The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-31
COUSIN CASSANDRA.
By HELEN F. GRAVES.


danodil gloA of sunset lay over the brown
fields, streaked here and there in shady cor
ners with bars Of late lingering snow. as
Patty Greer came TO the kitchen door to
shake the crumbs off the table-clOth.
How pretty it looks down the valley"
she thought. Pm glad Grandfather Greer
built this house just here, instead of under
t e rocks. One gets such view. do be-
Iieve the NAPLES along the edge Of the
swamp are beginning to redden already.
And there" with a flush on her cheeks
which almost rivaled the red of the maple
copse, lis Arad Temple-at least, l think
its he-coming by Old Mill! l shouldn't a
bit wonder if he were coming here"
She stood a moment, watching the black
speck against the datfOdil shine; moment
more. her lips apart, her brown eyes
strainedl
Patty" called her mother, why on
airth don't you shut that door? The cold
air comes in like hull pack Of wolvesw
"I-I-was only looking" said Patty, as
she closed the door with sigh.
The black speck had disappeared; it did
not reRppear again.
lean, high-shouldered woman, with tuft
or seaniy, haX-colured hair, hair-pnned on
ihe top of her head, and checked cape
drawn across her narrow shoulders.
She spoke so close 10 the girls ear that
Patty gave little jump.
Thought what?" said she.
That he'd gone into Lewis Hibbard's
store" nodded Cassandra. The young
fellars they're all dreadful partial to Lewis
store since they put IN the billiard tables.
Dear me! do wonder what this world is
coming TOP
The red in Patty's cheeks was genuine
peOnY color now.
Il don't see what harm it is" she retOrted,
Ill he has stopped in for minute"
Il do" said Miss CasSandra. Anything
but dissipated young man."
He isn't diSsipated!' cried Patty.
well, p'r'aps he amt" said Cassandra.
az am sure hope so. But there Amt moth
in would induce me to marry man as
there was the least doubts of"
what a comfort ii is that you have never
been tempted in that wayl" said Patty,
yindictyely, as she folded the table cloth
in a series Of jerks and put it IN the closet.
Then Patty went up to her own room and
had good cry.
I do think" she said to herself, "that
Cousin Classy Is the most spiteful creature l
ever knew. But, all the same, Arad might
have come here tonight. He knew 1 was
expecting lnm."
When her eyes were dried at last and her
new frill satisfactorily adjusted, Patty came
downstairs.
DuL lie MlSllul Eldutt sue cast INFO lD6
room was unrewarded. No one was there
but her mother, piecng patchwork, on one
side of the chimney corner, and Cousin Cas-
sandra, knitting prep stcrously long
stocking of blue yarn on the other.
And the subject OF conversation had ap-
parenty renamed unaltered, for Cousin
CaSsandra was still hammerlng away on
Lewis Hubbard and the new billiard tables.
- It's what | call a snare for souls p she
gToaned. " Them balls a-elickin' about and
the doors always opened wide, for every
loafer in Shegauk 10 story into! l always
did despise Lew Hibbard-a lazy, shiftless
erpatuI', like all the HIbbards after him
They do say he druv his first wife into her
grave, and his second lived only two years
out Of pure grit. ParSon POoley says, if
the women Of Shegauk would only take a
stand-oh, Patty, is that you? Well, I've
put the dried apples in soak for the sass to-
morrow, and the meat is ready to chop for
mince pies"
Patty had seated herself at the table and
Hstle~sly taken up book.
" l don't want 70 chop meat tonight"
said she. Tomorrow morning win do
Just as we'll"
Disappointed whispered Miss Cassan-
dTa, behind her hand. to Mrs. Greer, who
was slightly deaf Sort O. calc'lated on
Arad Temple bein' here tonight Wal,
mebbe its lest as well. Aradd he's too par
tial to Lew Hibbard's place"
Patty could have murdered Cousin Cas-
sandra. She jumped up and went TO the
door II let the cat in.
"Why, Aradv she exclaimed as pussy
darted in, aud tall figure appeared in the
background.
Cousin Cassandra opened the inner door
and craned her neck forward.
well, l neVerH said she. ITS you,
after all, amt it? We sort O. reckoned, ME
aud Patty, that you'd found your way into
that new store o Lew Hibblrd's."
- did stop in there" said Arad coolly.
Miss Classy shook her head.
knew it, said she, Jest as wells if
I'd seen We with my own eyes"
Mrs. Greer lighted the fire in the besI
room, with true maternal solicitude.
What's that for?'" asked Miss Classy.
hey anything to say that we can't hear jest's
wells not? would not let Patty keep
company with any man that goes to Lew
HI6bard's place, eff | was you, Sarah; it's a
regular well of iniquityp'
al guess Arad Temples 4 pretty steady
young man." said Mrs. Greer, timidly. as
she adjusted the best duplex lamp on the
table, and set the family Bible and the neW
photograph album straight.
Cousin Cassandra Stalked grimly out of
the room.
Don't say I didn't warn your said she.
Patty came to her mother that night
just as the big kitchen clock was striking
eleven.
Mother" said she, " Arad Temple has
asked me to be his wife"
Mrs. Greer looked quickly up.
WHAT did you tell him, Patty2" said
she.
"I-said-yesl Oh, mother, why shouldn't
l? He is so good, so nlce-and he loves me
dearly"
But yonr Cousin Cassandra thinks"
Mother" whispered Patty, nesting her
head down on her mothers shoulder, "
did say something about Lewis Hibhari's
store. l made believe l was angry, mother,
and he looked so hurt, and he let my hand
fall so, mother" with pretty pieca of
pantomime). land he said, If you can't
trust me in everything, Patty. don't trust
me at allP And l said that I'd trust him,
mother, to the very end. Did | do right?"
Well" said Mrs. Greer, tenderly en-
folding Patty with her loving arms, "its
just the answer | should have made your
father, Patty, when we kept company; ;
that's all | know. And your Cousin Cas-
saDdra-"
"Oh, let Cousin Cassandra mind her own
bnsinessP said Patty, coloring up. "She
always was prying, disagreeable old
maid. and l think she grows worse every
year"
Miss Cassandra Greer heard the news Of
the engagement with an ominous shake of
the head and the remark:
It's dreadful resky thing. / wouldn't
run such chance"
ATTY Hdu IL Ou Inc up Oh ner tongue TO
retOrt that 1t was extremely unlikely she
would ever be called upon to hazard any
such danger, but she thought better of il
and didn't. She was 50 exceedingly happy
she could afford to be magnanimous.
me and Mrs. Squire Rudder and Miss
Betsy Hall and some OF tie other church
ladies'" said Miss Classy. "were gwne 10
try and git that place of Lewis Hibbard's
shut up. Aud don't think mono the more
Of ArGd Temple for his going so much there
But lawl Patty's completely infatuated
with him, and there's no use talking to her
bout it."
Patty" said young Temple to his fiancee,
the week before the wedding, you have
trusted me- and you've done right But
don't like TO see the troubled look on your
face whenever that old meddler gives tongue
on The subject of Hibbard's store. I've been
there a good deal lately, but I've never
spent cent I've been earning money in
stead at my trade. putting up new barn
and line of sheds at the rear-and that
was my business there. But | wouldn't
please Cousin Classy so much as to tell her
that. Isn't it strange that people can't mind
their own business 2"