Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-02-29
AUNT RllLY.
Or Al, for the . 81.

Aunt Mliiy. 1or SO Sne WAS universally
called by her nephews and nieces, first,
second and third cousins-nay even by
/, many who could not boast the smallest
tie of consanguinity. But the sort OF
universal aunthood TO the whole neigh
borhood was by no means disagreeable
to Miss Milly, for in very little body
she had a large heart, of Q most
| India rubber nature; not, indeed, as the
simile is used in speaking Of female
hearts that s'never break. but always
stretch But Miss Milly's heart pos
sessed this elastic nature in the best
sense, namely, that it ever found room
for new occupants; and, moreover, it
was remarkable for its quality of ella
cling all unkindness or injuries as easily
as India rubber removes pencil marks
from paper.
Aunt Milly-I have some right to
| call her so, being her own nephew,
! Godfrey Estcourt~-was an extremely
little woman. She had pretty little
features, pretty little feet and hands, a
pretty little figure. and always carried
q pretty little work-bag, in whose mys-
terious recesses the children of the
neighborhood loved to diys, seldom re-
turning to the surface I thOut some
pearl Of price in the shapeof q lozenge
or sugar plum. Her dresses was always
neat. rather old fashioned, perhaps, but
invariably becoming; her soft brown
hair-it really was brown still-lay
smoothly braided under a tiny cap; her
/ white collar was ever snowy; indeed,
Aunt Milly's whole attire seemed to
have the amazing quality Of never look
ing worn, soiled or dusty, but always
fresh and new. Yet she was far from
rich, as every one knew but her income
was enough to suffice for her little self.
she lived in nutshell of house, with
the smallest Of small handmaidens; in
deed, every thing about Aunt Milly
was on the diminutive scale. She did
not abide much at home, for she was
everywhere in request--at weddings,
christenings, ETC., Aunt Milly did
not turn her feet from the house of
mourning. She could weep with those
that wept; yet, somehow or other, she
contrived to infuse hope amid despair,
and in general her blithe nature con-
verted all life's minor evils into things
not worth lamcnting about.
Every one felt that Aunt Milly's en-
trance into their doors brought sun
shine. She was sunbeam in herself;
there was cheerfulness in her light
step; her merry laugh, the iingling OF
the keys In her pocket was musical.
She had word of encouragement for
all, and an inclination to look on the
sunny side of everybody and everything.
No one was more welcome in mirthful
days, no one was more sought for in adj
yersity for she had the quality OF max
ing the heaviest trouble seem lighter,
and her unfailing motto was, "All hap
pens for the best"
! All my school boy disasters were de-
. posted in Aunt Milly's sympathizinp
! ear; and when I grew up, still kept tC
i the old habit / came to her one day
!, with what consideredm my first real sor.
E row; it was the loss, by sudden failure
of a country bank, of near all the few
hundreds my poor father had laid NJ
, for me. My sad news had travelled be
: fore me, and was not surprised to see
! Aunt AIilly's cheerful face really grave
: as she met me with, my dear boy,
am very sorry for you
sit is the greatest misfortune coulC
!. have" I cried. "I wish that wretch
Sharpless-"
Don't wish him anything worse thar
he has to bear already, poor man, will
4 his large family" said Aunt Milly
g gently.
But you don't know all have lost
8 That Laura" and here I stopped
looking, without doubt, very miserable
and possibly very silly.
"You mean to say, Godfrey, that sine
instead of little fortune to begin th
] world with, You have hardly anythinl
: at all, Miss Laura Ashton will not con
slider that her engagement holds. ex
!, pected it,
= "Oh, Aunt Milly, she is not so meal
as that, but We we're to have been mar
7 ried in two years, and ] could have go
!, share in Mortlake's office, and "
e should have been so happy. ALI that
y over now. Her father says she mus
d wait, and Laura is to be considered free
L Life is nothing TO me. / will go !
America, or shoot myselfl
How old are you, Godfrey?D aske
d Aunt Milly, with q quiet smile that ratll
q er annoyed me.
! II shall be 20, next June, said
q Young people always put their age /
. the futher nse; it sounds better.
1T is now July, so that I may cal
you 10 and one month. Ny dear bo,
the world must be horrible place II,
deed, for you to grow tired Of it so soor
would advise you to wait little Will
. before you do anything 30 very DIES
perate.'
3 Aunt Milly," said I, turning away
: lit Is easy for you TO talk--you wer
0 never in love-"
n A shadow passed over her bright face
: but Aunt Milly did not answer my il
a | luQion