The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1888-06-28
LUCY'S BURGLAR.



ta's-loncsome, ev n though l had just
come from the wiIlcr1es,es of a New
Hampshire mountain home into the
crowded streets Of New York.
I had had my dreams of a career. l
had fancicl that this city expedition of
mine was a sort Of mission to Aunt Jo-
casta, whom had pictured to myself
pallii, 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 secondhand gowns and polonaises-
in which useful articles she deat-dis-
PEELED these visionary ideas to the four
winds of heaven.
She was simply fat vulgar old wo
man-neither more nor less.
ooh, it's you, is it?' said Aunt Jo-
casta, as alightcd from the cab in the
sultry dimness of the August twilight.
You'd ought to hov come il the horse
cars. 'Twouldn't hev cost near 50
much. Or I'd hev met you if you'd let
me know, and we could hev come dowa
in the elevated. So you're Maria's dar-
ter, be you2 Don't favor her much, l
calculate. No, cabby; don't you be
tryin' to come no such games one mel
Seventy-ive cents is your fare, and
you'll not get a cent moro" (snatchlng
from my hand the silver dollar waich,
in obedience to the demand of my
Jehu, was timidly proffering him.
The cabman muttered some very IN
mplimontary remarks, but jumped
on his box and drove away, while Aunt
Jocasta led me through stu1Ty little
store, filled with different varieties of
secondhand articles, from . sofa pill
low toa pair of brass frc-dogs, into
dingy back parlor smelling strongly of
blue-mold aad yesterdays grid Il le-
cakes, and beckoncd me to take a slip
perry, horsc-h hair covered chair in the
corner
"soyou've come to stay, hev you"
said she.
"If-if can be of an comfort to
you," said I, feeling ready to burst iato
tears.
ooh, faint that" said the old lady,
lifting the lid of fat, black toa-kcttlo,
which was singing Oh the stove, and
peering curiously into its depths. 81
don't need no comfortin'. l s'pose,
though, there was lots O gals to home,
and your ma was glad to get one of 'em
off her hands,
II assure you that was not the
reason" I burst out. II camel
camc---'
"WeH, it don't matter what you came
for!" said Aunt Joca5ta. ''You're here,
and there's an end of the matterr'
She rcgaled me 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 l was
rendered extremely nervous by hear
ing the details of one or two of the
sharp bargains which she drove across
the counter.
81 do hope, if you're going to stay"
said she, returning after one of these
verbal battles, "you'I be able to take
some of these bothers off my hands.
It's dreadful tryin' not to be let to take
ones tea in peace. And fresh lobster
at that, and salad fit for the queen"
l said nothing, but secretly calcu-
| lated in my own mind whether 1 had
money enough to take me back to
Gooseberry mountain the next day.
1t was painfully evident to me that
my Aunt Jocasta and had our being in
altogether different spheres.
After supper, Aunt Jocasta went to
sleep and srored, until she was reused
by the appearance of pert lady's-maid,
with a package under her arm-one of
her mistress cast off ball dresses, which
she was commissioned to sell.
Afterward, a slim-legged little boy
arrived on the scene, with a copper tea
kettle to dispose of; and, last of all, a
little old man came in, and, after a
prolonged siege of chaffering, carried
off more than a third of the stock in
trade, tied into compact bundle.
After this, there was a lively chase
down the street after misera BILE,
asty-faced little girl who had been
caught stealing one fthe gay silk hand
kerchiefs that hung from the awning
overhead.
would fain have interccded for the
trembling, painting 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 chill
dren, who might have ascended from