The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-11-06
5elrrt Misrellnny.
AFTER MANY YEARS.
BY META SYRETr.

Ny great-aunt Priscilla was, to me,
the most charming old lady in the
world.
Often, in the midst of the wear and
tear of London season, the thought
of her long, low, rambling house, set in
its dear old-fashioned garden, where
Aunt Priscilla herself walked leisurely
among her flowers, would come like a
breath of violet-scented air into the hot,
crowded drawing-rooms in which duty
nightly forced ne to appear to be en-
joying myself:
At the end of every season went to
her for fortni ght's visit before going
abroad, and on subsequent reflection it
is borne in upon me that | looked for
ward to this visit from one year to an
other. and that it formed a sort ofland-
mark in my experiences, SO that | used
to think that was about a month be-
fore | went to Aunt Priscilla's, or that
happened six months after returned" !"
The last visit | ever paid her is very
fresh in my memory. 1t was the sum
mer Dick and | quarrcllcd.
The last few days in town were al
most insupportable. l was so tired of
it all Such a senseless, heartless
round of trivlalities life had become for
me! Every morning the one pleasant
thought with which | awoke was
Another day nearer to Aunt Priscilla,
and rest, and sweet country sights and
sounds, and flowers
The longed-for day came at last, and
NJ sensitive little girl, fresh from
school, ever welcomed the shelter OF
home with more delight 'd heart-throb
than | when Aunt Priscilla met me in
le vine-shaded porch, with outstretch-
e | hands, and her gentle, "Well, my
love, so you have MT forgotten your
old aunt, in the great city,
We were sitting one afternoon in
my bedroom, the white, dainty room
that loved.
| had a headache, and had been ly-
ing down on my snowy bed, whose cur
tains and old-fashioned valence were of
the freshest dimity 1t was long
room, with low, whitewashed ceiling.
and Il wallpaper whose garlands of
pink roses had grown faint and deli
cately-tinted by time. There were
three windows, each with high wood
Ell window-seat, painted white. They
had latticed panes, and opened out
wards on to the garden, where, on eitl.-
er side of the prim, middle path, my
Aunt Priscilla's s lilies stood i'm white
splendor. stately and tall Clean cur
tains OF white muslin futterpd at the
windows. as the breeze stole into the
room. bearing he scent of many flow
ers on its gentle stream. The room
was sparingly furnished, but, to my
taste, that lent it austere and delicate
charm. There was an old rosewood
bureau against one wall, with book
case above, whose glass doors were
lined with tluted silk, faded to lovely
green, and beneath the steep polished
lid, which concealed the writing part,
rows Of long drawers, with hanging
brass handles. The dressing-table was
simplicity itself 1t had spindle legs,
and there was frilled cover of muslin
like the window curtains, upon it, lined
with taintest pink. The polished
boards OF the floor We're only partially
concealed by a few strips Of white mat
ting.
In one of the window seats sat my
Aunt Priscilla. There was a slender
legged table drawn up before her, COW
cred with a newspaper, on which stood
a tray of rose leaves, some bundles of