehow, as l was getting ready to &C
my heart grew light, and before l kne'
it | was singing an old love-sons
though what put it into my head can
tell. It's twenty years since HiraI
Grimwood went to California, and
reckon he's been dead the most of tbs
time, or married, which is about Ii
same.
" hen had put on all my thing
with my back to the glass | turne
around and there stood a strange WI
man. She gave me an awfal start.
"Good mornin'," l said "howev,
did you get in? "
Then / saw it was myself and
laughed and laughed. / had on Il
san black bom6azine dress and 10
net wore when Toms mother die
and as that was about fourteen yea
ago they had come back to fashion al
looked quite stylish; and ever since
had the fever my hair has been she
and curly, and it hung over my ey
lust the way the girls wear it now
DAYS. l declare / looked so young
didn't know myself. Well! it's tt
saving that there are no fools like O
TOOLS, anu INC Lulu uisth hA"hO hO
ceplion of me.
When / got to the station everybo
stared at me as II was show; did,
take any baggage cause l warn't goi
to stay. So only had box with
clean calico in it, and bundle ossw'
herbs for the baby, and some nj
shirts for Tom, and the bird cage, a
my umbrella and clock l wanted
get repaired in the city.
"All aboard" yelled the conduct
81 don't see any board. " l said
litely. and man gripped me by
arm and pulled me on just as the c
started. Then head some one as
s'Who is the innocent old partyP'
] didn't see any party, and guess II
got left. :.
Talk Of adventures, Icould writ