The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-07-04

On this she observed coldly that she
was sorry to hear her nephew was dis
senter, and Flushington was much too
shy to attempt to explain the misunder-
standing. He sat quiet and felt miser-
able, while there was another uncom-
Portable pause.
The cousins were whispering together
and laughing over little private jokes,
and he, after the manner Of sensitive
men, Of course imagined they were
laughing at him--and perhaps he was
not very far wrong on this occasion. SO
he was growing hotter and hotter every
second, inwardly cursing his whole race
and wishing that his father had been a
founding when there came another tap
at the door.
"Why, that must be poor old So
phyl' said his aunt. Fred, you remem-
Der old Sophy-no, you can't, you were
only a baby when she came to live with
us-but she'll remember you. She beg
ged so hard TO be taken, and so we told
her she might come ON here slowly after
us "
And then an old person in black
bonnet came feebly in and was consider
ably affected when she saw Washington.
''To think, D." she quavered, "to think as
my dim old eyes should see the child
I've nursed on my lap growed out into
a college gentleman And she Rugged
Washington and wept on his shoulder
till he was almost cataleptic with con-
fusion.
But as she grew calmer she became
more critical She confessed to GER
tain feeling of disappointment with
Flushington. He had not filled out she
said, $50 fine as he'd promised to fill
out. " And when she asked if he recol-
lected how he wouldn't be washed un-
less they put his little wooden horse on
the washstand, and what a business it
was to make him swallow his castor oil
it made Washington feel like a fool
This was quite bad enough, but at
last the girls began to go round his
rooms, exclaiming at everything, admir-
ing his pipe and umbrella racks, his
buffalo horns and his quaint wooden
kettle holder until they happened to
come upon his French novel, and being
unsophisticated colonial girls with a
healthy ignorance OF such literature
they wanted Washington to tell them
what it was all about
His presence of mind had gone hong
before, and this demand threw him into
a violent perspiration. He could not in
vent, and he was plainly racking his
brains to find some portion Of the tale
which would bear repetition when there
was another knock at the door.
At this Washington was perfectly
dumb with horror. Heprepared himself
blankly for another aunt with fresh
relay of female cousins CIR more old fam
lily servants who had washed him in his
infancy, and he sat there covering
But when the door opened tall, fair
haired, good looking young fellow, who
from his costume had evidently just
come up from the tennis court, came
bursting in impulsively.
''Oh, I say" be began, ''have you
heard-have you seen? Oh, beg pardon,
didn't see, You lnow!" he added as he
noticed the extraordinary fact that
Washington had people up
ooh, let me introduce you" said
Washington, with vague idea that
this was the proper thing TO do mir.
Washington, Mrs. DO, don't know her
name-my aunt-my cousins.
The young man, who had just been
about to retire, bowed and stared with
sudden surprise. "Do you know" he
said slowly to the other, Il rather think
that's my auntW
Tim afraid not, whispered
Washington "She seems quite sure
she's mine -
well, I've got an aunt and cousins
I've never seen before coming up to-
day" said the newcomer, land yours is
uncommonly like the portrait of mine "
IF they belong to you, do take them
awayP' said Washington feebly II
don't think can keep up much longer. "
'What are you whispering about,
Fred?" cried the aunt us it something
we are not to know"
"He says he thinks there's been a
mistake, and you're not my aunt" ex-
planned Washington.
"Oh, does hep she said, drawing her
self up Indignantly. 'And what does he
know about it didn't catch his name
who is her"
rT6u LuSllllBUout Inc sdlui tIihl
my name "
And who are you if he's Fred Lush
bgton?" she inquired, turning upon the
, unfortunate owner of the rooms.
"I'm Frederick Washington, he
stammered. "I'm sorry, but can't help
itp'
"Then you're not my nephew at all,
STRIP cried the aunt,
THANK you very much, " said Flush
r ington gratefully.
, "You see, " her real nephew was ex,
planning TO her, there isn't much light
On the staircase, and you must have
thought his name over the door was F.
Washington, so in you went, you know
The porter told me you'd been asking
for me, so looked in here to see wheth
er anything had been heard Of you, ant
here you are"
"But why didn't he tell me2" sh'
said, for she was naturally annoyed t.
, find that she had been pouring out he