Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-03-10
nv head moving between the branches

pose, IOT lily liuiT 10 stllOW' "A Sut,
he said, for which he entertained
most murderous antipathy--a regular
ribalder that had In truth been dis
turbing both our dreams nightly for
some time. Then we began to laugh
about It, and it wasn't long before he
was on the wall by my side and we
were chatting away like old cronies.
1t was little improper, admit,
but you know starving man will
not likely refuse n dainty morsel
given him, and ! was ready to die
from loneliness.
Well, after that the old elm tree
got to be a regular trysting place,
and very soon-but this Is Aunt
jeans romance, not mine.
Walter Fairfax was his name. He
had come to study medicine with his
uncle, DIR. John Fairfax, the owner,
and besides himself the only occu.
pant of the next door house. The
old gentleman, inferred from what
he said, had in measure adopted
him.
After good while, with consider
. able trepidation, I put few ques.
tions to him relative to the feud ex-
listing between the two families, and
found that he knew as little and was
as curious about 1t as myself.
We soon began to compare our
selves to the Capulets and Mon
tagues; and he said II he was Romeo
l must be-but there I go again.
Well, it soon came to this, that
Walter loved me and I loved Walter,
and we admitted as much to each
other and had come to the conclusion
that things couldn't go on in this un-
settled, unsatisfactory way. Walter
insisted upon coming over and speak.
ing to my aunts about II, and when
he would take no refusal ! promised
to mention the subject to my aunts
myself. It was most absurd state
Of things, and I was determined to
get ut the bottom Of the trouble.
knew that for some reason any allu.
sion made respecting our neighbor
was painful, really distressing to
Aunt Jean, so I made up my mind to
unbosom myself one afternoon when
Aunt Jean had gone out by question.
ing Aunt Caroline regardless Of con.
sequences. This I did. I went to
her room and found her alone. Aunt
Jean had gone for a walk, and with.
out preamble let 1t of.
You will not believe me when I tell
you the old lady tainted outright.
Well, she did; and such time l
hope will never have again. But !
got the secret. It seemed that long
ago, when they were young, Aunt
Jean and the old doctor over the way
had been lovers, but that few weeks
before the marriage the old fellow
had just quietly walked of and Tilted
Aunt Jean, which almost broke her
heart; and for no rhyme or reason
that anybody could see had, indeed,
stayed of until the last few years,
when he suddenly came back one day,
and had been Mt home ever since, fol
which Aunt Caroline had sworn q
vendetta against him and every re-
mote connection Of his.
OF course 1t was very bad for him,
and I felt very indignant, but could
not help 1t, nor yet could Walter; &c
when Aunt Caroline quietly forbade
me ever to speak to Walter again
simply told her I could not and
would not make any such promise
She seemed to regard my loyalty Il
Walter rs the most unprecedented
ingratitude and bad faith on my part
. and told me plainly that she would
write ut once to mamma to explain
and upon receipt OF mammals letter
I was to puck up and put out fo
home.
OF course I went straight Il
: Walter. waiting ut the old trysting
, tree, and wept away my wrath ant
: indignation In lis comforting arms
lie consoled mo by saying that h
would come to my home to see nam
ma about 1t, and felt sure that h
. could make 1t plain to her that IL
was In no way accountable for wha
, his uncle might have done. He salt
also that In three months he would b.
, q, when he would come into som
. property OF his own and-who woul'
v think this was Aunt Jeans romance
VI Aunt Caroline after this kept sucl
I a sharp eye on me that 1t was almos
}. impossible ever to get a meeting wit
O Walter. But We wrote letters ever
Y day and put them into crack In tn
wall, which made nice little post
J, Office.
7 But the days sped by and mamma
d letter came. ! did not think 1t wa
In mamma to be so cruel and hard
}, hearted. There Is no use to tell 20
It all she said. 1t was what Aunt Cal
IS oline wanted her to say, and 1t mean
II that was never again to have any
= thing to do with Walter, and sll
g said was to come straight home. {
d course all this was kept from Aur
10 Jean, but l had the greatest mind t
sr tell. The only thing that restraine
me was that ! hated SO to mentio
= the subject to her, hated SO the ide
10 Of hurting lrer.
1t 1t was the afternoon before the da
it on which l was to be shipped hon
10 in disgace, when / walked out gu
city right before Aunt Caroline
] eyes and went down into the orchai
ID to meet Walter. Why she didn
a follow can't see. ] guess l locke
Up SO sad she was afraid to infame II
y any further.
! When l got to the elm tree l WI
c. surprised to find that Walter was NJ
10 there. waited awhile and still
le didn't come, SO went to the va