The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-01-01

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tain to a wedding, and that must. in
the majority of cases, emanate from the
home circle or hear it.
At this employment the three misses
were busy, assisted by their Aunt Jane,
who, as far as 9 surname went, might
as we'll have had none, for Aunt Jane
she was to everybody, even those who
could not even claim ninety-ninth cous-
inship, though really; Aunt James name
was Hopkinson:
The thte5 sirls-Jennie, the eldest,
named after her aunt; jo,sPphtrc, the
second, aged twenty, named after her
Uncle Joseph; sna Maud; the "baby,
aged sixteen, and named after nobody,
had often discussed Aunt James charm
ing qualities and how pretty she must
once have been, but it had never occur
red to them to think of why Aunt Jane,
still at the age of fifty, renamed .
maiden, with no apparent aspirations
toward changing that condition. But
now, brought forth by what was soon to
happen to one of the trio. everything
that bore upon the subject came promi-
nently forward, and every acquaintance
of the female pefSu&si0n Became SUBJ
juct to discussion.
do you know" said Josie, "what
was the reason that Tillie Smith did not
marry John PENN"
mop was Jennie's response. 1--WE
always wondered, but never knew"
"l'll tell you. It was because when
John went off, as he did after his en-;
gagement, to Chicago on business, and
of course, had to write Title letters, for
the first time she discovered that not
only he did not write good grammar,
but did not know how to use the capital
letter, and so she broke off the eng age
ment. You know Title is very partic-
tlar and teaches in public school.
"Why; how absurd !" said Jennie. II
don't think my Tom is perfect in his
letters, but I love 'em, and I'm as glad
to get 'em as though they were classical
~ correct: I think it, was fortunate
escape for MI. Penn"
$50 do l." said Maud. aI1l never
put on such nonsensical airs as that
with anybody. You know I'm too in;
fantile--so you all say-to think of get
ting married, and l think so myself,
but I can't help it if don't like every
body that likes me. Now, you know,
you wanted me to explain why it
was that I wouldn't come down
stairs the other evening. when young
Charley Keller called. Well, I'll tell
you. It was because when he came
last Wednesday evening, just a week
ago to-day, he leaned back in his chair
against the wall, over in that corner,
and he left that grease spot that you
see there from the back of his head.
Now, girls, even if I MAS ten years old
er, I wouldn't want anybody coming to
see me that creased his hair SO as to
leave spot on the new wall paper.
well, l don't know, Maudie, but
what you may be right" said Jennie,
thoughtfully, "but I don't think
would send my Tom away for that. I'd
try and clean the spot, and if couldn't
I'd show it to him, and tell him he
must be careful the next time"
Aunt Jane" said Jennie, inpatient
~, as if the idea had just reached her,
chow was it that you never married q"
"Perhaps it was because I had no Of
fer" said the old maid with a smile.
ooh, that's impossible, said the three
Misses Tibbs in chorus.
"Why impossible, my dear girls e?
Everything is possible" replied Miss
Hopkinson gravely.
eyes, auntie, but know that you had
everything attractive about you to draw
the best of offers. Mamma says that
you were one of the most charming
girls she ever knew"
"Your mamma, my dear, is very kind,
but you must remember that she speaks
with the prejudice of sister, and be-
sides that woman does not Look upon
these things with the eyes of man"
ooh, but, auntie, I know for myself.
I can see how very pretty you have
been, and can see that you have not
lost it yet. One can grow gracefully
old, and keep all their good looks to
those who love them, even though they
be little shaded by age"
"Yes!" put in Josephine, "and there's
one thing ordained by Providence on
that point, which is that we do not see
those we are with every day getting
old: We never notice age creeping on
them unless cur attention is particularly
called to it,"
Il think that may be so in some
cases. said Aunt Jane, smiling, "but
it could hardly be, girls, in your cases
with me. I have watched you from the
cradle up. and could almost count
every day. 1t may hold good with
those who are about the same age as
yourself. Now, confess that 1 have
never thought of age as regards your
mother, and yet am seven years older
than she is"
ooh, no; mamma is just as young and
beautiful as ever" said "The Baby, I"
enthusiastically, land I remember her
for twelve years. No. I think we no
tice the advances of age upon ourselves
more than we do on others. I know
that think of it every day I look in
the glass and recognize that am get
ting DID,"
They all laughed at this, and Maud
1Adu W laugh 1lIGIe ucIScAA, UuI BIG
turned it off with
"Well. this isn't what we were talk
ing about, girls. Jennie you Just asked
auntie how it was that she never got
married. Let's hear about that"
"Well girls, said Aunt Jane slowly,
"that seems ON unanswerable question,
but I'll try to answer it. Perhaps it
was upon the same principal that some
men never get rich no matter how much
they try, it is so ordained that they
shall always be poor, while others reach
wealth and honors. not only without ef-
fort, but with positively everything
against them"
"Well, don't think made any very
great effort to get my Tom." said Jenny
thonghtfully, "and, really, when come
to think Of it, Idon't think he has asked
me right out. I believe it was under
stood between us perfectly before any,
thing was said on the subject, and
when we did talk about it took it as a
matter of course"
II believe that is the way in MAORI
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