Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-06-23

II 2 VIII Rouce CuaSc IN ANiH'
on" she remarked to Jennie as Sh'
tied up her stiff ruStling bonnet string.
under her chin. I'm going in searcl
of adventure, a female Don QuiNote i
YOU please. and shall probably CONF
home with the rheumatism and a tenn
per like a saw. hut take care o
things and allow this lonely old lad,
to have her whirl and see a bit of life
from a different point Of view than the
back kitchen windows six days in the
week and the front porch on the sew
enth." And Aunt Calista was driver
to Jones's station by the hired man
who remarked on his return, Il swan
whatll happening neNt9N
The next thing that did happen that
was greatly out Of the usual was the
arrival of a letter from Aunt Calista-
the first that had come in the six weeks
Of her absence. II vas brief and not
in the least satisfactory, and Jim and
Jennie declared that Aunt Calista was
growing unwholesamely mysterious,
II was dated from the city inwhich Jim
and Jennie lived, and simply said that
she had grown weary of meandering
around in an aimlesS, miscellaneous
way, and had finally fetched up at
their home. where she proposed to stay
a spell if they would come back and
entertain her. She wanted TO rest up
from her recuperating and would they
pack up and return Immediately. The
hired man could keep house alone for
a week. 1t lacked an hour till the
western bound train arrived. but when
il came, Mr.. and Mrs. James Hanly
were among the handful of passengers
who moved on" like little Joe.
Jim had grown stout and well with
his six weeks of country life, free from
care, and Jennie's cheeks were plump
and roster than they had been for many
a year. Aunt Calista vas at the
crowded railway station TO meet them,
and, snatching their luggage from
them, hurried them into a stylish cab
and threw in the valise and followed
after it. 1t was the first time in all
their lives they had had the luxury OF
such a ride. with springy velvet cush-
ions, a driver with brass buttons and
an uncomfortable hat. and they sat
back amid this luxury vaguely Won
dering what would next happen. They
were driven directly to their home and
landed in front of it, as a bright lamp
a new post by a new gate showed.
A new fence hanked the gate on either
side and a neat gravel walk bordered
with flowers led up to the house.
The house, What a change. The
old one transformed into a perfect pic
ture OF a cottage "a veritable, tangible
dream OF modern, modest architecture,
Aunt Calista opened the door and
touched a mysterious button and the
was a food of light, and if it
a picture outside it was a poem
within, Such pretty carpet, such pref
ty curtains. such pretty walls and such
pictures upon them, and such
pretty furniture,
1t all seemed like a dream to jim
and Jennie. and as Aunt Calista pulled
aside the curtain to lay her coat and
bonnet on the bed she handed them a
bit of paper, which. standing arm in
arm under the pretty chandelier, they
real. And this is what they read.
with foolish tears dimming the page:
DEAR JENNIE 81 jim: Please accept the
home You worked so hard for and loved so
well. but lost, from me, your eccentric but
loving old sister. Calista. You will find the
deed in the drawer Of the table you are stand
ing by, Six weeks Of living here for some one
else. besides my lonely self. has made me
wish to live here always. and YOU. jim, shall
my house on the lot adjoining as soon
us YOU can sharpen your tools and wits enough
to make me as pretty a home as yours. l think
my Ink is pale. and when you have figured out
this come into the dining-room on the left.
Supper is ready. SISTER CALlsTA,
! am one of Aunt Calista's numerous
nephews: not by birth or blood, but
because she allows me, as she does
many others. to call her that. because
she is our ideal of a dear, loving. kind
old woman, She is always doing
strange, good things, and there is nc
way of doing kindly acts so perfect as
Aunt Calista's ways. b. McManus.
in Rams Horn.