Connecticut western news., 1885-08-26
THE LINEN CLOSET.

1Ah LINEN OLOO11s
 "For my part" said Aunt Sylvia, q don't admire the young man."
 Minnie Dartford's pretty head dropped slightly, and she thought within herself how little of the sym pathetic clement existed between old maid aunts and 17-year-old nieces, and wondered If there ever had been time when Aunt Sylvia, too, was young, with the fresh electric current of love stirring in her pulsesl
 Minnie Dartford was hazel-eyed, rose-cheeked little witch, with perfect ly arched eyebrows, and mouth as fresh as the freshest rosebud in all the garden bowers, and her white dress, shining faintly through the summer twilight, seemed to float round her like cloud, as she sat there, watch ing the stars that glimmered indis- tinctly through the purple deeps of the sky, and thinking how very un- reasonable Aunt Sylvia was.
 "No." said the elder lady, jerking her knitting-needle into it's sheath with an emphasis, q do not fancy Herbert Arundel r
 "He is our guest, Aunt Sylvia"
 "You are mistaken there, Minnie. He came here uninvited, with your brothers friend, Mfr. Lee"
 "But now that he is here, Aunt, we must treat him with courtesy"
 "I've no objection in life to treating him with courtesy. child; but I've a sort of an idea that he would like you to treat him with something warmer and more enthusiastic p
 How thankful Minnie Dartford was at that moment to the friendly dusk which yelled the crimson bushes that suffused brow and cheek at Aunt Syl- via's cleverly- aimed random shot.
 Had 1t then come to thatp Was she, indeed, learning to love Herbert Arundel? And thrill of strange, lnexpressible happiness eddied through her heart, as her inmost consciousness answered:
 "Yes." %.
 Alasl poor Clarence Lee! The pa- tient years of devotion, during which he had waited for the rosebud of Minnie Dartford's beauty to expand Into the perfect blossom of woman hood-the loyal love, the unfaltering constancy-how lightly they weighed In the balance against this strangers easy address and dashing fascination of manner. The way of the world unalterable, yet how strangel
 Aunt Sylvia listened for an answer, but none came. Minnie hardly knew what reply it would be best to frame.
 "I think, Minnie," said the old lady, after moment or two of silence, "that It would be better for you to accept Antonia Wyllis' invitation to spend the month of September at her home. It will at least separate you from the companionship of this young man, and"
 "But don't want to be separated from him, Aunt Sylvia"
 Minnie spoke with spirit and ener gy. and the color deepened visibly or her cheek.
 'Minniel"
 "Aunt SylviaI'
 "Has it gone so far as this|
 II don't know what you mean b. {t,' responded the girl, biting he lps; 'but I do know, Aunt Sylvia that shall not run away from MI Arundel as if feared some strang coAtagion in his presence. This is m home. and here shall remain to en certain my brothers guests as best mayp'
 "Irrespective of consequences2" ?"
 "Yes; entirely irrespective of COT sequences.
 Aunt Sylvia demonstrated no ful ther; she saw quite plainly that would be of no use. Minnie, lik many another spoiled child and bette beauty, was determined to have he own way.
 Aunt Sylvia was no logician; neithe did she pretend to the magical power of vision belonging to the "sevent daughter of seventh daughter" br she knew quite enough of human n ture in its various manifestations be sure that Herbert Arundel was u worthy to wear jewel like Minn Dartford's love upon his heart.
 "An empty, feather-brained foC with no more heart than stone in AgeP was Aunt SylYia's inward ve diot Nor was it altogether incorrec
 Meanwhile Minnie, with h kAgnghts aud tansiss drifting sweet