Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-12-05
AUNT JAMES STORY,

had had tiff with my wife thai
morning. Those who are married know
what that means, and those who ore mol
may know some time, if observation has
not already taught them.
1t was all my fault 1 ara willing r.
admit that COW, but Yasn't then.
suppose l must have CSC out of bed ia
the wrong way, aud neglected to follow
the custom of certain superstitious pes
pie, who when such catastrophe oC.
ours, make haste to get into ben again
and take care TO get out in the right
way in order that they may begin the
day as auspiciously as possible.
Then the coffee was cold. That Ger
tainly was not my fault. But it was my
fault when [ made certain dspaiaeing
remarks to my wife concerning this and
kindred subjects.
The upshot of it Was that | left the
house without bidding goodbye to my
wife IN the customary atfectionate man-
ner that marked our parting in thu than
last days of our honeymoon.
went out for stroll, and chau?e, or
was it fate2 took me by the horse of
Aunt Jane. was comparatively a
stranger in town aud had few visiting
acquaintance. Aunt Jane of course was
one of these. She was my wife's favor
lite aunt, or, rather my wife was her ia,
vorite niece, and l was always sure OF a
welcome at her house.
went in, and my aunt, ci.ll her mine,
instantly OWNED that there was some.
thing the matter. ! suppose it was my
manner together with her womans in-
stinct that carried the impression to her
mind. Her very first word sold me that
she had guessed the nature of the trouble.
This was all the moro remarkable from
the fact that she was unmarried herself,
aud her knowledge of affairs in the mar.
ried world must necessarily come TO her
at second hand. However, this time she
struck the nail on the head.
''Why, Tom, where is Carrier she
asked, and looked her surprise. "Isn't
this the first time YOU have gone visiting
without herr
"The first time, I believe, aunt"
''Hm, she returned, THAT looks bad
Whose fault is it | wonder. No matter,
you uecjH'l answer. | know it wasl'.
Carries
"Then it must be mine, - said /, yet
they say it takes two TO make quar-
rel.
"But only one to begin it, returned
my aunt quickly. ''Some folks are of
such quarrelsome natures that they quar-
rel with themselves when there is no one
else at baud for them to quarrel with.
This is not personal, Tom. ldon't really
believe it was wholly your fault. Atany
rate, am sure that it can't be anything
serious"
ait is serious enough" / answered,
"but the next one will not be near so
serious, | continued brutality, "we'll
get used to it you see
'Mercy don't talk that way. Why
did you ever begin iti'
.I?"
''Oh, / mean both of you, of course. l
must give my niece II piece of my
mind.
"Give it to me instead, aunt
"Ah, am glad to see that you are
SOihlu9 ~ Nbul otuHte
did not feel in the least offended at
Aunt James disposition to lay all the
blame OF our quarrel at my 10 r. She
was outspokea to fault, and generally
said what she meant, and also meant
what she said. However, | knew that
She had my interests and those of my
wife ut heart, and il she told me the
truth about myself once in while it
would certainly do me no harm to hear
it.
II want TO tell you a story, Tom, - she
said, after an interval of silence, ''if YOU
have time to hear it
''Onc with a moral" queried;
"edtors nowadays don like stories with
moral attached"
''If taeIe is oucitis not too prominent.
Besides, this story is for Yourself and not
for any editor.
Then there j. moral This is
foregone conclusion.
"All stories worth reading or telling
have a moral in them somewhere, even
though it be only between the lines"
well, ! am ready to hear 1t, said,
as picked out the second most com
tortabls chair in the room, and made my
self 60 nortabe. I was not averse to
taking notes and subsequently, publishing
them, or at least trying to publish them.
"once upon time" began Aunt
Jane.
"Ab, fairy story" interrupted
"No, said my aunt, "but there may
be a fairy in it, and also prince. Well,
once upon a time there lived Young
lady, beautiful aud good, aud at mar.
riageab,e age, which is better still, for
story purposes. Who was she' Well
to be frank she was one OF my nieces,"
(which onc?" | again interrupted
"That viii be told in the last chap,
ter, - replied my aunt.
~ | know herr
"Not very we'll, l think, although
she is not a stranger to you, by any
means.
With this rather vague description of
the heroine was forced to be content,
while Aunt Jane went on with her
story.
Wei, as matter OF course this
young lady had many suitors. They
didn't exactly come from far and near,
as suItols do in fairy story, but they
were young men who had always known
her and who all of sudden discovered
what had never before entered their
minds-taat is, that they loved her, and