Connecticut western news., 1888-05-09
LUCY'S BURGLAR.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.


 tas-loncsome, even though had just come from tho wildcrnessss of New Hampshire mountain home into the crowded streets of New York. had had my dreams of a career. l had fancied that this city expedition of mine was a sort of mission to Aunt Jo- casta, whom had pictured to myself Q pallid, delicate woman, much needing an active, sympathetic young niece like myself.
 But the first sight of Aunt Jocasta, standing with her arms akimbo under the futtering shadow of whole grove of second hand gowns and polonaises- in which useful articles she dealt-dis- pelled these visionary ideas to the four winds of heaven.
 She was simply a fat, vulgar old wo- man-neither moro nor less.
 "Oh, it's you, is it2" said Aunt Jo- casta, as alighted from the cab ia the sultry dimness of the August twilight. 'You'd ought to hcv come in the horse cars. 'Twouldn't hev cost near SO much. Or I'd hev met you if you'd let me know, and we could hev come down in the elevated. So you're Maria's dar- ter, be youa Don't favor her much, I calculate. No, cabby; don't you bc tryin' to come no such games one me l Seventy-fve cents is your fare, and you'll not get cent moro" (snatching from my hand the silver dollar which, in obedience to the demand of my Jehu, was timidly profferiug him.)
 The cabman muttered some very uu- complimentary. remarks, but jumped on his box and drove away while Aunt Jocasta led me through stuffy littlo store, filled with different varieties of secondhand articles, from sofa pill low to pair of brass fire-dogs, into dingy back parlor smelling strongly of blue-mold and yesterdays gridIle- cakes, and beckoned mo to take slip pery, horse-hair- covered chair in tho corner.
 "So you've come to stay hev youp said she.
 'If-if can be of any comfort to you," said I, feeling ready to burst into tears.
 ''Oh, 'taint that" said the old lady, lifting the lid of fat, black tea-kettle, which was singing on the stove, and peering curiously into its depths. "I don't need no comfortin'. I s'pose, though, there was lots O gals to home, and your ma was glad to get one of lem off n her hands,"
 q assure you that was not the reason" I burst out. "I camel came"
 ''Well, it don't matter what you camo for" said Aunt Jocasta. "You'ro here, and there's an end of the matter"
 She regaled mo on boiled lobster and lettuce for supper, during which meal she was frequently summoned to the shop by sharp, peremptory rings of the little bell on the door, and I was rendered extremely nervous by hear | ing the details of one or two of the sharp bargains which she drove across | the counter.
 I do hope, if you're going to stay," said she, returning after one of these verbal battles, "you'il be able to take some of these bothers off my hands. It's dreadful tryia' not to be let to take ones tea in peace. And a fresh lobster at that, and salad fit for the queen"
 said nothing, but secretly calcu- lated in my own mind whether I had money enough to tako me back to Gooseberry mountain the next day.
 It was painfully evident to me that my Aunt Jocasta and I had our being in altogether different spheres.
 After supper, Aunt Jocasta went tc sleep and srored, until she was reused by tho appearance of pert lady's-maid, with 0 package under her arm-ono ol her mistress cast-off pall dresses, which sho was commissioned to sell.
 Afterward, slim-leggel little boy arrived on the scene, with copper tea kettle to dispose of; and, last of all, q little old man came in, and, after 6 prolonged siege of chaffering, carried off more than third of the stock in trade, tied into compact bundle.
 After this, there was lively chase down tho street after a miserable, pasty-faced little girl who had been caught stealing one of the gay silk hand kerchiefs that hung from the awning overhead.
 Iwould fain have interceded for the trembling, panting culprit; but my aunt promptly delivered her over to the nearest policeman, agreeing to appear against her in court the next morning, while mob of men, women and chil- dren, who might havo ascended iron the cracks in the pavement, so instantly did they appear, collected around the door, in various stages of frantic curios ity.
 And this was the homo for which had so foolishly left the sweet old farm house under the New Hampshire maple trees! If ever poor mortal was wretch edly homcsick, it was I.
 At last Aunt Jocasta tied on 1