The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-28
TESSIE'S MISTAKE.

"That was the saddsst mistake Of my
life."
From my lounge in the corner Of Aunt
Tessies room watch her with half closed
eyes as she draws her low chair before the
fire and takes the knitting from the work.
basket at her side. She Is always busy, 10
seems to me, and when think Of II, we
six are enough to make work constant
with her. First there Is Uncle Dan, Aunt
Tessie's brother, full Of hobbies that re-
quire her constant attention. "If can
only prove its worthlessness before he
mounts It, can save him good deal Of
trouble" she says when new hobby Ii
presented, and often she succeeds And
there is Robert, just starting out for him
self under Aunt Tessie's special guidance.
There Is Frank, another nephew, generous
and impulsive, q regular tinderbox in
temper, with May, his sister, always ready
In her love for tcasing to put the match to
the tinderbox. And there is Richard, hap
py, rollicking Richard, Of whom Aunt
Tessie 10 mover quite sure until she herself
has tucked him in bed and sung him to
sleep.
Then here am I, a cripple, dependent
upon Aunt Teesie for every ray Of sunshine
that has crept into my poor MANNED ex-
istence since the day opened my eyes to
the life which hut for her might have In
deed proved a curse to ne. SO there are
six Of us I'LL under her care
She thinks I am asleep, or else she
s,zI~o - ALnAf 81 49,
take which affected the currents of 40
many lives. She is thinking Of the past, I
know, and that mistake" while she sits
there waiting.
Robert ID doing some extra bookkeeping
and will not DO in until 10 O'Clock. May
and Frank are busy with their lessons in
the sitting room. Uncle Dan rode over to
Covington today and did not return until
late. Richard is asleep, for heard Aunt
Tessio singing, 1t Is Better Farther On"
In the boys room, more than half an hour
before she went down to give Uncle Dan
his supper, and I am lying here thinking
over that mistake she made. Indeed, / Of
ten think of 1t. Wecripples have so little to
do except to study books and people, and
all these tedious years have studied her
until think I know her great soul by
heart.
II / were to tell her that learned from
her own lips to call It q mistake am
sure that she would thiRk the affection
that has dwarfed and tortured my body
for 40 years has attacked my mind as
well, for she does not really look upon 1t
as blunder If she ever allows herself to
think of 1t as such, it is only when she Is
troubled and tired. Such moments come
to the bravest and best Of us. But heard
Aunt Jessie tell Uncle Dan only last night
that ""there can be n9 blunders In Gods
plan, and II she can stand up 30 grandiy
amid the ruins of youths promises and
testify to the perfection Of the eternal
place, few indeed have the right to sit In
Judgment on It,
When John Davis asked her to be his
wife, he said she was the best woman, the
people said she was the handsomest, and
she said che was the happiest when John
was gone and with him her pledge.
Aunt Tessie was an orphan and had
been reared and cared for by my mother
and her only sister and uncle, Arthur, her
Oldest brother. Aunt Tessie, always keen.
ly conscientious, felt an immense debt was
accommodating against her. So that when
my dying mother placed my hand in hers
and with her last breath said, LAS have
dealt with you, Tessie," there was but one
thing for Aunt 1essie to do. She accepted
the charge of the little cripple committed
to her care. When she accepted the charge,
she sent for her lover to tell him the mar
riage must be postponed.
EJn rrnfaptod hut Aunt Tapaia xuao Arp,
"Just one year, JOHN" she insisted.
"Then we shall be better prepared to &C.
cept the new charge. She would not say
burden, but 1t was burden to lay up
on her young shoulders. But she did not
hesitate II am only paying interest upon
the debt owe his mother John; can
never hope to pay the principal" she
urged,
John Davis smothered his disappoiat-
ment and said, "It shall be as you wish,
Tessie, but 1t will be long year to me-
Before the year ended, Uncle Georges
wife died, and their two children, Robert
and Annie, were added to Aunt Tessie's
charge. She hestated when Uncle George
asked her to come over and take charge of
bis household.
"No, George" che said, II cannot"
Just little while, Tessie, he begged,
until we can get things in working or
der-just one year.
but there is John" she insisted. II
owe something to John. ~
And to no one else, Tesslep" asked Un-
clio George. What II Eunice and had
not cared for you when you were left
alonef'
She turned pale when Uncle George re-
other debts, whether Of money or graft
tude, hers had come to face her at the mo-
ment when she was least prepared for It,
Her lips tremblsd when she attempted to
speak. She put out her hand aa II seeking