Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-01-05
AUNT BEcKx's BEAU.


NEW YEARS SKETCH.
Aunt Becky, who has not nephew or
niece in the world, but is aunt to every
body. pressed me 50 hard that remained
over New Years day at her house. Aunt
Becky is the woman who was present on
salary the morning was born, and who
blew in my face and helped me to 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 tea, there
came a rap at the side door. Bobby, q
bright lad whom Aunt Becky adopted
from foundlings' home some seven or
eight years ago, ran to the window and
peeped out.
Its Deacon Podson, said the boy.
loud enough, I am sure, for the deacon
to hear if his ears had not been muffied
in long. crocheted tippet that went
around his neck and over his head no
body 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 He
has been Aunt Becky's beau for some ter
| years now, and 1 have met him at her
| house on the occasion of each Of each Of
| my annual visits. Moreover have often
| thought Aunt Becky would like to marry
him if he only had spunk enough to ask
her about it.
! Deacon Podson is o tall man, with
shoulders as round as Atlas, and perhaps
| from asomewhat similar cause since the
| affairs of Tamarack, which amount in his
estimation to whole world of affairs
rest mainly on him. He is chairman of
the village board. one of the school di-
rectors, chief pillar of the church, and
master of ceremonies at all times aud In
all places. / don't wonder that he is
round shouIdered. Foffve years, to my
knowledge, he has been nigh onto
sixty, which leads me to believe that
he IS not far from that age, either one
side or the other of it. As he came
into the room he began to unroll and UNI
| ravel and untwist the long tippet from
his neck. speaking not word. Then
he took OF his outside coat and laid it,
all snowy, over the coal box in the
corner. Presently he happened to think
TO take off his hat, and he held it in his
hand as ne said:
| How d you do?'
How d you DO {" said Aunt
Becky.
Uncle Ben is here, = said little Bobby.
calling the deacon's attention to me.
How d'y do said the deacon, stand
| ing with his hat in his hand, and look
inc like great hulk Of boy about to
speak piece TO his first audience.
Won't you take cheer2" asked Aunt
Becky, pushing big rocker near the
stove
No, can sit here just as waIl, = re-
piled tho deacon conIusedly, IS he let
himself down on the corner Of the coal
/ box.
YOU'D better take the cheer, , urged
Aunt Becky.
ssWaal, don't care II do.
Aunt Becky drew up her old-fashioned
sewing chair, and the two put their feet
On the stove hearth, pretty near each
other. A long, embarrassing silence fol.
lowed, during which Deacon P0dson
warmed his hands BY the stove and
rubbed them together, with few grunts
and phews, as If he were very cold.
Is i 80 cold outgn asked
"Tolable cold said the deacon.
Another long silence
How hev you been2' asked Aunt