The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-12-02
Mix HANDKERCH1EP.

that afternoon, and Cora had promised
to 90. She'll never let me-" Cora
thought, welding the parlor buster with
nervous hands-''neverl She's got on
her blue silk handkerchief to-day and
don't know by experience that she
wears it only when she's feeling dismal
and thinking over all the troubles she
ever had or will have, and that she never
wants me to do anything when she's that
way. Oh, dear! And l told him"
Cora paused in her reflections and
thu stout and digniiied lady who had en-
tered.
there's a picnic at the Lodge this af
ternoon, Aunt Cecilia" she began-''iust
little impromptu affair. They talked
it up the otlsr night at Bess Lang's
party, and promised to go. OF course
meant to speak to you first"
"Certainly!' said Aunt Cecilia The
blue silk handkerchief was folded around
her plump neck in particular way. You
should have spoken to me immediately.
Who has invited you?"
"Mr PIERCE Cora raised her soft
eyes anxiously-"the young man who is
here prospecting for the Bryan Valley
railroad, you know. They are thinking
of putting branch through beTe, and
Mr.. Pierce has been here several times
this summer. He's very nice and he's
invited everywhere, and-and we seem
to know each other very well / ow, for
he always talks to me, you know" Cora
spoke with pretty, eager rapidity, her
cheeks flushing. HE wants to call, and
he's coming this morning to if it is
all right about my going this afternoon.
| told him of course it would be. We
want to start about one"
"PierceY' said Aunt Cecilia. Zone of
the West Gainesbro' Pierces?'
81 don know: presume not. No, l
think he's from"
II know the West Gainesbro' Pierces
root and branch" said Aunt Cecilia, de-
liberately and branch-and l
would no more allow a niece of mine to
associate with-never mind; / will not
argue it, Cora. l know the Pierces. l
am grieved and displeased that you
have formed an acquaintance so unpleas-
ant to me, whom you should have CON
sidered. hope not to hear of another"
But he isn't one of the West Gaines
bro Pierces," Cora cried-"rm sure he
isn't, Aunt Cecilia! l can't think of the
place he does come from. He told me,
too. But oh, Aunt Cecilia, he's 50 gen
tlemanly, and-nice!'
Helpless tears stood in her eyes. She
had not quite realized before how much
he had come to be to her-handsOme,
br!ght-mannered Albert Pierce.
IL desire you to have nothing more to
do with him." said Aunt Cecilia, show
ing her niece a severe, straight profile.
Aunt Cecilia was certainly good looking,
her niece resembled her. "A clandeStine
acquaintance of that sort, Cora! | am
astonished! Even were his family
worthy Of"
1T isl know it is. And 'clandes-
tine,' Aunt Cecilia? How can you say
so? And what shall do? He's coming
this morning to see about it, and-dear
Aunt Cecilia"
81 Shout! prefer not 10 have him
come" said Aunt Cecilia. 1--WE will end
this undesirable acquaintance here and
now, Cora. lie is at the Lane House, |
presume. will send Matthew there
with a note, if you will write it, My
niece cannot attend picnics with a stran-
ger, and a Gainesbro' PIERCE
Aunt Cecilia moved away. If she
heard presently, from her seat by the
sitting room window, something like a
faint sob, she persuaded herself that she
had not heard it. For Aunt Cecilia had
a heart and warm one. Her niece
knew that. Standing with her eyes hid
den, child-li like, on the back of her hand,
which was wet with her tears, standing
with real misery in her despairing heart,
Cora murmured, dism&lly:
''She never would have done it! Don't
| know? 1t isn't like her; she couldn't
have? It's that blue silk handkerchief"
Aunt Cecilia had the phHton brought
around early that afternoon, and called
to Cora. Cora, fresh as rose in pink
cambria dress, with white lace tlounces,
was playing a new waltz in lively style.
She did not believe in worrying or sulk-
ing. The gay gown and the music, and
the bright look with which she greeted
ner aunt rs she stepped into the carriage
beside her, were the results at sensible
determination not to make matters
worse than they already were.
Aunt Cecilia wore her blue silk hand
kerchief-that was enough. Perhaps
yes, surely-all things would come out
right somehow. Cora hummed the waltz
as they drove away.
"If I'll go back and get you lace
fichy, Aunt Cecilia" she venturnd,
won't you put it on instead-instead
Of
This handkerchief does very WELL"
Aunt Cecilia responded. II have had it
twenty-five years, and wear it now and
then for old times sake, Cora"
"Um, yes!' said Cora, patiently.
what are you going to do with these
two jugs, aunt?'
81 am going to have them filled with
boiled cider at Bently's cider mill, " Aunt
Cecilia rejoined.
"Ohn Cora m(lrmured
Never, never would Aunt Cecilia have
driven to Bently's mill for two jugs of
boiled cider if she had not been wearing
her blue silk handkerchief for old times
sake.
Eyes, Cora, said AunC Cecilia. gloom
ny, Il have had this handkerchief TWEEN
ty-two years this fall. l remember per-
fectly how I came by it. Your great
uncle, Godfrey, had a store in West
Gainesbro' and lived tnere-that is how
came to know the Pierces, COra-and
he gave me this handkerchief. His store
burned that same winter, and the poor
man lost his sight only the next year.
Was it that year your Aunt Sarah died?
No, that was late the next spring. An
excellent woman your Aunt Sarah was.
She caught terrible cold, aud it settled
on her lungs, and her death was painful
and lingering. The next year"
Aunt Cecilia paused In her cheerful
"reminiscences.
UI wonder IL Dan will he figetv about