The Republican., 1890-11-14
MY AUNT'S HOUSE.

pretty, rambling place, with a Low
veranda quite covered with ivy anC
roses, and an old fashioned garden, will
trim straight borders and neatly KEEP
gravel paths.
There were three of us-Matthew
Jane and l. Matthew was clerk in
bank when he was younger, but as our ia
ther had left us each little sum of money
when he died we persuaded Matthew
to leave his work, for he had never beer
strong, and now that he was gettin&
elderly we could not bear to see hin
coming back pale and tired from his desl
in the evening. We were very happy
together We had nice garden to ou,
house, where Matthew spent most of hi
time, and though we lived in a small
way it never occurred to us to wish fol
more. But now that this unexpected
stroke of good fortune had befallen us
we began to consult what we should do
Il think we had better live in the
house ourselves" said Jane. Tenants
are always trouble, and it would be SC
nice to have that pretty place"
Jane is quite young-hardly more
than 40-and it is necessary to check he1
when she is too forward in giving hel
opinion; but Matthew is always very
lenient with her, and he said at once
Eyes, the garden would be very pleas.
ant in the summer, and we should have
no rent to pay"
always have to think for them both,
and spoke up decidedly: "There could
not be more foolish idea. Live in it,
indeed! What should we want with a
great place like that for dust and mice
to run riot in? We must let it of course,
and the rent will make nice little adj
dition to our income!'
an the eldest, and-I say it without
pride-I have more common sense than
both the others put together; therefore
they generally fall in with my opinion,
even though they may not altogether
agree with me.
"Let us go and look at it," said Mat
thew, land then we can decide what to
do for the best"
My aunt's house stands about three
miles out of the town, in a pleasant lit
tie hamlet; branch line runs out past
it, so that it would be a most convenient
place for a gentleman of business.
It certainly looked very pretty on that
summsn afternoon, and could almost
ecR2 ga9ss Wisa that we should make it
our home, but 1 knew better than to II
dulge such thoughts, and turned my
mind TO practical considerations. "Let
us go over it," said, "and see what re-
pairs it will want"
There is something wrong with the
water pipes evidently" said Matthew,
as he pointed to large pool in the mid
die of the kitchen floor.
Eyes, they must be thoroughly looked
to, of course, and | think the whole
place must be painted and papered; it
will never let while it looks so dingy as
it does now."
Il must say the rooms are very small, "
said Jane. Don't you think while the
workmen are here they might knock
down the partition and make a nice
drawing room"
generally snub Jane at once; it an
swers best in the end; but this remark
had so much to justify it that could
not but listen to her, and Matthew took
up the idea eagerly.
well done, Janer' he said. "That
would be a grand Improvement: but if
we throw that piece of the passage into
the drawing room how shall we get
round to the dining room?'
eve must make another passage" said
Jane decisively.
"Yes, but we cannot make a passage
without place to make it'in."
had been silent SO long. only because
I had been revolving something in my
mind. "Listen to me moment, said.
1--WE will carry out your idea, Jane, but
with an addition. We will throw the
passage into the drawing room and run
up an outside corridor, with French win
dows opening into the sitting rooms"
"Capital!" they both exclaimed at
once, and the matter was settled.
We agreed not to employ an architect,
but to engage a working builder to car
ry out the plan under our own direc-
tions. 1t was much pleasanter way of
doing it; there was no estimate to
frighten us, for we determined to take
one thing at time, and only go as far
as we found it necessary. 1t was a con-
slant amusement to go over to the house
and see how things were getting on, and
think we both agreed with Matthew
when he said, "Really, l shall be quite
sorry when the work is done"
1t was not so pleasant, however, when
the bill came in. How it had mounted
up so enormously we could not tell, but
the sum total fairly staggered us. un-
dertook to write to the builder and de-
mand an explanation, but when it came
we could understand it less than the bill
itself.
Il think We had better put it into a
lawyers hands," said Matthew.
To this, however, l would not give my
consent. 1--WE shall only lose more in
the end," l said ''We must pay an in.
stallment now, and when we have let il
we can pay the rest out Of the rent"
When we have let itr The words
passed into Il household phrase before
that longed FOR day arrived. Weput an
advertisement in several papers, and
many people came to SEQ it, Dut they all
had some objection ca otLtr to make.
Al ~