Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-23

what harm Miss Alice could lind there
in
What harm!' shrieked Miss Alice.
And she read aloud the following
lines.
i walked an hour yesterday in the
grove, but you did not come. Ah,
cruel. cruel! Then | murmured with
the poet:
each trial has its weight, which whose bears,
Knows his own woe,
| never felt the force of those mourn.
full lines as l did when | repeated
them ard turned homeward sick with
hope deferred
Mother, don't let her, interrupted
Leta.
ooh; you did not write that to Mr..
Merlel' moaned her mother.
At this crisis, Archie, who had been
in waiting the next room, burst in, ex-
claiming:
'Leta, why don't you tell! l wouldn't t
stand it'
No. mol she cried franticalIy. Don't t
Archie. don't!
But l will!' he declared. Mother.
Aunt Alice ought to be ashamed OF
herself. tell you what, we'll all run
away if you don't put a stop to her
meanness'
Archie, Archie! groaned Mrs. Jor.
den, while Miss Alice stood speechless
with wrath.
Don't Archie!' pleaded Leta.
i will, he said obstinately. Moth
: er know what that letter is. Lets
began it this morning. We dresl
, up Mamie's dolls-one is Mr.. Merl,
: and the other is Aunt Alice. Lets
writes letters from one to the other
Aunt Alice makes love to Mr.. Merle
and he pokes fun at her,
Are these children, or fends incar
;, nate? moaned Miss Alice. sinking in
q to a chair.
i mean the dolls, explained Archie
r you needn't get mad, as its no
d true
4 :1tis all false exclaimed his aunt
: That wicked girl has contamlnate
= her brother and he tells lies for her
/, Don't you call me a liar!' roare
:, Archie. I'll get the letters; we a
: ways keep :hem In tbs cabinet. There
stories and verses, too; Leta write
8 lots of EN-
IS Mother, don't let him. sobbe
1t Leta I'D rather say anythin
g. that aunt likes.
i will repeated Archie.
Of The boy ran off, and Leta burie
d, her tear stained face in her hands.
Mr.. Merle regarded discomfte
a Miss Alice with such undlsguised tt
RS umph that her temper rose again.
a, Back came Archie with a woodt
It, box, which he threw open, displayir
}, two dolls-one dressed as a man. Il
le other in feminine attire.
= They were such absurd caricatur
that Horace Merle burst out laughin
X. Leta, in spite of her distress, "
shaking with laughter, and Mrs. Jol
K den laughed and cried at once.
y Marian said her sister-in la
menacingly. beware lest your hu
n. bands spirit curse you for abettir
:? your children IN their sins!'
She rushed from the room, packe
le her trunks, and left the house by Il
er next train.
She believed by this step she shou
ID most severely punish her sister-i
le law.
But Miss Alice's retreat proved
to sad blunder, for Merle took advanta,
l. of her departure to exercise his il
i'll fuence with the widow, while tt
boys declared that if Aunt Alice can
ID back they would run away.
~ 1t was not many weeks before He
ace Merle found he had fallen in 10,
r. with the exquisite child-woman.
Leta returned his affection, and Il
d weddlng-day was set for her seve
teenth birthday.
= BY the time Miss Alice came dow
i from her stills and condescended
n forgive her relatives, Mrs. Jorden W,
IS so emancipated from her control th
she wrote her, frankly, she intend'
On hereafter to be mistress of her ov
ep household.
he So Miss Alice finally settled dow
a. into the sour, Grabbed old maid f
which she was intended by nature.
d. But Leta, with her noble husbal
er by her side, and bright children groy
W ing up around her, is happy as t
day is long.
II