The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-01-01
AUNT BETSY'S PRESENT.
BY ALFRED CRAYoN.

BY ALFRED CRAYoN.
We'll, must say think it horri-
bly, mean OF your Aunt Betsy. Estella.
After making such favoritc of yo,,
all your life, and having you with her
ever since you were a baby, she might
have sent you something worth having
on your twcnty-irst birthday, especial.
ly rs she knows how poor we are since
your fathers DEATH" said my mother
sharply.
"You had better take it rs hint
for the future. and not build any more
castles on what Aunt Betsy is likely to
do for you," remarked my sister Lena.
Walter. my brother, added, with a.
provoking grmace:
Here cndcth my sister stclla's
great expectations
''You need not mako such unplcas-
mt remarks" l answered, pcttishly.
lin sending mo tho portrait of he:
old sweetheart poor auntic has given
me her greatest treasure. and sho, no
doubt, thinks shall value it us much
us she doos."
well. it may come in useful, after
all: forif, rs expect, you never get
a sweetheart, You can imagine he
was yours, when YOU are u sour old
maid like Aunt Betsy" said Lena,
who pridcd herself not u little on being
engaged ut eighteen, while |, at twen-
ty-one, had never an offer, nor even
the ghost of a lover.
l had lived with Aunt Betsy down
in her quiet country home in the south
of Cornwall until my fathers death,
two years before. when coming up to
London for his funeral, | found nv
mother left in such straitencd circum-
stances that felt it my duty to stay
and earn what money could to hclp
her. Thereby, however, | incurred
Aunt 5ctsy's anger.
Surely she wrote, "your brother
and sister can help your mother; YOU
have II" need to leave mo lonely in my
old are. after have had I'LL the
trouble OF you rs Il child" etc.
woald willingly have returned, for
close London lodging was not at all
TO my taste after my aunt's large, airy
country house. but my mother seem
ed to lean ON mo, and SO dreaded my
leaving her that had not tho heart t.
go.
Aunt Betsy neither came nor wrote,
and had quite resigned my self to the
idea that was hopclcssly on her
black books when the above related
event took place.
Now | know that was forgiven.
In her early youth Aunt Betsy, then
the beautiful Elizabeth Marston, INV
fathers only s stcr, had been engaged
to the son and heir of Il wealthy Lon
don banker.
He had been sent abroad on busi-
ness for his father just before they
were to have been married, and,
through the jealous treachcry of an
other man who madly loved her and
wished to supplant his rival, the en-
gagcmcnt had been suddenly broken
of by him.
lie then remained abroad. and Aunt
Betsy never heard from him again.
just before lie left England he had
presented her with 4 beautiful little
miniature OF himself, set in gold and
diamonds. and this she had Kept, TO
gcthcr will, her maiden name--lo 9th.
or lover ever induced her to change
It.
AS girl had often seen and rev.
crcntly admired the pretty souvenir.
and had taken all Il girls keen in.
tcrcst in the love story attached TO IT.
Aunt had always told me it was to be
mine, and now felt certain. with
TINS treasure in my possession. that
had not gu te lost my old place in her
favor. though heard in the same let
ter in VIII CHI she solemnly commended
the por RAFT to nv care that she had
adopted an orphan girl in my place rs
her companion and probable heiress.
put the letter and portrait away
with "a SCH of regret for NV old hap.
Py home. with lis quiet and freedom
from the daily toll and worry that
were now my portion.
Things went on from bad to worse
with us. and my twcnty-second birth.
DAY found me in despair.
Walter had gone to Now Zealand.
Lena had married on slender in
come ard gone to live in the North. l
could not bend to ask help from Aunt
Betsy, and my mother was i'll, and nv
work so scarce that ] could barely
supply us the ncccssares of life.
AT last ! too. became ill, and VIC
had not a penny in the house: every.
tn ny we had, even poor mamma en-
gagcmcnt ring. had gone for food.
'steila. YOU must go and get some
money. Mrs. Burton SAYS she will
have the rent tomorrow or we will
have to turn ont into the street. There
is-womll you mind, dcar?-your
Aunt Bctsy's present: you could get
enough for that to keep us for long
time
mamma, dear, can not, l dare
not sell it! Anything of mine would
not withhold. but this OH, don't ask
me-
"And yet the generous doncr has
never sent us the price Of 4 loaf" said
my mother, bitterly. "Well, take NV
wedding ring; it has never been of nv
finger since your poor, dear, father
put 1t on twenty-five years ago; but it
must so now"
mo, no, mamma, you must not,
Shall not. take il off. Twill 60 and take
aunt's present, not to sell. but to tho
pawnsll"p; then l may, perhaps, get
it back when Walter sends us some
:nonev."
With a heavy heart and weary, lag
ging steps departed ON my hateful
errand. All our things had been
sold; we had preferred to lose them
to going into that last disgraceful
refuge of the dcstitute-a London
pawnbrokcr's.
Arrived outside, paced to and fro
until my lettering limbs, weak from
illness and continued fasting, warned
me that my strength would not hold
out much longer
l entered. Only one other person. Il
tail, dark gentleman, whose face
l could not SEQ in the scmi-dark-
ness. stool there talking to the shop
man.
II tell you, my man, tho plate is
here. 1t has been traced by q clever
detective. who will Join mo here
in few minutes. Hc is only delay.
Cd bccasase lie thinks he has traced tic
thief and has gone to follow up the
search"
''Well, sir, am sure you are mis-.
taken. but my principal will be here in
~ few moments; you must talk to him.
scan ] do for you, young wo.
he asked, turning 10 mo some-
Aa~or1o