The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-05-03
LUCY'S BURGLAR.
3y HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

It was very lonesome at Aunt Jocas-
ta's-lonesome, even though had just
como from tho wildernos,es Of New
Hampshire mountain homo into the
crowded streets OF New York.
had had my dreams of career. I
had fancied that this city expedition of
mine was sort of mission to Aunt Jo-
casta, whom had pictured to myself
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-
PEELED these visionary ideas to the four
winds of heaven.
She was simply fat, vulgar old wo-
man-neither moro nor less.
ooh, it's you, is ita' said Aunt Jo-
casta, as alightcd from tho cab in the
sultry dimness of the August twilight.
"You'd ought to hev 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 you2 Don't favor her much,
calculate. No, cabby; don't you be
tryin' to come no such games one me
Seventy-fve cents is your fare, and
you'll not get cent moro" (snatching
from my hand tho silver dollar which,
in obedience to the demand of my
Jehu, was timidly profferiug him.
The cabman muttered some very IN
complimentary remarks, but jumped
on his box and drove away while Aunt
Jocasta led mo through stuffy little
store, filled with different varieties ol
secondhand articles, from sofa pill.
low to pair of brass fire-dogs, into a
dingy back parlor smelling strongly Of
blue-mold and yesterdays gridd le-
cakes, and beckoned me to take slip
pery, horsc-hair- covered chair in the
corner.
$50 you've come to stay hev your'
said she.
cliff I can DO of any comfort te
you," said I, feeling ready to burst into
tears.
''Oh, 'taint that" said tho old lady,
lifting the lid of fat, black tca-kettlc,
which was singing on the stove, and
peering curiously into its depths. g
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 n her hands,,
81 assure you that was not th'
reason" 1 burst out. 81 came
camc---'
''Well, it don't matter what you cam'
for!" said Aunt Jocasta. "You're here
and there's an end of the matterI'
She regaled me on boiled lobster ant
lettuce for supper, during which mea
she was frequently summoned to tn
shop by sharp, peremptory rings o
the little bell on the door, and I wa
rendered extremely nervous by hear
ing the details of one or two of tn
sharp bargains which she drove acros
the counter.
81 do hope, if you're going to stay,
said she, returning after one of thes
verbal battles, "you'll be able to tax
some of these bothers off my hands
It's dreadful tryia' not to be let to tax
ones tea in peace. And fresh lobste
at that, and salad fit for the queen"
I said nothing, but secretly calcu
lated in my own mind whether I ha
money enough to take me back t
Gooseberry mountain the next day.
1t was painfully evident to me ths
my Aunt Jocasta and had our being i
altogether different spheres.
\ After supper, Aunt Jocasta went t
sleep and scored, until she was rouse
by the appearance of pert ladys-maid
with q package under her arm-one {
her mistress cast-off ball dresses, whic
she was commissioned to sell.
Afterward, slim-legged little bo
: arrived on the scene, with copper tes
kettle to dispose of; and, last of all,
. little old man came in, and, after
prolonged siege of chaffering, carrie
off more than third of the stock
trade, tied into compact bundle.
After this, there was lively cha
down the street after a miserable
pasty faced little girl who had bee
a caught stealing one of the gay silk hant
!. kerchiefs that hung from the awnlr
!. overhead.
would fain have interceded for Il
trembling, painting culprit; but n
aunt promptly delivered her over to Il
nearest policeman, agreeing to appe'
! against her in court tho next mornin,
: while mob Of men, women and chi
. dren, who might have ascended fro
! the cracks in the pavement, SO in slant
did they appear, collected around Il
4 door, in various stages Of frantic curio
!. ity.
. And this was the home for which
|. had so foolishly left the sweet old farr
house under the New Hampshire mapl
treesl If ever poor mortal was wretc
edly homesick, it was l.
a.. 81