Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-07
CHAPTER V
AUNT JANE TELLS A STORY .

ball that night, but probably no more
thoroughly happy and satisfied trio thar
Mrs. Venderveer, Grace and Jack were
to be found as they sat at a little table
in the supper room pretending to eat
sundry minute portions of chicken salad
but really too full of contentment 20 dc
more than laugh and talk nonsense.
al wonder papa has not come yet, "
said grace. ''he promised me faithfully
that he would look in as early as he
could. But suppose he has gone on one
of those horrld walks of his. You know
he always complains that he does not get
exercise enough in New York, and he
sets off on long tramps at all sorts of IN
earthly hours, and there is never any
counting on his returning at a reasonable
time.
"I wish he would GOMEZ said Jack
with laugh, "T want to be put out of my
misery at once. What do you think he II
say when tell him 1 want to steal his
daughter?
"Poor papa. I'm sure he III be sorry
to lose me, but / think he is fond of you
in his way, Jack. -
"well. perhaps in his way he is, Z"
said Jack, "but to tell the truth 1 am
rather inclined TO funk the coming inter-
view
"Now, - broke in Aunt Jane, "if
must tell you young people what / had
much better keep to myself, l don {
think you need worry yourselves a bit
about what Mr.. Nugent viii say. Mr..
Nugeut is a man of most excellent COM
mon sense, and though he may be in
ciined to say hard things about pou, sir,
because you insist on doing nothing or
next to nothing instead Of going into
business, he will welcome any nephew Of
mine into his family. To tell you the
truth, he and have talked this matter
over before now, for though we are old
we are not blind, and we foresaw very
clearly what was coming and had re-
signed ourselves TO the inevitable. At
this Grace and Jack looked amazingly
surprised, and the former blushed very
pTettily.
Grace was to sleep that night at Mrs.
Vanderveer s house, and so when the
trio had finished their supper and still
Mr.. Nugent die not appear, the old lady
declared she was too tired TO remain any
lOuSGIs dI4 LuhL SThCC HdA DGtItI SOA4lC
home at once, so Jack carefully packed
them into the brougham and accepted
his aunt s invitation to squeeze in with
them and have a cup Of bouillon her but
Ter always had waiting for her when she
arrived home from any function, - be-
fore he could turn into his own cherries
bachelor quarters. Jack was not averse
to the proposition, for it gave him few
minutes more with the object Of his affec-
tions, and though the brougham was
much to small to comfortably receive
tzis addition to its occupants, he bravely
bore all resulting discomfort in view of
the fact that he could hold little warm
hand in his and whisper into a pink little
ear certain scraps Of nonsense, which
proceeding Aunt Jane strained her con-
science somewhat by affecting not to OBJ
serve.
When they had reached the dingy old
house and were sitting In the rather
funeraIly furnished dining room slipping
the hot bouillon served IN delicate old
china cups which had belonged TO Jack s
great grandmother, and Grace and Jack
at least trying hard to look as though
they liked the potion, Aunt Jane, who
had been looking uncommonly serious,
broke silence by observing:
''You look the image OF your father,
my dearp and she sighed somewhat
deeply.
al hope that isn't what makes you
look so solemn, Aunt Jane -
HNo, dear, no. was thinking of two
young people like you once knew; and
as there is a moral TO be drawn from their
story think TN tell it to you. 1t was a
great many years ago, when / never |
thought 1 should be the aunt of a great |
big fellow like you. Jack-that a dear |
friend of mine married q girl almost as
pretty and quite as good as Grace, dear.
We all thought when they married that |
10 two people ever had such bright pros |
)eets of happiness as lay before this |
couple, and some Of us mayshave euvied |
hem little bit. But we were mistaken. |
Out of the clear sky came the thunder |
lap, and one day the husband-I've +
old you that he was my very dear I
TO me and told me that |
lis wife no longer loved him, that, in
Iced, she loved and had sinned with
mother man, and thab he was going that |
cry night TO travel be knew not where,
lever 20 return
81 tried TO persuade him that there
must be some awful mistake; but he
dH ObStilAdNN dA1I L NOulu uOl EEdsOn
With him, and a few hours later he had
eft his wife, his home and his friends
orever. Next day 1 went to see the
wife, whom 1 found heartbroken and al
most dying from the shock. She very |
oon convinced me that her husband had
zen the victim of 4 wicked fOTger whom
he never found out, and Of a series of
Unfortunate Misunderstanding and |
hat she was as pure and devoted TO him
5 on the day she stood at the altar. I
omforted her as best could; a story of
rEent business was connected 10 ac-
cunt for her husbands depart-
re, and after writing to him
letter which must individually
ave explained away all his
Quilts we waited as women ALWAYS do
ait, for his return. Months passed and
o answer came. The young wife found
erself likely 10 become a mother and I
rote this also, though without her
nowledge, to the wanderer whose
hereabouts 1 only knew. This time an
nswer did come, only it was addressed
} her and not TO me. In few curt
-uel sentences, he disssued her and the |
lild which was 70 be horn, and told her
lie should never see.- his face again.
bat letter was her death wsrrant. She
ed in few weeks after, but. before her
cath she give birth to a SOD who has
JUS never known either fstaer or