Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-12-01

comfortably settled, and l am sure
she would be good, peaceful little
wife Besides, Uncle James isn't
exactly the sort of a person to win a
beautiful princess for his bride.
Poor James And yet he had his
beautiful princess once, like other
men"
Tell me about it, mother. You
don't mean that that prosaic old uncle
Of mine was ever in love?"
Il do, though; he was dreadfully in
love once, years and years ago. He
used to tell me lot about the girl, and
how happy he would be if only he
could win her, though he hardly dared
to hope she would ever look at him. l
never knew exactly what happened /;
but he wrote to me, saying that the
thing was finally at an end, and beg
ging me never to mention Annie Lori
mers name to him again. And l
have never done go.
What pretty name And was she
pretty, too?"
81 never saw her." replied mother,
"but James used to say she was love
ly; dainty, exquisite, fairy-like girl,
as fragile as a bit of china, with golden
hair and blue eyes and lovely COM
ple1ion. She danced beautifully, and
asjust the type to attract James, who
had always been accustomed to big,
strong women" (Mother is quite as
tall as am, and my grandmother was
even taller
Poor Uncle James !" 7 said. 1T
is funny to imagine his caring for any
thing except pork chops and safe in
vestments."
"He cared enough for Annie Lori
mer five and twenty years ago, re-
piled mother.
When our Swiss trip was over and
we were settled at home again, IN
duced mother to invite Uncle James
and Miss Stubbs to pay us visit at
the same time.
She said it was an absurd arrange
ment and would lead to nothing, but
she sent the invitations, nevertheless.
Father and mother always let me do
as l like and have the things | want,
because am the only daughter.
Girl. with a shoal OF sisters don't
get nearly as much of their own way
as l do. People always think more
of an odd cup and saucer than Of a
whole tea set and yet | sometimes
think it must be jollier to be one of
tea set, after all.
"You are too fond of acting as an
amateur Providence, Madge," mother
said "but | don't mind helping you
this once.
Mother always says "this once"
about kind things she had done every
day i'll the past, and will do every day
in the future but she seems to think
that the expression protects her from
the well-founded charge Of over-indul-
gence.
So Uncle James and Miss Stubbs
came to stay with u.s. Ny uncle ar
rived first and as he sat with mother
and me in the morning-room, he asked:
as anyone else staying with you,
Jane?
"Only Miss Stubs, replied mother;
"and she arrives this afternoon. We
met her at Lucerne, you know"
"Who is Mis-, Stubbs?" said my
uncle.
ooh, some girl that Madge took a
great fancy to, isn't she p
81 took a great fancy to her, I an
swered, "but she isn't girl. She is
quite old"
What a nuisance !" said Uncle
James, in his sharp manner 81 hate
old women, and old maids, especial
ly."
you won't hate her, James, said
mother, soothingly "she is so quiet
and obtrusive that you'll hardly know
she is in the house" Then she smiled
slyly at me, and felt my matrimonial
plan. foredoomed to failure.
At that moment Miss Stubbs ar
rived, and mother and l ran into the
hall to meet her. She looked as faded
and washed-out as ever, and as l fol-
lowed her and mother into the morn
ing-room l sighed over the futility of
my wellmeant scheme.
"Let me introduce my brother to
you, mother began. james, this is"
But before she could finish her SEN
tence Uncle James jumped up and
seized Miss Stubbs by both hands,
CRYING