Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-08-18
POOR AUNT MATILDA.
| 0h0 Made n Gricvous Mistake and Lost an
Opportunity of Lifetime.

! oh0 Made n Grieyous Mistake and Lost IN
Opportunity of n Lifetime.
AT last am quits with old Aunt-in-law
/ Matilda, who. as told you, has never yet
forgiven Harry for marrying Yankee
girl" writes a transplanted compatriot,
4 who remains stanch American despite
her English surroundings. 1t happened
In. this wise Harry, who is always so good
natured and is adored by his sisters and his
cousins and his aunts, asked the old WON
an to dinner one night last week. She ar
rived early. as usual, and presented herself
1T my bedroom door, asking permission to
F.! come in and pa, on her cap, which she al
ways carries In little package whenever
she goes out. hate being bothered when
| | am dressing, but Of course l assumed a
friendly air, and we cntere6 into converse
| ton as II we were really good friends, in
I stead OF cordially detesting each other.
| Harry said we should be quite alone
tonight remarked my relative. so l wor,
my second best lappets.'
They are very nice, am sure said
| carelessly in reply. but we are not quite
alone after all A cousin of mine, who ar
| rived in London to-day, is coming, and Lord
| A. proposed himself this afternoon
|
who like most English women Of the up
| per middle class. is a vertable tuft hunter.
| The young Earl Of -. shall be delighted
to meet his lor,lship. know his mother.
| the countess. quite WELL and she arranged
| herself before the glass in quite a twitter OF
anticipation. When she was ready, we went
down and found Harry and our two guests
| in the drawing ROOM Cousin Jack did look
! q perfect dear, SO blond and so irreproach-
| able altogether from the top OF his well
| groomed. shining head to the tips of his
| patent leather shoes, and | could have
| Rugged him for being such creditable
| specimen of well bred American. Lord
A. beside him looked very small. very sal
low and altogether insignificant.
= Aunt Matilda did not hesitate an in
! slant as to which was the lordling as they
both made their bows simultaneously Oh
being presented to her. She gave the most
gracious smile and handshake to Jack and
such snubby little nod to Lord A. oh, it
was too delicious! At dinner the convers;l-
tien was very general about the last new
play, the Royal academy, the weather, etc.
So poor, deiadcd Aunt Matilda did not find
ont her mistake and BATTERED Jack until
he did not know which way to look, while
she ignored and snuhbed poor Lord a. at
every turn.
After dinner the old cat took me to task
for not having gone in to dinner with the
carl Such breach of etiquette. dear
Kitty she said 'You really should lie
more careful. And then she added, jault-
lily, 'Yon know at Rome you should do as
the Romans do, and over here we think a
great dead af that sort of thing
Then came my revenge, and, oh. how
delighted vast | smiled my sweetessand
sand iangnidly: i fancied you had mistaken
my cousin .Jar,. for Lord a. What pity
You world have liked asking about his
mother ~huHd you nott Oh. If you could
have scen h. Lace And the cup Of her an
guish quite o.cInowed when Harry came
into the drawing room with Jack, saying:
"A had to 20 10 fetch his sister from din
fer party. Iie did not know how late it
was, so he asked he to make his apologies
and to say good night.
Il am sur. Aaut n will count that even
ing among tie loSt opportunities Of her
life New York Tribune.