The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-01-25
AUNT RACHEL'S NIECE.

1t is quite long walk. even for one
who takes delight in that sort of exer-
else, from the railway station to Aunt
Rachers home over north of CARROTS
vile, but the road is SO delight
full and the country SO pleasant that
one does not weary even if he does
walk. Once there, there is every
temptation to take long walks every
day, for it is not far to the lodges,
and in all Ohio there IS not pleas
anter place to idle away pleasant sum-
mer days than along those lodges.
/ haven't the least reason in the
world for calling her aunt Rachel"
but began to do SO the second time /
saw her and have kept it up ever since.
She is aunt to everybody, old and
young, in her neighborhood, and it
just comes natural to claim the rela-
tionship, and l fell into the habit east
ly. ] consider it u piece of good for
tune that has brought me many pleas
ant friends in Ohio that happened to
find myself at her home one summer
day not man. years ago.
BESIDES Aunt Rachel there were
three other members Of the household
at that time in whom l soon felt some
interest beyond the ordinary. These
were Aunt Rachcls hired man, joe
his other name does not mattar-hcr
niece, Margaret Kelley, and young
fellow from Cleveland who was staying
there simply because he liked to and,
as | afterward learned, because Miss
Kelley was there.
Between Joe. the hired man and
Harry Perrin. the gentleman guest,
there was great contrast, and | soon
made up my mind that Joe knew more
il a minute than Mr.. Perrin would
ever be able to learn. The hired man
WAS nice young fellow, but not par
ticularly noticeable, for he had a
fashion Of going about his work in a
matter-of-fact way that did not attract
attentiG1~.~ lie was polite and kindly
.,:,posed toward the people he met and
the live stock under his care. He was
made one OF the family, as is the
fashion in the western reserve, and
took it as matter Of course that he
was the equal of anyone on the farm.
He had fashion of always appear
ing neat and of coming to the table
with a coat on that is not exactly uni
versal among the people of his class.
lie was intelligent and as we'll edu-
Gated as most Of farm boys, and that
he suited Aunt Rachel was proven by
his continuous service with her for
more years than the average hired man
stops at one place.
l soon found that he was pretty we'll
posted as to his business. was really
interested in the prominent events of
the day. and could even discuss the
tariff without max ing me feel as if it
was dreary subject. Altogether, Joe
was not bad sort to know, and |
soon got into fashion of following
him about his work, a.: have no
doubt 1T was an eXaggera Led notion of
the claims of hospitality that pre-
vented him from telling me plainly
that he was dreadfully bored by me on
more than one occasion. We got to
be pretty good friends, however, and
it was not long before ! discov-
cred that Joe thought Miss Kel-
ley was most charming girl.
l pitied the poor fellow, for l
knew she had never given him a sec.
ond thought, and never would. l shall
not try to describe Margaret Kelley
except to say that She was one girl in
ten thousand A perfect blonde, she
was good to look at, and a girl that
one likes instinctively, for she carried
about with her the gladncss of life
Rich in her own right; proud of her
self and of her possessions. she was
not at all above being companlonable
to anyone who could be interesting.
Proud as she was, she was not one who
thought herself better than others
who behaved themselves. Intelligent,
well educated, with all an American
girls smartness at repartee, she was
very democratic in her views and
treated Joe as politely as she did Mr..
Perrin, and laughed with him as free
ly as she ever did with those who had
been brought up in her own plane of
society.
Harry Perrin was well enough in his
way and he and got along very nice
ly together, and what time l was not
worrying Joe enjoyed in his company,
for he really intended to be good
fellow, though the circumstances that
his father was wealthy had spoiled
him to a considerable extent. Hand
some. accomplished in all those things
that make man attractive, if it had
not been for certain languid way
which he had of taking life, he would
have been good fellow to be with.
AS it was, he made me tired to de-
gree that l used to leave him and
tramp off after Joe that l might alb
sofb from him some of the energy with
which he was SO fully endowed
1t was not long before l discovered
that Mr.. Perrin was dead in love with
Miss Kelley, and really stood ready
10 give them my blessing if they
should by any chance ask me for it.
thought it would not be bad match,
ali things considered, though if had
been consulted l should just as will
ingly have advised her to marry Joe,
but knew the young lady would very
likely have some convictions on the
subject of the fitness of things, and if
she chose either would take Mr.. Perrin
rather than the hired man. / am
forced to say that she did not seem at
all inclined to become smitten with
either of the young men, and if she
had q preference for either she kept it
hidden with remarkable success.
I don't think Joe and Mr.. Perrin
loved each other very fervently, though
they were perfectly polite to each
other. 1t must have been this perfect
politeness that first got the notion in
my head that they were maintaining
. sort of an armed peace with each
other. There was no denonstrat;ve
love-making on either side in those