The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1894-06-22
AUNT MARGERY.


Here's your chance, girls" said Mr..
Rogers Your Aunt Margery. down
IN Florida. wants one of you To go and
pay her visit"
Flora and Elsie looked at each other.
Which was il TO be? Flora was Mr..
Rogers only daughter and Elsie was
an orphan niece who had lived with
him for the last eight years. Neither
of them had ever seen Aunt Margery
who had never before been known to
invite any of her relations to visit her,
and all they knew about her was that
she was very rich and very eccentric.
Rogers family that she had not yet
made her will and was on the lookout
for an heir or heiress, and therefore
the letter received by Mr.. Rogers was
calculated To produce no small amount
OF excitement.
You are both to CO." Mr. Rogers
went on, but only one at time; and
she says she will have Flora first, rs
she is the eldest. You must be ready
for to-morrow's boat. Flora. l know
my sister Margery, and II you kept her
waiting for a week she might change
her mind"
III that's So" said Flora, IL must be-
gin TO pack right away. Come and
help me, Elsie"
Elsie went with the utmost good ma
ture, quite as much interested in her
cousins prospects as she wonld have
been in her own.
Flora had rather long journey. rs
her aunt lived in tho south of Florida,
where she amused herself with an
orange grove in little backwoods set
Element. She travelled in the coast
steamer from New York to Fernandina.
and when she reached Jacksonville she
decided to go down the st. Johns river
by steamboat, SO that she might avoid
the hot, uncomfortable cars as much as
possible. She thought more about es-
Gaping the cars than enjoying the beau
tiful scenery of the river, and came on
board provided with q novel and box
of chocolates.
She had just settle d down to her book
and her candy when she noticed lit
tie old lady sitting near her on decl:
chair, and remembered that she had
seen the same sharp. wizened little
old lady was knitting, and pres
emily her ball Of yarn fell from her lap
and rolled toward Flora's feet. Flora
saw it, but she had arranged herself
comfortably. and did not care To
move; so she pretended to be absorbed
in her book, and did not look up from
IL until the old lady spoke.
Young girl" she said, in q shrill,
high voice, lair you a-goin' to pick up
that there ball, or air you not?"
The address was certainly not very
polite. and when Flora handed her the
yarn II was in sullen silence. The old
lady, however, appeared to take no no
tce Of this. She said, quite cordially
''Thet's right. l like to see young
folks active. Old ones mostly hry
trouble in their backs an CANT do
their own STOPPING. Fine day, amt
it?"
Flora nodded. Her mouth was full
Of chocolate. and. besides, she wanted
TO read and not to talk. She began e
think She would say so plainly il the
old lady chartered much more. Afte,
few minutes silence the shrill voice
began again:
Young girl, whar was You raised?'
Are you addressing me?" asked
Flora, coldly.
There amt any other young CIR
around hereabouts tibet kin see," IN
swered the old lady, not In the leas
liscomposed by the intended snub
Am askin' you where you was raised.
II believe was born In New York;