Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-09-22

'|H'-'-S7 NA-- -
my cousins, Louisa and Kate, sitting
under the arbor of roses and honey
suckles, shelling dish of early green
peas for dinner, and chatting and
laughing very merrily.
"Where is your mistress?" l said to
Sarah, who sat in the best kitchen
for I had gone in the back way.
"Groaning and moaning somewhere
about-as she always is, Maria, re-
piled the old nurse, who had lived
with them for years, and had habit
of saying what she pleased.
In little room opening from the
diuing-parlor found Aunt Mona, an
old woolen shawl around her should
ers, and crouching disconsolately over
the CRATE, in which roared a fire more
BETTING January than June.
"How do you do, aunt?" l said.
care you any worse than usual?'
"Ah, my dear, don't ask. l am
miserable"
What makes you so p
Aunt Mona gave deep sigh, and
bent over the fire again. On the
trivet stood a porcelain saucepan,
whose contents she was languidly stir
ring with a spoon.
"Why, aunt, what are you doing
there? Is that witch S chaldron p
ut is a decoction of herbs, to be
taken inwardly," meekly sighed she.
81 got the receipt from the old herb
doctor. l sent for him here yesterday,
and he gave it to me. l am going to
try it, she added, resignedly, "and if
it does not cure me, I shall just give
up medicine, and lie down and die.
"Give up medicine, and arise and
live," I answered. "Get up, then,
aunt, and run about out of doors in
the sunshine"
Its cruel of you to talk so" she
whined. GLOW can | stir that awful
spine in my back? ? | cali stand it
from your uncle-he talks to me so
like your papa-but l cant from you.
Men ale so hard-heartedl Don't you
ever marry one of them, Maria.
She tappedher foot upon the ground
and stirred on and sighed. CHANGING
to look out of the window, saw Uncle
Butterfeld coming down the garden
path with that pretty widow, Mrs.
Borrow, who was one of aunts great
friends, and had no patience with her.
Aunt looked up also.
There's your uncle, Maria, with
that Widow Borrow, as usual If he
is settling up her husbands property,
it's no reason why she should be run
ming after him always. If l wasn't
the most unsuspecting woman on
earth, l should be jealous. But l
shall not be in the way long; that's
one comfort.
A burst Of clear, ringing laughter
at this moment reached US 1t was
soon followed by that most comely
woman's entrance, "fair, fat, and for
ty. AS she stood by Aunt Mona s
side, rosy-cheeked, bright eyed, in the
exuberance of health, and the prime
of beauty which time had improved
rather than impaired, the contrast
was too painful. | think my uncle
must have felt it, for he sighed as he
turned away.
Mrs. Butterfeld, said the widow,
in her soft, musical voice-that tex
cellent thing in woman'-"I was
hoping, upon this beautiful morning.
to find you better"
"My wife seems to be growing
worse, said Uncle Butterfeid. THAT
two-sovereign fee paid to the great
magnetic what-d'ye-call-him, month
ago, didn't seem to do you much good,
did it, Mona ?"
"a kind, loving husband ought not
to speak of money paid to relieve the
suferings and to save the life of his
poor, dying wife, replied Aunt Mona,
reproachfully. "I feel that my days
are numbered. And when am gone,
Thomas, you can marry some strong,
healthy woman, whose ailments won't
trouble you. One that's got money,
too, she added, significantly and spite
fully. Yes, money to make up for
all you've had to pay for me"
Il am glad to see you in SO desir-
able frame of mind" said Mrs. Ber-
row, laughing merrily-
"Now, Caroline Borrow, l think you
had better not say more, y spoke aunt.
q know how unfeeling you can be. 1t
is not the first time you have made
game of my illness. As to you, Thomas,
49,, /. 1ool-,nrr ont for coro aboJv