The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-10-18

OF Aunt Belmont during the week; mass
and vespers on Sunday; and in the even
ings games of piquet with Uncle Belmont.
Never any evening visits! Never any
balls. Never any journeys!
Their most agreeable distraction in sum
mer consisted in watching three times
day for the steamboat to pass, with its car
go of tourists
This steamer, full of passengers from the
four corners of France, represented to
them all the joys and temptations of the
outside world. They watched it from a
distance, trembled at the whistle of the ma
chine, and saw it disappear with sighs of
regret. They studied with covetous eyes
the men with glasses swung over their
shoulder, and the beautiful women in fanci
full travelling costume; they followed the
double silver track of the boat on the blue
of the lake, and enjoyed beautiful dreams
of worldly pleasure and romantic adven-
ture
But at the end of September the tourists
went away with the swallows, and then
there was nothing to be seen on the boat
but the too familiar sihouettes of the neigh
bors on their way to town.
The two sisters fell again into the tire
some mOnotony of winter. In secret they
pitied themselves, as they thought of their
youth passed in this melancholy isolation,
and on Sunday they prayed God and the
saints to send into their lives some event
which would change this heart breaking
monotony.
One autumn day heaven seemed to grant
their prayers.
A letter from Geneva called the proprie
tor of the Grange away for a weeks alb
sence, and, as the old people could not live
one without the other, after the example
of Philemon and Baucis, they decided to
go together and leave the house in the care
of their neices.
SO one morning in October, after having
given explicit instructions to Meuricette
and Francine, the old couple climbed into
the wagon well loaded with provisions,
and disappeared at Il turn of the road
Alone, and mistresses of the house, the
two sisters began to clap their hands and
then to rack their brains to invent inter
dicted pleasures to prove to themselves
their monetary independence.
But despite much search, they found
nothing very new, and, after four days,
began to be embarrassed by their liberty.
One evening, as they were standing on
the balcony, wcarily watching the clouds
| form on the mountain, they heard voices
and footsteps, and saw two young men en-
tering They were two distant cousins at
school in the neighborhood of Grenoble,
who had crossed the lake with the inten-
tion of paying a visit to Uncle and Aunt
Belmont Mauricette and Francine, blush
ing with surprise and pleasure, explained
the absence of the old couple, and, anxious
to play the role of mistresses of the house,
urged their cousins to remain to dinner.
Was this not the event so much desired?
! The unexpected so much dreamed of that
heaven had sent them at last?
The two girls held consultation, and
resolved to profit by this unlOoked-for
visit, and to have, at least once in their
| life a semblance of a fete and ball. Di
| rectly the house was turned topsy-turvy.
Aunt Belmont's entire stock of candles
was used to fill the candelabra and the old
scones with brass balls in the drawing
room. Likewise, all the syrups in the store
| INIT, ,isiti for har
| freshments
After dinner the two cousins were sol
emnly conducted by the servant to the sd-
ton, which was deserted and palely light
ed After few minutes, folding doors
opened on the side, and the two sisters ap-
peared metamOrphosed
They had ransacked the chests and cup
| boards of their aunt, and selected some old
! lowered gowns of the time of Marie An
tonette In their waxed and powdered
hair roses f-om the garden were artfully
arranged. Their eyes were brilliant, and
smiles were on their lips. They waved
antique fans, and saluted their guests with
solemn courtesies.
The men enchanted at such tete, lent
themselves heartily to the deception.
The old piano asleep in the corner, was
opened, and the girls played alternately,
while one single couple watzed slowly
about the spacious room.
From time to time the servant appeared
with tray, and offered refreshments.
The night fishermen, throwing their lines
in the lake opened their eyes wide, when
they saw the sur ,>rising illumination of the
house on the lake.
Intoxicated by the music and the dancing
the hearts of the four young people be-
gan to beat quickly Their happines made
them oblivious to the flight of the hours.
Suddenly the sound of wheels was heard
outside, followed by eXclamations of irri-
tation in the vestibule. The door was brus-
quely opened, and, with arms Iaised to
heaven, Uncle and Aunt Belmont, who had
returned two days in advance of their eX,
pertation, arrived on the scene.
This is the end of the world"' gaspet
the old lady, while the uncle, always eco
nomlcal, attempted 10 oloW OUT lhe tah
dies in the candelabra.
Mauricette and Francinc gathered W
their lowered robes and fled to their cham
Der, and, murmuring vague excuses, thu
two cousins in their turn disappeared leav
} ing the old couple in the middle of the dis
ordered salon.
Years and years have passed since then
= Aunt and Uncle Belmont sleep in the lit
tie green cemetery in the shadow of tn