The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-04-04

soS eALN 49, GHOootsTa ATLANTA a.
|
in selecting and setting aside sundry
understanding presents and ether
| things-which they felt IL would ioc a
| dissertation to allow to come under the
auctiOneer's hammer.
Early on Monday they set out to hurt
for apartments. They had already cut
out a number OF likely advertisements
from different newspapers. Six O'Clock
saw them back home. tired out and. 50
far. unsuccessful in their quest. Any
one whose fate ii has been 10 go house
or apartment hunting in London will
not fail to accord them need of sym
pathy.
Dinner pasesd off sadly enough. Clara
had a headache. and neither she nor. her
husband was in a mood for conversa-
ton The meal was at an end. and the
servant had come in to clear away the
things, when without any preliminary
notice, the dining-roOm door was flung
wide and in marched TALL gaunt elder
ly woman, with a long, sallow face and
gray hair, and with something that was
almost military in her gait and bearing.
She was dressed plainly, but in eXecel-
lent taste. and with no attempt to make
herself look younger than her years No
one could take her for anything but a
gentlewoman.
Clara sprang to her feet with a little
cry.
Aunt Sarah. by all that's wonderful
exclaimed Fairclough. "Clara has been
longing all day to see you. and now you
are here. A clear case Of mental mag
netism' he added. as he advanced and
shook Miss Wimbush cordially by the
hard. Clara's arms were already round
her aunt's neck. 'Well, my children,
spinster as she glanced keenly from one
to the other You do not look over
cheerful, neither of you. l must say?
Then after a stare round the room, the
walls of which had been denuded of
their etchings and the over-mantel of
its china, she added quickly: And,
pray, what's the meaning of this most
admired disorder Don't tell me that
you are about to fit"
That's just what we are about % do,
Aunt Sarah replied Fairclough.
I'VE have been out all day trying to
find place to suit US, and we are both
of us dead beat" whimpered Clara.
Then ! must say that you are pair
of nincompoOps," rejoined the spinster
with some asperity. But some folks
never know when they are well Off
"And some folk cannot always help
themselves" retorted Fairclough, a lit
tie grimly.
Eth. What's that? Cannot -
Then as for the second time she keenly
scanned the faces of the young couple,
she added:
evidently there's more here than
meets the eye. Come and sit beside me,
my dear, and tell me all about it-for
that you have something to tell me
feel sure
Yes tell your aunt everything-it is
the best thing you can do said Fair
clough, and with that he left the two
ladies to themselves.
Clara, having seated herself on the
sofa by her aunt. incontinently burst
into tears. Her nerves were over
wrought and physically she was tired
out.
Miss Wimbush. beneath whose some
what repellant exterior beat one of the
warmest of hearts. soothed her niece
and made much of her; and before long
the latter was sufficiently composed TO
tell her tale.
And yet it was by no means an easy
one to tell Two people. both dear TO
her, We're each gTievously to blame.
1t was no use trying to explain away
the fact that her brothers difficulty had
been brought about by reckless specula-
ton on the stock exchange; nor did
Clara attempt il. Aunt Sarah merely
groaned and held up her hands at the
recital, as one who. although shocked
was not greatly surprised at the news.
Truth To tell, Frank DenisOn had never
been much of a favorite with his aunt.
When, however. it came to her hus-
bands case, Clara contrived to soften
so far the particulars as to lead her
aunt to infer that Fairclough was far
more sinned against than SHINING. She
frankly told her, however, that the gam
ing-table had been at the bottom of all
the trouble. He had been lured and be-
guiled into it by man much richer
than himself-one to whom all scruples
of morality were unknown. Weak and
too easily led away he might have been,
but not otherwise blameworthy. in any
case, the lesson was one which there
was no danger of his forgetting, and in
so far it might prove beneficial to him.
Clara then went on to tell her aunt
how her husband and she had decided
upon selling their furniture, going into
cheap lodgings and living with the
strictest economy till the sum. due to
Capt Verschoyle had been paid to the
uttermost farthing.
Miss Wimbush sat IN silence for some
time after Clara had brought her mar
rative to an end. Then she said: 1T
will be a great come-down for you my
poor dear. and you will feel il far more
than you have any notion Of at present
And your husband toO-but one can't
feel any pity for him; indeed, if he alone
were the sufferer, l for one should say
Serve him right"
Clara WINGED, but did not speak
What her aunt would have said had she
known the full extent Of Edgar's de-
Gladly, would i help you" resumed
the spinster, were it in my power to do
SO; but, as you are aware, years ago
sank every shilling of my capital in an
annuity. all Of which l. somehow or
other, manage to get through, so that I
have really next to nothing put away"
Clara knew that the whole of her
aunt'S income was by no means spent
on herself, but that a quarter Of it at
the very least was given away in
charity.
At this juncture Edgar re-entered the
room, and as he did Miss Wimbush
thing" she said you have been a very
weak and foolish boy TO say the least
of it; but it is TO be hoped the lesson
won't be thrown away on you. How
ever. L am not going to scold you; that
would do no good whatever. What I
say To you is: Don't take another step
i'm this business till you see me again"
She ended with three emphatic mods as
if TO lend emphasis TO her words. Il shall
look in upon you in The course to to-
morrow"
Edgar accompanied her down the lift,
and saw her safely deposited i'm a cab.
what can aunt possibly mean. dear,
by asking us to do nothing till she sees
us again?" burst out Clara the moment
he returned "She told me herself that
she has only her annuity to live on,
which 1 knew before and that she has
nothing saved up"
If there be such a thing as comic
annoyance, Fairclough's face was a
study OF it at that moment. You know
how your aunt simetimeS drops into the
way of thinking aloud" he said. well.
from word or two 1 CHANGED to over
tn In -