The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-08-25
"And you fourteen years older than

things as they used to-" reasoned Miss
Hartford the elder. "Eros is immor
tai, you know"
IIalcyon sank back into the ham,
mock and rcopened her book.
"You must do as you please, of
course" said she. "After that quota
tion about Eros, 1 have not sugges-
ton to offer"
"Jcalous, poor darling!" thought
Aunt Hal, with thrill of pity. And
she said:
"Well. of course one can't help
those things happening to one, and
your time will come soon, dear, never
fcar.''
HIts q good thing" she added to
herself, "she does not know any
thing about dear old Judge Flostroy.
There's a difference in age, if you
please, and the old pet is SO infatu-
ated about me! An old mans darl-
ing or young mans slavc-which"
While Halcyon thought on her
side:
"Thc silly goose! He has done it
now! He has been making love to
Aunt Hal, thinking he was courting
me. Oh, thought he knew her name
was the same as mine. Didn't she
stand godmother to mo at S.. Chryso-
lines and give me coral and bells
and all embroidered christening robe?
And now he has actually proposed TO
her! Well, if he is the man l take
him to be, he'll stand by his colors,
cost him what 1t may. A man who
could walk up to the cannon's mouth
at Bey-Idonna surely won't shrink,
even from Aunt Hal. And Pd rather
know that he was true hero th-than
have a poltroon for my husband"
And Halcyon turned her face tow
ard the pillow, and cried great spark
ling tears like dewdrops.
$50 you're back again, Lieutenant?
Beg pardon, I'd orter said Colonel, !
do suppose" said the old cab driver
at tho station, whom Charlie Blossom
had remembered ever since he was q
child. "Well, declare, l shouldn't
hardly have knowcd ye! And come
home to be married, eh~
Blossom bit his lips, but he laughed
carclcssly. Jonas Hopper was a
privileged individual, like the court
testers of old.
"How did you know, Hopper"
"Oh, l dunno. Miss Hartford, she's
been gcttin' ready to be married, this
long time," said Jonas, hosting the
Colonel's luggage Oh the back of the
wagon. "And dressmakers and mil
liners they will talk, you know,
tiouSh Ill toiu hiSS Alai tooA Sio"'
pains to hide it,"
"Did she?" aside: "The dar-
ling.")
"And fne woman she is, Colonel"
ofliciously added Jonas, as he pushed
in the last iron-clamped trunk. "a
very fine woman, considerin' her age.
l wonder she amt married long
ago."
Col. Blossom opened his sleepy black
eyes wide.
"Why, man, who in the world are
you talking about?"
"Why, Miss Hal Hartford, to bo
sure"
"Miss Halcyon or Miss Hallianap"
"There amt no Miss Halllana,"
said Jonas. "They're both tho same
name; but we call the aunt Miss Ha
and tho niece Miss Halcyon. My
daughter she's lady's maid there, and
Id'd orter know, if any one does"
"And which of them is it that is
going to get married" breathlessly
queried Blossom.
"Why, the old 'un, in course! Beg
pardon!" hurriedly added Jonas. 'I
mean Miss Hal. Polly she tells mo
there are twenty-four different gowns
ordered, lot alone the jackets and
parasols and ten-button kid gloves tit
to make your hair stand OH end"
"And Miss Halcyon-the young
lady," cried tho Colonel-"sho is ell
gagged, too9"
"Not as any one knows on. That
all, Colonel? Got your telescope bag?
Then we'd better be movin.'"