The Penn's Grove record., 1885-10-31

NOb IuuCus Il O4iOg UAbh . oIAlO
and a return OF my good humor. 81 am
glad to say Aunt Betsy, | don't want
for anything"
had asserted my independence, van
| quished my formidable old relative.
given her CLEARLY to understand that l
| did not want her or her money, and
| now I was prepared to be as civil and
friendly as even Tom could wish.
/ rang for hot water, helped to un-
| strap the hideous striped carpet-bag,
asked if my aunt would like a cup of
tea OF a glass of wine before dinner,
| hoped she would be comfortable and
make herself at home, and then sailed
away majestically, conscious that 1
looked very fine in my peacock-blue
| satin, and had made my aunt decidedly
'ssmall' in her coarse gray stuff gown.
When she Joined me at dinner she
had replaced her black drawn satin
bonnet by a muslin cap withan ininity
of narrow borders, while a white mus
lin handkerchief was pinned over her
shoulders and fastened near the waist
by an enormous Scotch pebble and
silver brooch. The s~pectacles too were
LAID aside as were the camlet shawl and
bearskin cap, and / saw that Aunt
Betsy was not only keen.eyed, but thin
| straight and active.
"Your husband must be a man of
means, niece Frances" she observed,
glancing round the dining-room and
| scanning everything on the table.
"Tom has his profession I replied
proudly, land we have the interest of
my fortune"
"Three thousand in the Funds; eh,
at three per cent?"
mo, my guardian sold out of the
Funds long ago, and invested my
money in a mine. 1t pays ten and
sometimes twelve per cent, Aunt
Betsy.
"Ohi No wonder you live well, niece
Frances. Twelve per cent. That's
something, to be surei No wonder you
are independent of your old auntl A
husband a lawyer too, who knows all
about itln
Eyes, Tom was quite satisfied with
the investment, or he would not have
consented, you know. How did you
find my sisters, Aunt Betsyp We're they
glad to see you? Ellen we always your
favorite. I think"
81 found them pleased to see me, |
left them still more pleased to get rid
of me; but, as l went to please myself
and not them, it did not matter much"
Miss Betsy replied grimly. They're
avaricious, niece Frances, and you're
proud. I don't know which Is the
greater fault. Pride goes before de-
struction, and a naughty spirit before q
fall. You would not have your old
relative from the mountains think you
want for anything, would you? Oh,
mol Is your husband as great a fool as
| you are, n1ece?"
laughed heartily at her pointed and
brusque question.
81 do not consider myself quite afool
aunte," / replied; ''but, even IL l am,
| think Tom has enough sense for us
both.n
Then I asked Aunt Betsy to come
with me to the drawing-room; but, true
to her character of an oficious old maid
she declared her intentions of going
over the house from garrett to base
ment.
"No, no, you need not trouble to
come with me-" she said, waving me
aside. 1.-THE place is nom 90 big but l
can find my way. | mean to see for
myself and Judge for myself, niece
Frances. Just you sit down with your
fiddiing make-believe needle-work while
L look round-I won't be long-I can
soon tell if you are a good housekeeper
or have taken after your poor mother.
I'll look at the corners, niece, that's
ALL y and away the old lady trotted.
"Let her COL" / said to myself with a
smile. "She can't find mach to find
fault with upstairs, any way, and l
dare say Jane can hold her own IN the
Kitchen"
So | laid down my embroidery and
went to the piano for half an hours
practice, without a single misgiving.
In about twenty minutes she return
ed and seated herself In a rne with
an expressionI could remember ever
since I was a child. l knew there was
a storm coming, and I resolved to meet
it with good humor, and laughingly re-
minded my Aunt Betsy that it was my
house, and if she did not like it she was
| of course at liberty TO leave it. But l
was not at all prepared for the accuse
tons she heaped up against me. | was
idle, lazy, careless, untidy, extravaganT
There was sinful, wanton waste In
every part of tile house.
"You will ruin your busbandl" she
cried raising her hands. ''Six chamber
towels iu your own bedroom, and four
best sperm candlesi Think of the wash
ing, think of the candles endsI AS for
the kitchen, the waste of fat, the waste
of Goals, q pound of soap on the slnkl
Niece Frances, Pm Shocked | wonder
you can sleep In your bed at night with
such things going on around you'll"
II am afraid / couldn't sleep. Aunt
B etsy. if things were any different."I
replied a little fIppantly People live
differently in London, you know, from
| other places, and you will soon get
used to our ways"
"Neyerl" Miss Betsy exclaimed en-
ergetically. s'Never a l get used to
such waste or extravaganza while | re-
member that there thousands of poor
| starving creatures who might live IN
comfort on what is wilfully wasted.
The superfluitIes of the rich should be
made to relieve the necessities of the
poor, niece; and never shall a penny of
my small savings 60 to woman who
wants four candles to look at the re-
lection of her face in the glass and six
towels to wipe IL on!'
81 told you, aunt, that | didn't want
your savings, and | DON'T" said gent
ly. do try to make allowances for
different habits and customs; or, If
you can't do that, take no notice at all.
1t really need not matter to YOU"
/ "But | must leave my money to some
one y she said. with a puzzled, helpless
expression. ''I'm an old woman; / must
set my affairs in order; but how to de-
eide l don't know. You're all alike.
| To think | should live to say it of
brother Peters childrenl Greedy and
lazy, ones bad. the others worse; but
/ don't know which is worst-I don't
inaeedln .
"Leave your money to charity, Aunt
Betsy" | suggested.
"Charity begins at home" she cried
tart1y, I'm leave my money how and
where / like, but not to be squandered
in senseless extravaganza, depend on