The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-07-22
AUNT sARAH's PLOT.

AUNT SARAH'S PLOT. Z
IA merrypeal of bells from the church
tower greeted them as they entered
the carriage and drove of. followed
. by hearty cheers and shower of
rice from the assembled villagers, as
they started on their journey through
life together. read Silvia Gray, closing
her book with a petulent7 snap as she
quoted the concluding sentence. How
namby-pamby and ridiculous it sounds!
They all seem to end the same way. II
ever l get married l should prefer
change of some sort to the conventional
way. think should like to elope."
"To-whatP" said Jack Leonard. who
had been leaning against the trunk of
the nearest tree, waiting for some visi-
BILE sign or token of Silvia's notice.
"To elopen' repeated Silvia with a
little frown; ''like Lady Geralda Fitz
Gerald in this book. Not the heroine,
you know. Oh, dear no! she's quite too
intensely proper. but ono of her friends %
What did she elope for?" asked
ried like other girls. with the regular
lot of bridesmaids, and wedding pres
ents, and all that sort of thing?"
Jack, what goose you are." said
Silvia, serenely scornful ..
"Yes. 1 know I'm a goose" admitted
Jack; 'but-" 4
There you stand" said Silvia, arch
ing her pretty, scornful brows, "a great,
like a modern villain on the stage"
Il won't smoke if you don't like it,
Silvia" said Jack, guiltily throwing
away his cigarette.
''Like it! What difference docs it
make whether | like it or notp" flashed
out Silvia. ''Smoke if you please-it's
on asking ridiculous questions. Dor
i was going to say, Silvia" pursued
Jack, mildly accepting her shower of
'.that if you preferred eloping to the re-
gular thing, I'd elope with you any
time"
Your cried Silvia, bursting into a
merry peal of mocking laughter.
Yes, l." said Jack. .'Why notP Pm
sure love you, Silvia, just as much as
the hero loved Lady What's-her-name
itz-what-do-you-call-he in the story
And if you'd only marry me, Silvia, /
shouldn't care if it were an elopement
or a regular church affair with carriages
and cards"
Jack, leave off talking nonsense,
and go along" said Silva, peremptor-
lily.
"Dear Silvia. won't you say that you
will marry me?p he humbly pleaded.
.Nor' cried the little beauty, stamp
ing her foot. Il won't marry you, and
Eve told you thousand times before,
And if you ever dare to ask me the ques-
ton again. rll-l'll never speak to you
as long as | live"
So Silvia went away, her pretty head
erect in the air. her hazel eyes spark
ling with displeasurc. And Jack looked
after her like big. loving, wretched
Newfoundland dog of a man as he was.
.'She's such little darling" he unused
sadly. And I'd give the world for one
| of her sweet looks; but somehow l don't
seem to suit her, let me, say or doswhat
| I will.'' 4*fsit'T1 s. FEf
And Jack went home to his maiden
aunt a jolly old lady with a fortune to
leave, who was u great reader, and
hugely interested in love affairs of every
| kind and description, and told all his
| troubles to this affectionate old conf
dante.
''She's an angel, Aunt Sarahr' he de-
| clared.
| "Pooh! po said Aunt Sarah. ''No
more an angel than am. Fve seen
her. A pretty, sunburned little thing,
with pair of sparkling eyes, and some
thing of a lisp So you like her. do
youP"
love her ma'am!" declared Jack
fervently.
land you'd like to marry herP"
81 shall be wretched for ever if can
not win her." he protested .-.
Every WE'LL" said Aunt Sarah. 81
can tell you how to gain her affection" I"
dearest Aunt Sarah, if you will only
help me to obtain this prize!" go
Leave off protesting" said Aunt
Sarah, 'and listen to me. Go away.
There's your cousin Herbert Wyatt go.
ing to the Mediterranean in his steam
yacht. There are the Folloitt FriscOes
Just starting to look up the sources o.
the Nile. Or if you prefer tiger shooting
in Bengal, or salmon fishing in Norway
But Aunt Sarah"
'.And then grow heavy beard" add
ed the old lady, imperiously; ''weal
broad brimmed sonsbrero hats; study uI
the matter of costume; read poetry and
romance"
..But l always go to sleep over it,
ma a'am," said honest Jack.
mo matter for that" pronounced
Aunt Sarah. "Wake up, and begin
again. Never despair. Model yourself
over again. Don't you see that this
Jack Leonard doesn't satisfy our little
queen of coquettes? Let's sec if W.
can't rebuild him to suit her roya
majesty"
Jack listened, comprehended, eagerl,
aSsented, and whether he went to Ben
gal, the sources of the Nile, the Bay o
: Naples, or the Norway Lakes, he disap
peared without even bidding farewell t
Silvia Gray.
"How very eccentric of him." thought
Miss Gray. ''But, after all, it's just lik
dear, funny old Jack"
And then she forgot all about him.
When Miss Sarah Leonard opened
her little house in Regents Park tC
society the second winter, she had severa
unusual attractions--Lady Rosetti
Amyllard, of Amyllard Park, in Dorset
shire, who was writing a book abou
the South Sea Islanders; Sir Hard,
| Hardiland, of Australia, and Captain
Giacopo Leonardo, of Venice intro
duce to the world. And as Miss Leonar'
f held in her white, wrinkled little han'
the golden key which unlocks the gate
: of society, the distinguished foreigner
had q very pleasant time.
The captain was tall and dark, no