Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-11-04

W stay at nome all day and haa
'ile orunt or the old lady's bad temnar
L oelieye I'm getting bad temnerad
uiyseif," L said, suddenly rousing INV.
sen from my reverie. "It's very kind
oi my husband not to object to INV rel.
11IVes coming to pay me visit. and II
sue does leave us few hundreds wbv
so much the better-though. thant
goodness, we don't need them and I
certainly sha'n't go out of my way to
S1hciiiate her for the sake of her money!
Martha and Ellen may do that. they
were Always greater favorites. / was
tile thlrd disappointment, and / he.
ileVe she never forgaye me for not be.
ing boy.'' NV 'o
"hen Tom came home that evening
ne seemed to have forgotten all about
aunt Betsy, and was very much Alb
Soroed IN some subject that kent him
silent all through dinner. Though we
mad been married only four months. ]
understood my husbands ways and the
expression of his face thoroughly.
whenever he had that far-away look in
us eyes, L knew he was thinking. and
l Always took care not to disturb him.
"hen he held the door open for me af-
ter dinner l noticed that he looked pale
and tired, and | pressed HIM to come
| soon and have some tea. He nodded
without answering; and | left him with
strange uneasy feeling that something
had happened. But when he joined me
iiaiI an hour later he was as bright and
eneery as usual. We sang a few duets
together, tried new song, talked about
party to which we were invited, and
soon forgot my uneasineSs and Miss
Betsy too.
Ihe next three weeks passed quickly
enough, for we were out a good deal.
and had friends frequently dropping in
stll 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
trlDuted 1t ttotrOublesome cases leases. ~
He did not contradict me, nor did he
assert that he was specially busy. Once
or twice | asked him if he did not feel
well; but he alway replied that he was
| perfectly well, and then he would sud-
/ denly rouse himself and he his old self
again. 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 | fancIed 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 hun
dred; they have plenty of their own.'
Then why should l, Tom?" | asked
hastily. 81 had just the same fortune
as my sistersl"
''Yes, 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 l know how to treat
nv own relatives without being lee
turedl'' | SAID to myself, wilfally eXag-
Grating Toms words. ''If Aunt Betsy
does not like my behavior, she can go
back to Craglands as soon as she likes"
If Tom had grumbled a lttle-said
the old lady's visit was bore or nui-
sance, a thing to be endured with the
best grace pOssible-I might have taken
the opposite view of it. for believe L
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 / resolv-
ed to be on my dignity from the very
first. l dressed myself with unusual
care, and as sat down in the drawing
room | glanced AT myself in the mirror
and then round the room, and smiled
cOmplacently. Our home was no roomy
old farm house, or square gray-Stone
ugly edifice, like the homes of Martha
and Ellen, but pretty semi-detached
villa near the Crystal Palace. Aunt
Betsy would not surprise me in flag
ged kitchen carving boiled beef for
dozen ravenOus ploughmen as we had
caught Martha, OF washing butter in
the dairy, as Ellen might be found any
morning III the week. My surroundings
thank goodness, were entirely Different
NV drawing-room was small, certainly
hut il, had a lovely Wilton carpet,
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 a carved cabinet, and
curtains gorgeous with sunfowers hid
ing the fireplace. Altogether flatter-
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 saccompanied her, L Thought with
pride and pleasure of my short-temper-
ed. extravagant, but iIreproaehaDie
Jane.
Inst at twelve O'Clock there came
lond knock at the hall door, followed
by an impatient ring, and moment
later Aunt Betsy entered the room:
"Oh, niece Fanny" she exclaimed
with comprehensive glance round and
a wave of her mittened hands, you're
nleased to see me, suppose?"
"Not particularly" answered. ad-
vancinc a step. There was something
SO aggressive, so sardonic almost In the
old lady's tone and manner that was
nm in arms dIrectly-nO one should
sneak TO me in that way in my own
house.
"Oh''-and she gave me another
this time from over pair of blue spec
tacles-s'oh, suppose I'm not line
enough for you-ehp 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
"I,m not proud. Aunt Betsy" re-
torted detiantly, 'but / don't want your
money. and I'm not going to crln2e to
Won for it. know you don't lhe hie
Won never did-and l can't thinh
wi1y YOU want to come and see me.
However. since you are here. II yon
choose to be friendly to me, III be the
same to YOU; but l would not have you
hector me as YOU did poor mamma, II
von we're as rich as a Rothschlld ana
meant to leave me every farthing you
rossessed. There-I've eased my NINA
You know what L think. Now come
nm stairs and let me show you your
room Dinner will be ready in half an
hour.n ..a
@Hoity toityl' Miss Betsy muttered
nc she followed me up stairs. "a pret-
=. ---.l,,n,o piaee Frances. to give