The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-01-16
MY AUNTS HOUSE.

were very pleased at first. 1t was
pretty, rambling place, with low
veranda quite covered with ivy and
roses, and an old fashioned garden, with
trim straight borders and neatly kept
gravel paths.
There were three of us-Matthew.
Jane and l. Matthew was a clerk in
bank when he was younger, but as our IA
Their had left us each little sum of money
when he died we persuaded Matthew
to leave his work, for he had never been
strong, and now that he was getting
elderly we could not bear to see him
coming back pale and tired from his desk
in the evening. We were very happy
together. We had nice garden to our
house, where Matthew spent most of his
time, and though we lived in small
way it never occurred to us to wish for
more. But now that this unexpected
stroke of good fortune had befallen MS
we began to consult what we should do
81 think we had better live in tho
house ourselves" said Jane. Tenants
are always trouble, and it would be so
nice to have that pretty place"
Jane Is ullIlc yOuIlS9 LittIbAE il1OlO
than 40-and it is necessary to check her
when she is too forward in giving her
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"
l 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 ad-
dition to our income!'
an the eldest, and 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"
NV aunt's house stands about three
miles, out of the town, i'll pleasant lit
tie hamlet; branch line runs out past
it, SO that it would be a most convenient
place for gentleman CT business.
1t certainly looked very pretty on that
summer afternoon, and could almost
echo James wish that we should make il
our home, but knew better than to in
duTge such thoughts, and turned my
mind TO practical considerations. Lei
us go over it," said. land see what re
pairs it will want"
'There is something wrong with the
water pipes evidently" said Matthew
as he pointed to a large pool in the mid
die of the kitchen floor,
eyes, they must be thoroughly looked
to, of course, and | think the who'll
place must be painted and papered; i
will never let while it looks so dingy a
it does now"
Il must say the rooms are very small,
said jane. Don't you think while tn
workmen are here they might knoc
down the partition and make mic
drawing ROOM"
Igenerally snub Jane at once; it al
swers best in the end: but this relnar
had so much to justify it that | coul
not but listen to her, and Matthew too
mp the idea eagerly.
well done. Janer' he said. "fh%
would be grand Improvement: but
we throw that piece of the passage int
the drawing room how shall we g
round to the dining room?'
1--WE must make another passage" sal
Jane decisively.
s'Yes, but we cannot make Il paSSac
without place to make it in
I had been silent SO long only becau
I had been revolving something in n
mind. Listen to me moment, | sal
''We will carry out your idea, Jane, b.
with an addition. We will throw tt
passage into the drawing room and II
up an outside corridor, with French Wi
dows opening into the sitting rooms"
Capital" they both exclaimed
once, and the matter was settled.
We agreed not to employ an architet
but to engage a working builder to ca
~ out the plan under our own dire
tons. 1t was much pleasanter way
doing it; there was no estimate
brighten US, for we determined to ia
one thing at time, and only go as 1
as we found it necessary. 1t was d &C
slant amusement to go over to the hot
and see how things were getting on, a
think we both agreed with Matth'
when he said, REALLY, shall be gu
sorry when the work is done"
It was not so pleasant, however, VIII
the bill came in. How it had mount
up SO enormously we could not tell, |
the sum total fairly staggered us.
dertook to write to the builder and
mand an explanation, but when it ca
we could understand it less than the
itself.
81 think we had better put it int
lawyers hands," said Matthew.
To this, however, would not give
consent. 1--WE shall only lose moro
the end" l said. 1--WE must pay an
stallment now, and when we have lie
we can pay the rest out of the rent"
when we have let til! The VIC
passed into q household phrase bel
that longed for day arrived. We put
advertisement in several papers,
many people came to see it, but they
hod Soma ohiaction or other to ms