The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-02-27
AUNT BECKY'S BEAU.
rRen Wilde in Chicago News.1

helped me 10 catch the breath that | didn't
know how to catch alone: so feel that there
was some truth in the yarns they used to tell
me about Aunt Becky being my "other
mother She remained at our house so long
that had begun to toddle and knew how
to feel deeply grieved when she went away
to be married to Duncan Boggs, the well-to-
do Tamarack farmer, who was killed by a
threshing machine the next summer.
Yesterday, as we sat by her warm fire
eating doughnuts and drinking cider, there
came rap at the side door. Bobby, bright
lad whom Aunt Becky adopted from a found
hngs home some seven or eight years ago,
ran to the window and peeped out.
Ats Deacon Poison" said the boy, loud
enough, am sure, for the deacon to hear if
his ears had not been muffed in a long,
crocheted tippet that went around his neck
and over his head nobody dare guess how
many times.
When Aunt Becky went to the door to let
the deacon in, Bobby ran up to me and
whispered: That's mas beau"
had met the deacon before Indeed, he
has been Aunt Beckys beau for some ten
years now, and have met him at her house
on the occasion Of each of my annual visits.
Moreover have often thought Aunt Becky
would like to marry him if he only had spunk
enough 70 ask her about it
Deacon Poison is tall man, with should
ers as round as Atlas, and perhaps from
somewhat similar cause, since the affairs OF
Tamarack, which amount in his estimation
to a whole world Of affairs, rest mainly on
him. He is chairman Of the village board,
one Of the school directors, chief pillar of
the church. and master Of ceremonies at all
times and in all places. don't wonder that
he is round.shouldered For five years, to
my knowledge, he has been nigh onto 60"
which leads me to believe that he is not far
from TINT age, either one side or the other of
it As he came into the room be began TO
unroll and unravel and untwist the long
tippet from his neck, speaking not word
TGan he took of his outside coat and laid it,
al snowy over the coal box in the corner
Presently he happened to think to take of
his hat, and he held it in his hand as he said:
slow d'y dor
Show d'y dor said Aunt Becky.
@Uncle Ben is here" said little Bobby, call
ing the deacon's attention to me-
"How dy doF said the deacon, standing
with his hat in his hand, and looking like
great bulk of boy about TO speak piece to
his first audience.
Won't you take a cheerp asked Aunt
Becky, pushing big rocker near the stove.
NO, | can set here just as WELL replied
the deacon, confusedly, as he let himself
down on a corner of the coal box.
-yr,sI -. L.. 81. 81,
Becky.
WAL, I don't care if do"
Aunt Becky drew up her old-fashioned
sewing chair, and the two put their feet on
the stoyehearth, pretty near each other. a
long, embarrassing silence followed, during
which Deacon Poison warmed his hands by
the stove, and rubbed them together, with
few grunts and phews, as if he were very
cod.
IS il 50 cold outF asked
-Tol'able cold" said the deacon
Another long silence.
@How hev you beenr asked Aunt Becky.
SOh, tolable."
After more oppressive silence the deacon
arose from his chair and said "Waal, just
come over 70 say wish you happy New Year"
WAL, wal, you hain't goin' yit," said
Aunt Becky. Law sakes! you hain't but just
conen
The deacon sat down again. He hadn't in
tended 70 90, but the poor man had TO say
souething.
began 70 think il was occasion when two
are company and three OF four are none, 50
told Bobby if be would come out in the kitchen
/ wO1lld rlay checkers with him
Il guess you don't remember it's New Year
day, do you, Bennyp said Aunt Becky.
Wen, said with pretty good imita
ton Of surprise and shame, that so. | de
clare came near playing checkers, neve
once thinking it was New Years day. HOY
j he'd Only l didn't know that checker
were tabooed on such occasions in Tamarac
or should never have suggested the game.
"We can play dominoes, though. can't we
. Uncle Ben"
wasn't dead sure whether dominoes WEI
. in the prescribed list, SO pretended not I
hear Bobby.
"Ma, dominoes are all right, amt theyr
"Yes; you can play dominoes, Of course
said Aunt Becky.
"Doninoesp / echoed, as if had ju
caught Bobby's question. "Oh, yes dom
inoes are all right.
SO Bobby and went TO the kitchen, ar
as passed through the door / left it open
little, Tor Twas resolved 10 see how widow'
OF " and widow Of 50 odd would NAL
loVe aiter Ten years Of courtship / drew IL
upie near The door, where could hear an
see What was going on in the sittinp-roon
and Bobby brought out the harmless dom
noes made SO many errors that the littI
fellow had no trouble in beating me whic
made him happy to continue, and 50 serve
my purpose
Deacon Podson sat there twirlinp bis n,
and looking into the fire. Aunt Becky lean,
back comfortably in her chair and look,
at the ceiling. Not word was spoken for
long, long time. Presently Aunt Becky |
gan to rock back and forth and hum good {
Coronation" softly and slowly, and, aftel
few measures, Deacon Poison broke in w
his cracked bass, out Of tune and out
time, but somehow, after all, in pleasi
harmony For long time they sat a
hummed that simple, old tune, the thump
Of Aunt Beckys loose rocker marking
time, her voice creaking and scraping o,
the highest notes, but her heart full Of
sweet, peaceful music. thought she on,
70 DO married, apd that Deacon Poison opl