The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-10-26

m IN they said, ''things were
not as they are now,
and the postoffice, here in America, was
not managed as it is to-day. Getting a
letter was serious thing, and sending one
more so. I've reason to know that"
81 lived in the country with my aunt
and uncle-not my real uncle, for he was
my aunt's second husband, and she only
an aunt by marrage-but | had no other
kin and was glad to have home folk.
had beside, a cousin by courtesy. His
name was Thomas, and that was about all
l knew OF him for years-he came in and
went out without taking any notice of me-
His father used to talk about him before
me, finding fault with his idleness. Once
l heard him say:
THAT boy has not the making of man
in him, Cynthia. You wait on him and
spoil him and one day you Il regret it,
Then aunt asked uncle if he wished her
to be hard on the only son out of three
mot hard, he answered; "only Tom
ought to be taught that he will have to see
to himself-we have nothing to leave him.
If / should die before you, he ought to be
able to support you-and he takes to
nothing"
Tom, by this time, was a young fellow
OF nineteen, and l was fifteen. Three
years later he had no more idea of settling
to any business than he had before and !
had come into fortune. 1t was not a
large one, but it was enough to make me
comfortable for life, and was clad to stop
washing dishes and doing the ironing, and
ask my aunt to take me as boarder. since
| could pay her well.
She was pleased, and that day left my
little garret room under the caves. and had
large room on the second floor given
me.
Besides paying my board, | hired
servant for the housework, and nv aunt
thought that very generous. Hitherto
had worn her made over gowns. Now
sent for Miss Crabtree, the dressmalrr,
and had plenty of dresses made, giving
Aunt Cynthia a rich black silk and
broache shawl. She made great fuss
over them, and was not surprised that
my cousin Tom should begin to be very
pleasant to me, for the first time in my
life
thought it was because he saw | had
kind feelings and was grateful for what
had been done for me when was a little
orphan. 1t was new thing to be made so
much of as | was now, and | enjoyed it.
Even when Cousin Tom began to make
love to me | never guessed that it was
because had money, as l know it was
now.
"Will you mary me- Cousin BELIEF" he
said one day, and my answer was:-"Tom,
| feel as if did not love you the right
way, we are too much like brother and
sister,
But he teased me and leased me, until l
told him that he might ask me again at the
end OF the year.
But you must build no hope on that,
| said, ''for l think shall feel just as | do
now"
And now Aunt Cynthia began to praise
her son to me, and to say how glad she
should be if he had chosen some one she
loved
1t might be that would have yielded
to this pressure, but that something shortly
happened to turn the whole current of my
life. 1t can be told in few words l met
Arthur Lorrimer at the house of friend.
He devoted himself to me that evening
and saw me home, and understood from
what he said that he was in love with me-
Cousin Tom was furious that had accepted
another escort. We had scene that very
night. Tom was very rough and brutal.
"You have no right to accept another
mans attentions" he said. "You are
engaged to me- IN
OF course this was FALSE and | told my
aunt what had really said to him. She
only cried, and told me that l had no feel
ing for her poor boy, who loved me
SO we'll.
l might have believed that he loved me,
and felt myself guilty, but that little
later, coming down stairs to find my gloves
which had dropped, and stepping softly
for thought the whole house was asleep,
saw aunt Cynthia and her son still sitting
beside the CRATE.
81 don't care rap for the girl herself"
Tom was saying. II know many one |
admire more, but like her money, and it
would slip into my pockets without any
trouble. hate work. And it seemed such
soft thing to get a rich wife"
"You shall have the child" said the
mother. 81 can keep that Jackanapes
away. Fine clothes and city ways have
caught her fancy, that is all. Besides, how
do you know the man means anything?"
'By his looks,' said Tom. 81 kept
wondering what he saw in her pale little
face to roll his eyes for. Why, think she
is very nearly plain.
went up stairs without my gloves, but
my heart was very light. l could have
no pity for fortune hunter, and the words
| had heard made me happy.