The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1890-03-01
HER MEDITERRANEAN.
The House Is Haunted by Her Be.
nevolent Old Ghost.

wedding CARDS, eh?" said Mrs. Pilot,
examining the natty little documents
that the rostman had left on his latest
errand. ooh, dear me-some poor soul
is going to be disenchanted."
''Disenchanted, Aunt Lou!" spoke up
her pretty niece Miriam, with wide
open eyes.
'That's exactly what it amounts to-
said Mrs. Pilot.
'But, Aunt Lou
eyes"
II thought you were such an ad-
vocate for matrimony." ~
$50 used to be- E.s.
"You love Uncle Dick, don't you?"
''Of course d." said Mrs. Pilot guild
ing her scissors skillfully through the
folds of rose-colored flannel which were
eventually to be fashioned into baby's
cloak. - 49, .-.> .~,a.
'And I'm quite sure that he loves
you."
well, I suppose that he thinks he
does"
'"Then what do you mean by the
groan you gave when you saw those
wedding cards?"
''Ah, dear Mirlam,'' said Mrs. Pilot.
pushing the red-brown curls out of her
eyes, lit is so hard to explain!'
but tell me, aunty dear!' coaxed
Miriam.
swell, there's that brown cashmere
gown of mine that Mrs. Stitchett sent
home this morning. There it lies on
the sofa. It's a love of thing, the
latest color and the most delightful pat
tern, but haven't had the heart to look
at it since Dick took it in. Dick glanced
at the bill and said, in that odd, dry
way of his: Seventeen dollars for
making dress!, My mother always
made her owny"
''It's the way all men talk, Aunt Lou, {"
soothed Miriam.
81 stopped yesterday at the bakers
and brought home loaf of sponge cake.
Dick asked me what it was-and when
told him, he remarked, gloomily, that
nobody ever thought of buying cake
when he was boy!"
''That's such trifle, Aunt Lou"
"When I spoke of going out to the
Ladies Society this afternoon he
shrugged his shoulders, and observed
that he saw now why had neither time
to bake nor sew-it was all going and
gadding. OF course, after that I re-
manned at homer
Don't mind him, Aunt LOU" said the
peacemaker. Its only dyspepsia"
"There's another cause of complaint"
said the wife, laying down the little
sleeve-pattern and cutting deftly around
it. II don't cook things as his mother
cooked them! He calls my soup dish
WATER and my bread 'clock-weights!'
Oh, you may laugh, Miriam. So did
at tirst-so should now, if the constant
fall of these everlasting drops hadn't
worn deep wound into my heart! 1
tell you, child, this house is haunted by
the ghost of Richards mother"
us she dead, Aunt Lou?"
mot that I know off, answered Mrs.
Pilot. ''But she haunts me all the
same. She lives up near Quebec some
where-and haven't the least doubt
she's very estimable member of So
ciety. Nevertheless, have horror of
the very mention of her name. No.
Betsey; didn't I tell you wasn' t at home
this afternoon?' -.
''Yes'm," said the hoarse-voiced hand
maiden; ''but this amt no calling COM
pany. She's come wild two trunks and
a handbook atop of cab, num-"
"Don't make company of me, my
DEAR" said cozy, confidential voice;
and a portly old lady, with gray curls
on each side of her face, trundled into
the room. cts Louisa, isn't it? Kiss
me, my dear; Pm Richards mother,
come to surprise him. 49,
All her life long Mrs. Pilot, junior.
had entertained holy horror. of
mothers-in-law; all the years she had
been married she had secretly. rejoiced
that Quebec was 50 many hundreds of
miles away from New York; vet in fif-
teen minutes she was sobbing heartily,
with her head on Mrs. Pilot seniors
comfortable bomb azine shoulder, and
all her little troubled secrets were
safely con1ided to this mother-confessor.
"Yes, yes, dear; know just how it
is" said Mamma Pilot, patting Louisa's
head as if she were a baby. Orchard
means we'll, but men are men. His
father was just like him. Richard must
be made to hear reason"
At that moment Betsey presented her
self, robed like unto the Queen of Sheba
in all her glory in green gown, scarlet
shawl, crushed raspberry hat and olive
colored mitts. ;
'.Plase, ma'am, I'm going now" said
she. And she vanished.
Mamma Pilot opened her pleasant old
eyes.
''Going" she echoed. Il hope, my
dear, your girl isn't going to leave you
In this unceremonious manner?''
IT'S her Thursday afternoon out, "ex-
planned Louisa, mournfully. GIVE got
to go down into the kitchen now and
get dinner"
you'll do nothing Of the sort, my
DEAR" said Mamma Pilot. 'sNow, look
here. III get dinner! Well surprise
Dick with some of his old mothers
cooking, and see if he'll appreciate it
any better than he does yours. Don't
you betray me, now!"
Louisa's eyes sparkled. ssI'd die
sooner" said she. ''Oh, you dear,
blessed mother-in-law, why have you
never come to my rescue before?'
"We're all human, my dear, :" said the
old lady. ''And there's no teacher like
experience" :,
She tied huge white apron around
her waist, rolled up her sleeves and fol-
lowed her daughter-in-law down into
the unknown regions of the kitchen,
while Miriam put on her hat and went
to take her music lesson.
Aunt Lou is all right now" thought
Miriam, gleefully.
Mr.. Pilot came home to dinner
promptly, as usual Mrs. Pilot met him