The Forrest City times., 1894-12-21
AUNT RACHEL'S NIECE.

1t is quite long walk, even for one who takes delight in that sort of exer- else, from the railway stati on to Aunt RacheFs home over north of Garrctts- vile, but the road is so delight ful and the country so pleasant that one does not weary even if he does walk. Once there, there is every temptation to take long walks every aay, for it is not far to the ledges. and n all Ohio there is not pleas anter place to idle away pleasant sum- mer days than along those lodges.
 l haven't the least reason in the world for calling her Aunt Rachel" but began to do so the second time I saw her and have kept itup ever since. She is aunt to everybody, old and young, in her neighborhood, and it just comes natural to claim the rela- tionship, and I fell into the habit easi- ly. l consider it a piece of good for tune that has brought me many pleas ant friends in Ohio that happened to find myself at her home one summer day not many years ago.
 Besides Aunt Rachel there were three other members of the household at that time in whom 1 soon felt some interest beyond the ordinary. Thes- were Aunt Rachcfs hired man, Joe his other name does not matter-her niece, Margaret Kelley, and young fellow from Cleveland who was staying there simply because he liked to and, as afterward learned, because Miss Kelley was there.
 Between Joe, the hired man and Harry Perrin, the gentleman guest, there was great contrast, and 1 soon made up my mind that Joe knew more in a minute than Mir. Perrin would ever be able to learn, The hired man was a nice young fellow, but not par ticularly noticeable, for he had a fashion of going about his work in a matter-of-fact way that did not attract attention. He was polite and kindly disposed toward the people he met and the live stock under his care. He was made one of the family, as is the fashion in the western reserve, and took it as q matter of course that he was the equal of anyone on the farm. He had fashion of always appear ing neat and of coming to the table with coat on that is not exactly uni versal among the people of his class. He was intelligent and as well edu- cated as most of farm boys, and that he suited Aunt Rachel was proven by his continuous service with her for more years than the average hired man stops at one place.
 I soon found that he was pretty well posted as to his business, was really interested in the prominent events of the day, and could even discuss the tariff without making me feel as If 1t was a dreary subject. Altogether, Joe was not bad sort to know, and l soon got into fashion of following him about his work, and have no doubt it was an exaggerated notion ct the claims of hospitality that pre- vented him from telling me plainly that he was dreadfully bored by me on more than one occasion. We got to be pretty good friends, however. and it was not long before l discov- cred that Joe thought Miss Kel- ley was a most charming girl. I pitied the poor fellow, for knew she had never given him sec ond thought, and never would. l shsu not try to describe Margaret Kelley except to say that she was one girl in ten thousand A perfect blonde, she was good to look at, and girl that one likes instinctively, for she carrie d about with her the gladness of life. Rich in her own right; proud of her self and of her possessions, she was not at all above being companionable to anyone who could be interesting. Proud as she was, she was not one who thought herself better than others who behaved themselves. Intelligent, well educated, with all an American girls smartness at repartee, she was very democratic in her views and treated Joe as politely as she did Mr. Perrin, and laughed with him as free ly as she ever did with those who had