Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-01

him.
Iamented IT can't get the hang of her
notions nor remember half of EN-; I'd be
glad to suit aunt for it's real hard to be
bed-ridden, she that's been so active all
her life. And 1 expect that have some
set ways myself; we all have"
From morning to night Aunt DruSilla Is
sued orders through the half-open door of
her chamber; Sarah found it no sinecure to
be the lieutenant of an old-fashioned house
keeper. The longer that Aunt Druslla was
confined from contact with actual work,
the harder she was to please; she expected
the impossible and criticised with lavish
viSor and homely sarcasm. But as yet she
had not spoken Of Herbert Jenn1Son, be-
cause his visits were always made in the
| evening" and she had taken the habit of
eating her supper early and beginning her
nights sleep at twilight. To balance ac-
| counts, she awoke before the cocks had
| begun to halloo from barn to barnard
when Aunt DruSilla was once awake there
| was no more sleep in the house. When the
| neghbors praised Sarah Brockway for be-
| ing ready to sit down, in a white apron, to
| sew at 10 O'Clock in the morning, she mod
| estly replied: You know l have to get up
| an hour and more before daylight and
ges ahead more than 1 care to, sometimes"
| But she said it with a patient smile on her
| Kind face. She admitted however, that
| now an then 1 get all nerved up, an then
| Aunt Drusillas voice goes right through
| NY head"
After time, Corinna, having come to
| understand the tremendous will and the
|
| to dread lest the old woman should wish to
| interfere with her intended marriage. If
| the aunt called her, Corinna started and
| turned pale. The dreadful old creature,
| from her bed, ruled the household. She be-
| came always crosser, more dismal, more
| exacting; ore could but pity her, yet SHE
| was not good to live with.
| 1t CHANGED one afternoon that Corinna,
preparing her auntS tea, was abSent-minded
| by cause of her fears for her love and put
in double dose Of the herb. Therefore,
| Aunt Drusilla's eyes, at o'clock in the
| evening" Were set wide a-stare with assisted
| sleeplessnesS and her ears were sharpened
by the stimulus of the tea-green, green
she would drink no other. So, although
| Sarah, after making her comfortable for the
night. had gone ont, closing the outer door
| Of the chamber, the entrance of person at
| the front door was heard by Aunt Drusilla
| 1t YVES the step of man; then the tones of
| Corinna's voice blended with deeper notes;
| some sibilant little explosions interrupted
| for an instant their talk sooIl after, Holman
| and Sarah greeted the newcomer cordially
| What did all this mean? Because Aunt
| Drusilla could not imag CINE she raped on
the floor with the pearwood stick which
| was her summons. Sarah ran; and the aunt
| was soon Informed that the visitor was Mr.
! Herbert Jennison, from the city, engaged to
| Corinna, "a very excellent young man, and
| her father and I are much pleased with
him." added the mother, mildly rufflng up
her one chicken.
Bring him in here; want to see him.
said Aunt Drusilla, grimly.
For in her unhappy old soul-a harbor Of
all sorts of cranky and piratical prejudices,
with rowing commission to board other
peoples buSness-she remembered that in
remote years her father had had quarrel
with certain Jennison, who might be a
grandfather of this young man. And Pll
let him know that I amt forgot about that
NATTER she decided
PART II.
So Herbert Jennison was called; Corinna
followed him. Her father and mother came
also, with the vague idea that this might
, be pleasing occasion, the presentation to
Aunt Drusilla Of the youth who hoped to
become her granddaughter. Anything but
a pleasing occasion! The old woman reared
, her gaunt head, white-capped, and de-
Joel Jennison. He was. Had he ever
heard of the lawsuit, Brockway against
Jennison, in 1887? He had not. The old
, woman was ready to burst with venom
she scolded, screamed, Kissed; she quoted
Scripture in the line of dismal prophecy
and imprecation; at last she snatched of
; her nightcap and threw it at him. Hol
man Brockway hustled the astounded Low.
r ers out of the room; Sarah tried to recon-
4 pose the aunt's cap and temper, while the
bag kept on shrieking: "They shan't marry
. they shan't marry. I'll die and I'll haunt
: them
= Corinna was terrified; she chung to he1
lover trembling and sobbing. He told hel
that they ought not to mind the half-craZy
words of a poor old woman; Aunt Drusills