New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-21

lent a few moments. fighting down the passion
within me, stranglng fifty scathng retortS that
sprang up like demons in M mind crying out
that she was a tyrant. That her whole life
long she had trompcI on the hopes ana happi-
ness of all our family, vino heartIy detesed hTr:
while even !, her iav0rte, had rebelied IN soul a
thousand times already. That ! was even glad to
fling OF her CALLING yoke. Silently rising, SAID
grayelY:
There is no choice possible for me: | cannot
in honor give up my promised wife - please you,
and | would a thousand times refuse II ! even
could. Margaret is good girl, and ! will bear
her Grudsc II You make her your heircss."
You are foo-a fool. Harry" slriekcd my
aunt d" / WON'T III leave il all 10 Dicky Colston,
your cousin. He'll Jump at Maggie though she,
poor goose, would have given her eyes for you.
"Good-bye: Aunt Aep," interrupted firmly and
ont of the room, retrcating with all the hOn0rs
of war. Even As ] closed the door scomiul
grunt or two annoyed my ears, with the bitter
taunt Ilo' so are on our high horse: but
Just wait six months, my Inc Young man, and sre
If sou don't come 10 your senses. sin months
later was married ard on nay way out 10 India,
friendly general whose galloper ! had been in our
last campaign And here ends fytte the first, as
the old poets used 70 say.
Ring mp the curtain now. on IN indian
Christmas dinner SIX years later. ] and my
family, think of that, are gathered round the
table. II is a small round table, chosen Tonight
for coslncss. SO that ny wife ana | are near each
other, ana our iye-ycar-old heir sits between us,
with his golden head not very high above the
tablecloth. Opposite him sits Thorod. a true and
tried friend IL rs both and comrade of mine.
Maude IS more lovely than ever in my eyes just
as winning and laughing. but glorious woman
instead Of mere charming girl She looks es-
pcci1lly beautiful tonight in a new ball-gOwn. 4
triumph Of eNquisitcly fitting satin about the
bodice. and Of brwildcring HulnesS as 10 skirt.
Whlle her bare, snowy neck and bosom rise ont
Of some soft yelling accessories that an angel
might not dsdan t. take pattern by as trimming
10 "A spirit robe.
"Ah. il is n pity Won nave not got Aunt Agg's
diamond necklace 10 wear tonight. lOu would
make all the other women faint with envy then,
| remarked affecting critical air. but lnwariy
full of pride rs ! surveyed my wfes appearance.
We were going to dance AT Government House
aiterWard j. was 10 be The thing of the season.
If bad. should he the happcst woman in
India, laughed Naudc back. q" As il is. perhaps. |
am second happcst But ii is too bad they should
have disappeared mySteriously: or rather that
no iIvlng o'inG seems to know what your aunt did
with thcm-and she is dead. VIVA, is The
story. Tel rs all about it," put in Ihorold
Was that the old lady who emf You of With.
suppose. the proverbia shilling for marrying mine
hostess herc, like wise and lucky man. NJ
dear fellow. She cut ne of with plum pud-
ding" | ruciully explained. The very puf-
ding YOU are soon about - be RECALLED with. The
story is briefly. YOU know. that ! was disin.
herited FIR not consenting 10 marry Miss Margaret
MacklntO>h, whom my aunt wished 10 90 with the
property. 10 speak Ind year later that Is
SIX months after We were married. my cousin
Dicky Colson, welded - the aforesaid Niti
Macintosh. and came in for all my relatives
fortune four years ago. May they both be happy
ever after. Bu' my poor aunt must have he'd
yeornirg for me still i'm her hard old heart. for
before her death lit was some time in antumni
Size wrote me- strange letter. II WAS t. this
effect:
Dear Henry: yon know III, was Is always s,t a
prise 10 you that have left my fortune ~ Your
cousin Richard. But bearing that your wife Is
pr"tu Yong woman, end weil-behayed thal Is =
feather IN Your cap. Maudc. isn't II .. | send Xuu
my forgiveness. And You viii receive further
plum puddinc. prepared by my own hands. which
desire You will have served mp AZ yonr own
table on a Ci.ristmas Day whenever you feel IN
your heart That you likewise freely forgive the
memory Of your aunt. AGATHA IPtliEK
"P.S.-The doctors tell me may get better Of
my illness But they ale all idiots or towards
And she was right, poor old lady, for SIC
died ore week later. The curious tmhS
was. that in her will she said. " have al
ready given my diamond necklace Ia Henry p
cner. my dear nephew, WHO Wl.l receive II sale4t,
/ trust, some futlre day That is all. Ahd
though Margaret. Mis-. C0lson. | mean. has huntfd
for that necklace where-thoueh she has CO..
suited detectives, and taken every trouble, besides
writing rs the kindeSt of letters the neck ace was
nowhere TO lee found after my aunt death. IL l.
clean goue-yanished. No one seems 10 blame.
The diamonds usually kept at the bank. and
my aunt herself took them away few days be;
fore her death Stolen" remarked IhOrolt
dryly And no doubt broken up before your
venerable relative was even buried. But how
does u come that NDA n3lG waited .ouf wears u
feast on ihlS 'I;'ri II mas -o,r 'Irp IN s,."
Ncl>>iluhcs -Alald' WIS tr"frN 'f-uh.iii
tH'GE4 IN I"I'SFlh- tore. " I'm stil .r..u n
ness Interrupted per whey ana "oi'",S 'yy'enP
to -lozr me H1% ut'4 ls,IuS Iii as.'. me,
10 s'N thai; III to-nl-ht' hrtrr couW "n.S ny
sell To- fully and freely forgive my Aunt Agg.
The FIRST 'uf.>ima> Ms >'il sore "i,rr haNlh3
been cni on Oh h. Pl'i>r' lott y, Inc 81 % "a
one. TINS iit' woman mere E.,> III, n'ta"S NJ m"
40. %'' I'd sre .,Il@rtiX rc},i.cd 20 le,vr
E .rI tt,,l or, ,,haf dii hapucn that thirl
,T,ri.,i,.'s X.Id.a
,I.....,, 49,. d., ,,l &c c-i.,
-" ,'.''n '~''".n. ,"r.' ", I'D" I, ';s;i. ,
h'"o'' ''"-nl,-. - ''I"V up q. - ~ it,ri -
bonnet '"\. Wne'r l ,"'> M"NlH- uS'u Hs.'.l -
d stand Ion n\ uc>i nat -, the S':th-e AdNrt
ttreN OF tI'i n1tdlN@. ~ mas 'raFe!'u an "N,,i
lndl1 with U.s. IN - lll case ana once II WIS 'c'iE
almost lost for ne months when W" or Ara aH'
Il was packed away no one NH"" Wh'ie; ~ AZ
Iiie jim was al, ana my haiids We're Iitl WIN
hn. Iurn "h"n our hul-a.oW III H,hil l"'N