The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-09-25
Dur fan,ilp 5torp.
AUNT MARGARET.
ny HELENA MAYNARD IN THE STAN
DARD.n

us he took down his overcoat and pre-
pared to go out. That was the way In
which discussions between Mr.. and
Mrs Grant usually ended, disproving
the old assertion that q woman will al
ways have the last word.
This evening MI. Grant had been
longer in reaching that decision than
usual, and it did not seem quite salts
factory to him, for he stood a moment
came back to his wife's chair.
"Well!n she said, somewhat impa-
tiently.
sol course" he said "you wouldn't
think II was best unless she was entire
ly willing. Remember. L w a great
deal to Aunt Margaret" .
"Well, [ am sure anybody o
say YOU had repaid her we'll"
"My DEAR" Mr.. Grant began, but
she was apparently unwilling to
o d the question, and fastened to
say: "I'm sure she will be willing,
RoDert. Don't worry about that.
Leave it to me to manage. OF course,
there is no hurry" .
"Oh, no." he, said, "no hurry at
ALL" and then he had gone.
"Well," she said, with a look of re-
lief, as the door closed behind him,
sc far, 80 good. won't say anything
to Aunt Margaret until next week
when Robert Is gone. ! hope she will
mot be unreasonable"
In her pleasant o across the hal
Aunt Margaret sat in her low rocker
before the CRATE. Her hands were
busy with her knitting, but her
thoughts were wandering in the past,
How distinctly she remembered sail
ing bark boats in the meadow brook,
playing Robinson Crusoe on its tiny
island, and hunting the Spring flowers,
Then the happy school days brought q
smile to her lips, and us she recalled the
apple-bees and cuttings, the picnicS
and singing-schools, her o seemed
filled with the presence Of tho friends
Of her youth who had shared in those
merry-makings. Again they were
gathered in that very room at het
sister Fanny's wedding, and the walls
re-echoed with music and laughter.
Now they have vanished, all but
one.-the- one IN all the world to hel
then, and, he sitting by her side. All,
that vas sixty years ago: or was i;
only yesterday?
Her wedding dress was almost done,
and the preparations for the wedding
feast were begun when Fanny and
Fanny's husband sickened and died,
leaving two little boys, James and
Robert and Margaret had said "We
must wait q little, John"
One year, two years passed, and now
John was going West.
"You will go with me-" he pleaded
Could she go and leave her aged
father, her mother stricken with
paralysis, and the little orphan chill
dren?
emo, John, L cannot go, but | can
You are free. Goodbye, good-bye."
light?
Then came a long, m%ontonous stretch
of years, broken only by sad events,
the drowning Of James, the death OF
her father and mother, the news OF
Johns marriage. But the daily labor
was lightened by love, and though the
Joy and hope ofyouth were gone, peace
took their place.
Then Robert married, and brought
his wife to brighten the old home.
Very sweet and gentle she was, and
Aunt Margaret wept as If for her own
daughter when she died a few years
after. But she had little time for
tears. There was q baby boy to be
cared for. How winsome and mis-
chievous he was, and how the years
which had whitened her hair and
wrinkled her brow and bent her form
had given him strength and manli-
How empty the house seemed
when he went away to college?
And then his father had brought
hone another wife, and since then-
All the fire has burned low, and the
stocking is done.
Good morning, Aunt Margaret l
thought would bring my work and
sit with you for awhile. How pleasant
this room is. 1t is just such a Don as
Mrs. Rogers library, where / visited
last Fall. Hers is all finished and fur
nished In hard woods; all that side of
the room Is lined with book cases.
Her writing desk stands here, and the
library table there. 1t is just such a
room IS l have Away planned to have,
some time" and Mrs. Grant chatted on
of other things.
the Aged at Clayton, and said: 81
was telling Robert the other day that
/ thought you would enjoy it better to
live in IN old ladies' home. The one
at Clayton Is very nice. The matron
and all the attendants are so kind 7
am sure you would like it.. You could
take down all of this furniture you
wanted, and your pictures to hang on
the walls to make 1t seem homelike.
OF course it would be some expense,
but Robert said he would be glad to
meet that"
She had talked on, keeping her head
bent over her work. She had not seen
the look of blank amazement pass v
Aunt Margaret's face, leaving it per-
fectly white, but she heard a stitled
moan.
ooh, Aunt Margaret, are you hav-
ing those rheumatic twings again?
Where is the pain this time ?" she
asked lightly.
Sin my heart" said Aunt Margaret,
making a pitiful attempt to smile.
"Oh, I hope not. Rheumatism Of
the heart Is very bad. That is one
thing 1 told Robert at the home you
would always have the best medical
are and nursing"
"And then you could have your Ii
brary," said Aunt Margaret, slowly.
"Why yes, perhaps l could, but I
don't want you to think"
mo-" said Aunt Margaret, ST know
you don't, and I don't want to, but how
can / help it"
Mrs. Grant made q number of button
holes in silence, then she said
"Well, what shall L tell Robert? 2"
"You may tell him I will go when
ever he wishes me to-" the feeble voice
faltered.
every WE'LL" said Clara, in o re-
lieved tone. 81 thought you would
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