The Monitor-register., 1897-08-13
MISS BECKY'S EXPECTATIONS
BY MARY 1. CLIFFORD.


door-bell she hurriedly opened the door
to find her most intimate friend waiting
for admittance.
'This is what is left of me, Rachel"
answered Miss Becky, as she slipped into
the hall and grasped the extended hand
of her friend. II do declare, if amt
nigh about blown to pieces by them
March breezes !" -f
You oughtn't to have come out such
clustering day at your age, Becky; but
Pm glad you did, for I've been powerful
lonesome. pm always SO when the
wind whistles down the chimney
THAT'S exactly what broug ht me over
this afternoon" answered Miss b. cky,
as she followed her friend into her cozy,
old-fashioned sitting room. II knew
you'd want company"
'Sit down and make yourself to home,"
| said Miss Rachel, drawing huge arm
chair before the open CRATE. "There-sit
here and toast your fset. You must be
about frcz ,n. I'll set the teapot on the
stove an we'll have cup togethe-."
Miss Rachel whisked into the kitchen.
and very soon had lunch prepared for
her guest. The old fashioned china cups
were as thin as waters, the tea was hot
and strong. A plate of molasses ginger.
bread and dish of baked apples GOV.
cred with cream completed the modest
repast. The old ladies had luached
together great many times since their
girlhood, aud never failed to enjoy these
familiar dishes.
"Well, Rachel, this does seem good |"
said Miss Becky, in tones of the greatest
satisfaction. 81 don't have anything
like this 'cepting when come here. The
girls have their afternoon tea, of course,
but it amt like your tea."
"Of course it amt Them girls don It
know how to make it; just put a spec of
tea in one of them fancy teapots and pour
little hot water over it. Such mess
I've visited my niece in Boston a good
many times, and I've had some of her
afternoon tea, too, and I'd as leave
drink dish water. l hate all these
fashionable notions. BY the way, Becky,
how is Richard aud Mary Have you
sten them lately ?"
II haven't seen em' for weeks. Mary
don't seem to like me very we'll. She
amt never asked me to make her a visit
and all tho
L can't expect her to feel the same
toward me as my own nieces do"
"Of course she doesn't feel just the
same" returned Miss Rachel, dryly.
but she thinks deal of you, though she
amt all the time talking about it. You
don't understand Mary as you ought to-
If you were a beggar tomorrow she
would take you in before any of your
own nieces would, and l know it,"
Miss Becky sighed.
ITO tell you the truth, Rachel, some-
times wish l was beggar just to find
out who my real friends are-for it does
Seem as if the girls were uncommoply
attentive since l got word that my
brother John had left me twenty thou
sand dollars. amt got it yet, but Of
course shall as soon as his affairs are
settled up. Poor John l wish could
have seen him once more before he died."
1t was planned otherwise" said Miss
Rachel softly. There was silence for a
space, then she asked, ''Have you broke
up your home for good. Becky ?"
well, yes. Catherine said I'd better.
I'm old to live alone-seveDty my last
birthday-and there's plenty of room in
that big house of hers. SO Pm to stay
there.''
They didn'G make you that offsr till
John died, suppose ?''
mo- Rachel, they didn't" answered
Miss Becky, in deprecating way. "But
they seem to think sight of me, and it's
just as well to be with somebody"
"P'raps-though believe in keeping
up my independence, and having my
own roof over my head. However. that's
your affair, not mine. Only don't run
away with the notion that the girls
mean all the soft words they say, be
cause they don't. Richards worth the
three of 'em put together. But he's
poor, and married to poor girl, and un-
fashionable enough to have family, SO
l suppose they don't COUNT
'Oh, yes, they do" said Miss Becky,
mildly. "But its more convenient for
Catherine to have me than it would be
for Mary. You never did my nieces
justice, Rachel. You're prejudiced"
IF am, l amt the only one," re
torted Miss Rachel. But there-we
won't argy any more-it won't do mite
of good. Have another cup Of tea,
Becky; you may not have another in a
hurry you know"
THANK you guess 1 WILL" said
Miss Becky.
The 'girls," as the kind old spinster
called her nieces. were all married and
apparently comfortably settled. But
none except their husbands knew how
much the mfort had cost, or the con-
stant anxiety their expensive living en-
tailed. For try as they would, they
were unable to lay by dollar.
Catherine, who had married first, har-
assed her husband until he had pur-
chased large and expensive house in a
fashionable locality. 1t had taken all
the money John Sydney had previously
saved to purchase this house then it had
to be furnished, and only the most ex
pensive furniture would suit Mistress
Catherine. And while his wife dressed.
made calls, gave whist parties and
''teas, poor John Sydney worked hard
at his place of business, doing his utmost
to procure the money to pay his bills, or
rather his wife's bills, aud support his
extensive establishment.
Eliza, the second sister, determined
not to be outdone by Catherine, induced
her husband to do precisely as Sydney
had done. Of course, while Catherine
and Eliza lived in suoh grand style
Sarah could not be contenG to live 10 a
cottage. 1t mattered not to her that the
roof over her head was mortgaged, so
long as she could appear we'll and move
in good society. Each of these ladies
expected share of Miss Becky's pro-
spective wealth and it was this hope
that sustained their husbands.
1t was quite dark when Miss Becky
left her friend, and, with promise to
come again soon, hurried home to receive
mild scolding from Catherine, who de-
clared she was on the point of sending