Daily Republican., 1886-04-30
Aunt DsVereaux's Money
by NJ. ELL ZEN HoLAHAN.

"Of all Jokes" exclaim, twisting
the letter l have just read into knot,
and leaning from my comfortable
chair to drop it into the crate, 'this is
tho richest, the rarcst, the most ludi-
crousp
Throw back my head and send forth
such peal of amused laughter that
my lady mother frowns trifle, Georgia
half smiles in her sweet, placid way,
and Herbert Athen looks up from the
easel where he has been giving the
finishing touches TO an oil portrait oil
my lovely sister. =.
81 cannot see where the jest lies
saws my neither at last, in her haugh-
test, chilliest voice. "You will go, OF
course, Georgia, and do your best, con
sidering the rewardf"
sob, yes," answers my sister Ian
guidlyp but without looking up. When
mamma takes that proud, superior
tone, Georgia is as WAX in her willful
hands. Now with Newell. there are
some people naturally rebels, and
suppose am one of them, because, in
stead of drawing my face down u
demure, obedient gravity, | make
wry face, o mocking bow, and say
laughingly:
''Of course you will go, Georgia, ant
you will be duly inspected to see tina
YOU will pass muster. Gather up you
train and strut up and down just fol
practice now. And may be if yol
play your cards well, rs Aunt Dew
ereaux is kind enough to suggest, thii
adopted son, 10 whom she has given
the money which should fall TO us, will
fall in love, marry, and share it will
YOU, and you, like dutiful daughter
will say. THANK you, sir, and forge
that you were ever in love with Arthu
WillnrdW
Many futile attempts to interrupt mi
are made by my lady mamma, ant
once she glsnces uneasily toward tn
slim, dark-eyed artist, as though fear
full that he was learning some tremcn-
dous secret; but the close cropped hea'
is bent above the lovely vision on til
easel, and for any sign he gives, h
NAV not even be aware that we are il
the room.
"IIush!" says my mother severely
81 hardly know what to make of you
YOU are such dis0bedient child. Thi
is the ninth--we shall have to start TO
Aunt Devereaux's tomorrow morn
ing"
'But | have nothing to veal
mamma" ventures Georgia, timidly
thinking, no doubt, that she woul
like to cause slight delay, in tn
hone of seeing Arthur Willard agsi
before going out of his life-perhar
forever. Absolutely nothing"
But my mother is not woman easil
routed.
1--WE can arrange all that when W
get to Richmond" she says, preparin
10 leave the room. "We must sta
Immediately to be there the thirteenth
You can travel in your gray silk, an
Floss"
"Pray, make your own arrang
ments, mamma" l answer nonch
lantly, dipping my satin slipper dee
into the white Angsra rug with an e.
IRENE exsctitude which does not pr
vent me, however, from seeing n
mothers angry, amazed look as pr
coed.
: "Don't trouble yourself on my a
count. have decided not to woo Au
Deveraux's fastidious heir. shou
feel so terribly chagrined if he 'le
me and took Georgia, you know. b
sides, l hate Aunt Devereaux, and
am not quite SO skilled in the art
deception that could not help sho
ing it, Pm afraid
q Perhaps it was this same fear whit
!, caused my mother TO gather up h
, silken skirts in cold, supercillious d
pleasure, and glide from the room CT
J rying Georgia with her, and leaVi
me alone in the company of llerbt
Athena thing before unprecedente
/ fall back in my easy chair, pick
nv book and try to read but ever |
fore me-betwcen me and the print
comes the ludicrous picture my fan
= has conjured up-my lovely sisl'
with her dress thrown across one arr
strutting back and forth before Au
y Devereaux's paragon, and occasional
" looking to him for the glance of a
in proyal which shall decide her fate.
u 1t is as much of n misfortune to ha
"a too keen sense of the ridiculous as
is to have none at all; and say
kcenly alive to my own errors-t
former misfortune is mine; so, alter