River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-06-21
The next thing that did haupen tina.

The next thing that did happen that
was greatly out of the usual was the
arrival of letter from Aunt Calista-
the first that had come in the six weeks
of her absence. Il was brief and not
IL the least satisfactory, and Jim and
Jennie declared that Aunt Calista was
growing unwholesomely mysterious.
IL 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 il they would come back and
entertain her. She wanted TO rest up
from her recuperating and y Ould they
pack up and return Immediately. The
hired man could keep house alone for
week. II lacked an hour Till tie
western bound train arrived, but when
it came, Mr.. and Mrs James nanly
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 man.
a year. Aunt Calista was 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. II was the first time in all
their lives they had had the luxury of
such ride, with springy velvet cush-
4 Int al
an uncomfortable hat, and they sat
back amid this luxury vaguely won
dering what would next happen. They
were driven directly To their home aud
landed in front of il, as bright lamp
on a new post by new gate showed.
\ new fence fianked the gate on either
side and neat gravel walk bordered
with flowers led up 10 the house.
The house. What a change. The
old one transformed into perfect pic
ture of "A cottage "a veritable, tangible
dream of modern, modest architecture.
Aunt Calista opened the dooI and
touched mysterious button and tile
house was flood OF light. and if it
was picture outside il was a poem
within. Such pretty carpet, such pref
t. curtains, such pretty walls and such
pretty pictures upon them, and such
pretty furniture,
II all seemed like a dream to Jim
and Jennie, aud 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
READ. And this is what they read,
with foolish tears dimming the page:
DEAR JENNIE AND jim. Please accept the
home you worked 50 hard for and loved 50
well but lost. from me. your eccentric but
loving old sister. Calista- You will Ind 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 maze me
wish 10 live here always and you. Jim. shall
hes n my house on the lot adjoining as soon
as you can sharpen your tools and wits enough
TO make me as pretty home as yours. l think
We shall always be neighbors. Ny pen is poor.
my ink is pale. and when you have figured out
this come into the dining-rOom on the left.
Supper Is ready. SISTER CALIsTA.
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 no
way of doing kindly acts 50 perfect as
Aunt Calista's ways. Il. McManus,
in RAMS Horn.