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

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81 believe Pm getting bad tempered
myself" | said, suddenly rousing my
self from my reverie. sits very kind
of my husband not TO object to my rel
atives coming to pay me a visit; and, II
she does leave us a few hundreds, why,
so much the better-though, thank
goodness, we don't need them, and l
certainly sha'n't go out of my way to
conciliate her for the sakeof her moneyl
Martha and Ellen may do that, they
were always greater favorites. | was
the third disappointment, and | be-
lieve she never forgaye me for not be-
ing a boy"
When Tom came home that evening
he seemed to have forgotten all about
Aunt Betsy, and was very much alb
sorbed in some subject that kept him
silent all through dinner. Though we
had been married only four months, /
understood my husbands ways and the
expression of his face thoroughly.
Whenever he had that far-away look in
his eyes, | knew he was thinking, and
l always took care not to disturb him.
When he held the door open for me af-
ter dinner | noticed that he looked pale
and tired, and | pressed hum to come
soon and have some tea. He nodded
without answering; and | left him with
a strange uneasy feeling that something
had happened. But when hejoined me
half an hour later he was as bright ard
CHEEKY as usual. We sang a few duets
together, tried a new song, talked about
a party to which we were invited, and
l soon forgot my uneasiness and Miss
Betsy too.
The next three weeks passed quickly
enough, for we were out good deal,
and had friends frequently dropping in
still I could not help noticing now and
again that Toms spirits were rather
variable; he always looked pale and
tired when he came home, and | at
tributed it totroublesome cases leases. "
He did not contradict me, nor did he
assert that he wa specially busy. Once
or twice I asked him If he did not feel
well; but he Away replied that he was
perfectly well, and then he would sud-
denly rouse himself and he his old self
agair. So the time passed till the date
mentioned by Aunt Betsy for her ar
rival. Tom reminded me of it in the
morning at breakfast, and fancled he
was more grave and serious than usual.
"Be patient with the old lady, Fan.
Who knows but you may come in for
the fortune? Martha and Ellen are
not likely to pat themselves much out
of the way for the sake of few hum
dred; they have plenty Of their own.'
"TlIen why should /, Tom?n asked
hastily. 81 had just the same fortune
as my sistersl''
Eyes, little woman; but they both
married comfortable well-to-do farmers
while you must needs marry a strug-
Cling lawyer with only his profession to
depend upon. Anyhow, fortune or no
fortune, make your aunt welcome, dear
in all probability she will never trouble
you again.
81 should think | know how to treat
my own relatives without being lee
turedl'' | SAID to myself, wilfully exag-
Grating Toms words. "It Aunt Betsy
does not like my behavior, she can go
back to Craglands as oon as shelikes."
If Tom had grumbled a little-said
the old lady's visit was a bore or a nui-
sance, a thing to be endured with the
best grace possible-T might have taken
the opposite view of it. for | believe /
am naturally of a somewhat contrary
disposition but to be told to be civil or
polite to anybody always gives me a
strange inclination to be unusually rude
and disagreeable.
However, with Aunt Betsy I resolv-
ed to be on my dignity from the very
first. l dressed myself with unusual
care, and as | sat dowl in the drawing
room l glanced at myself in the mirror
and then round the room, and smiled
complacently. Our home was no roomy
old farmhouse, or square gray-Stone
ugly ediice, like the homes of Martha
and Ellen, but a pretty semi-detached
villa near the Crystal Palace. Aunt
Betsy would not surprise me in a flag
ged kitchen carving boiled beef for a
dozen ravenous ploughmen as we had
caught Martha, or washing butter in
the dairy, as Ellen might be found any
morning IN the week. My surroundings
thank goodness, were entirely differenti
My drawing-room was small, certainly
but it had a lovely Wilton carpet, a
high-art paper and curtains, and the
regulation amount of crewel embrol.
derry, peacocks' feathers, Japanese fans,
carved brackets, and old China. There
were cracked plates on the over-mantel
ugly bowls on q carved cabinet, and
curtains gorgeous with sunlowers hid
ing the fireplace. Altogether l iatter-
ed myself that Aunt Betsy had never
in her life seen a house as pretty as
mine; and, when / remembered the rude
raw-boned addressed servants who al
ways accompanied her, | Thought with
pride and pleasure of.my short-temper-
ed. extravagant, but irreproachable
Jane.
Just at twelve O'Clock there came a
loud knock at the hall door, followed
by an impatient ring, and a moment
later Aunt Betsy entered the o
"Oh, niece Fanny" she exclaimed
with a comprehensive glance round and
a wave of her mittened hands, <'you're
pleased to see me, l ~suppose?"
"Not particularly,"1 answered, adj
vancing a step. There was something
SO aggressive, SO sardonic almost IN the
old lady's tone and manner that l was
up In arms d~lrectly-no one should
speak to me in that way In my own
house.
"Ohn-and she gave me another
this time from ove a pair of blue spec
tacles-..oh, l suppose I'm not fine
enough for you-eh? You would not
risk spelling your satin gown by en-
bracing me, though it might be the
means of getting you several Others.
You're very proud, niece Fannyp'
"l'm not proud. Aunt Betsy l re-
torted defiantly, "but / don't want your
money, and Pm not going to cringe to
you for it. / know you don't like me
You v did-and l can't think
why yon want to come and see me.
However, since you are here, If you
choose to be friendly to me, I'll be the
same to you; but l would not have you
hector me as you did poor mamma, If
you were as rich as a Rothsehild and
meant to leave me every farthing you
possessed. There I've eased my mindi
You know what l think. Now come
up stairs and let me show you your
room. Dinner will be ready in half an
hour
"Hoity toityi" Miss Betsy muttered
.--h t..ra4 mo nfu cfoira ga prat-