Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-24
AUNT AGES LEGACY.


| Prom The Queen
VIE GUESTS had all said goodbye. The last
| - carriage had rolled from the door and
| quiet was settling down over Mayfnir Aunt
| Agg. Maggie Macintosh and were left in the
| great drawing room together, where nv aunfs
| old butler was putting out the many wax cam
dies in the big glass cbandeliers-for Mrs. Up
cher was a saving old lady. in spite Of her
| wealth. Stay few minutes and have a chat
with me. Harry" commanded my Gunt-she
could not help her least request sounding inn
perative-'and Maggie, my dear, you can go to
your bed. Goodnight" Maggie submissively
obeyed, though l fancied she gave me her hand
in parting with a wistful look as if she would
! gladly have stayed too. ! had hardly found a
minute, somehow, to speak to her during the
evening, being called upon to do the honors to
my aunts guests as her recognized heir: still.
Maggie and had been good friends from child
hood. She was orphan whom my aunt had
taken into her house years ego out
| of charity, said friends: as SQUIRE
douleur, said enemies. Poor Maggie, what
| kindly creature she was. / have never seen
her plain, honest face and reddish hair since
| that evening. years ago. though hope TO shake
| hands once more with her some day. Just to
show there is no ill-will between us. Now.
how did the party go off. do You think" went
| on Aunt Agg. sinking into capacious arm
chair. and motioning me to be seated also. 1T
was given III your honor. Harry. because am
so pleased that You have passed your staff ex-
| amlnat:ons In such u distinguished manner.
am proud of you. my dear boy" (And nv
aunt nodded her head. with its wonderful cap
| OF lace and feathers. much as to say that for
Mrs. Upcher to be satisfied with any one was
such an honor the recipient might e1ult over
In his heart with never-ending joy.)
| You are very kind to say so. Aunt Agg"
cheerily replied. Il think the party went off
famously, and nobody looked half 30 splendid
az yourself in that gorgeous gown and those
wear them more often. if only to please me- 1
| love seeing such beautiful stones. and | was
noticing the fire and changing lights Of yours
all the evening" My aunt bridled and touched
the riviere ct lustrous stones she wore round
her neck as she somewhat solemnly said
| They shall be yours, Harry, to be worn by
your future wife. There have saiG so, and
| never take back my word. And rs we are upon
the subject of marriage / want to speak to Won
| about II seriously.
"In for it now" was nv rueful reflection.
struggling to pluck up courage. while conscious
| that my heart was sinking to my shoes And
yet, if you please, was a captain in the queens
own hussars. and hcl earned more than one
| medal, besides certain small iron cross in
| African battle fields.
| lit Is time for you to think of getting mar
| ried, intir,ated my aunt. settling down with
an absolutely unnecessary thump in her chair
and shutting her teeth together with a snap.
| Don you agree"
| Il hummed. pulled nv mustacke thought
fully. then observed with suspicious Wiling
| ness:
"Yes-I agree
"You have thought about it?' demanded our
| family tyrant
Il have thought about it," was INV brief. de-
| cided reply, given gravely. MY manner ough.
| to have warned her that a man does not gem
orally confess to having thought seriously on
4
| therefor in his own mind. But unheedinS
| these, the old lady announced. in much til.
! same way IS she would have called attention
triumphantly to some skillful placing OF her
pieces on q chessboard:
| Every well. then, am glad to hear IT, So
| now will tell You what is my wish on the sub
ject-that you shall marry Margaret Mack
| intosh."
"What?" pushed back my chair and stared
at my aunt disDelieving my own ears. Marry
Maggie?''
Yes. Why not. pray?" And Aunt Upcher's
face took slight flush of rising anger Il am
fond of Maggie, though you may not know it.
and wish to provide for her a daughter. At
nephews who is not a fool. You are an orna-
ment to my family, and. as never hold with
leaving money away from ones relations or
splitting fortunes, it is my intention to leave
every penny possess to you! You knew this
matter in a nutshell"
Perhaps So But oh how to crack that nut
satisfactorily? took some moments to collect
my thoughts with bent head. NV choler rose;
my blood almost boiled at being dictated to in
this calmly calculating manner. What? Was
my whole happiness was my future life to be
sacrificed to the within of an old lady who had
never brOoked interference with her own
wishes, but had always domineered over her
deceased husband and all her family with AFRO
CANT sefishness? But there. there! After all
she meant in her imperious fashion to be kind
to both Maggie and myself. And l was her
| heir. which was a tremendous consideration to
soldier with but little but his pay, bent on
marriage. Lastly, cannot bear veA;ng old
people; they have such short time left and so
few pleasures. So that at the end Of a consider
able silence drew nearer and said very gently.
stroking her sleeve with my hand, for she liked
being coaxed
II am very, very sorry if should disappoint
you in any way, my dear old aunt. You are
and have always been more than good to me
and think l have hitherto proved that nv
gratitude and wishes to please you are sincere.
Have not?"
mo fine phrases Harry. Say what you mean
and don't let us have any nummery."
''Well, then. Aunt Agg. as a fair-minded
woman you will grant this is very serious
matter. Likewise that am no longer boy,
buta man who has had Some years experience in
life. How many hundred wrctched marriages
have not seen; how few really happy. L have
very seldom myself believed could ever care
| enough for any woman to wish for her as O life
long companion; but-but lately
Go on" lnurTured my aunt. in half
choked voice, coldly peering at Inc from under
down-dropped. aged eyelids Are you going
to tell me there is any one else who has taken
your fancy?'
A vision seemed 10 rise at her words and
look at me from behind nv aunt's shoulder
Such lovely vision, with fluffy golden hair
sweetest laughing mouth, but wistfui ewes
that said mutely, Il have waised-I will wait
still. But it is hard work smiling when one 8
heart is tired. Have courage for my sake"
Whereupon said desperately: There is
some else who has captured not only nv fancy,
but my whole heart-all the best of me. If
only you once saw her, my dear aunt, 1 know
you could not help loving her too. 1t would
be impossible, verify believe. not to admire
her and grow fond of her. If you will Just let
me bring her-if you will just see her"
| Never Mrs. Upcher banged the table be-
tween us hard with her fat hand: her withered
face flushed little, her bead-like old ewes
glittered. How dare you talk to me of graft
tude3 fine way you have of showing your affec-
ton, indeed! Have not paid for you school
ing at Eaten, and given you an allowance in
| your crack cavalry regiment. and made you
the promise of being my heir? What right
have you to cross my wishes?'
1.-The right of every individual man or
! woman came from me in stiiled tone, for
we were not of the same stock for nothing and
49,. lad ys,A H. L III