The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-03-25
UtpTtCdIIHSIy:
But, oh. my dears, | am 80 old

Il little guilty too, as if she ought to dc
so. Then she turns away and signs
softly; she knows not why.
Now fate had ordained that when
Aunt Bethia came to visit in our
family we should be entertaining, as
an honored guest, our Uncle Jeremiah
Barker, or Uncle jerry" as we child
rem Familiarity called him, though he
was only a distant relative on my
fathers side.
He had been knocking about for the
last fifteen years or SO in Australia,
and having amassed a considerable
fortune, returned now to his native
city, with the hope of ending his days
among his kindred.
He was unmarried; and hidden
secretly away in his rugged bachelor
heart was the long cherished dream
of wife and fireside of his own.
But after spending the best part of
| his life in rough toll, separate from
all society of women-or in fact, society
of any sort-he found himself now
laboring under great disadvantages.
The girls that he knew and played
with when he was a boy had grown SO
far away from him in many directions
| that he felt that he had no part or lot
with them, and SO, slowly and sadly,
the hope of years began TO fade away.
1t was just here, that dear, old-fash-
| Toned Aunt Bethia came into his life;
| and from the first moment of their
meeting Uncle Jerry appropriated her
i'll his heart of hearts, as the one wo-
man specially provided for him, and
straig hway elected her to preside over
that ideal future he had dreamed Of
In short, for the first time in his life
he found himself passionately in love,
and as men of his age are apt to do in
such a case, he resolved to make
"short work" of his wooing.
Accordingly he spent one week in
watching her every word and action
and in studying her face from under
his shaggy eye brows, while he pre-
tended to read his newspaper.
Another week he devoted to follow
ing her about and waiting upon her
with such alarming assiduity, that the
little woman began to wonder and to
tremble at she knew not what.
Finally, he grew impatient to know
his fate
what's the use of beating about
the bush?" he said to himself, in his
blunt fashion; "if she don't fancy me
now she never will, and may as well
know it,"
So he came in upon her one after
noon as she sat knitting by the win
dow, and, nerving himself for a de-
ciSive effort, he thus addressed her:
"Bethia, hain't known you long
to be sure, but | feel better acquaint-
ed with you today than l should with
any other woman in years time
Things have changed 'maZingly in
the fifteen years that I've been away
from home, and the women most of
ALL find | don't know 'em.
1.-The girls that | used to study out
of the same books with at school,
| hear talking now about 'cultur','
and art and 'af1inities,' and SO on
and so forth-all Greek to me. / left
'em dom homework and knittin'
stockin's, and now l find 'em playinf
on the pianner, and ravin' over picters
and statoos things l don't know
nothin' about-and what's more, l
don't want to!
The only statoos that l ever liked
the looks on at all, is the Injun girls
standin' outside of the tobacker shops
And as for music-why. Bethia, I'd
ruther hear you sing old Naomi, the
way you did last Sunday night, than
all their rattle and clatter.
Il did use to think when | was out
in Australy, that when | come home
I'd git married and try to settle down,
but | don't s'spose any of these new
fashioned, highfalutin' women would
have me with all my money; and
said he, ungallantly, "by George! /
don't know as l want them"
Aunt Bethia looked mildly shocked.
You see!" he continued, APOLOGIZE
cally, I'VE couldn't take much com
fort together less we felt somewhere
nigh alike about things, now could
we?'
"Why no." said Aunt Bethia, can
didly, looking up at him in a medita-
tive way; Il don't s'spose you could
And | should hate to see my money
fooled away on trash that don't care
IA continental for, though l know wo-
men are master hands to spend money,
and | mean my wife shall have plen-
ty, too"
Il don't think all women are ex-
travagant, I'm sure.' said Aunt
Bethia, with some show of spirit. 81
know l amt, unless" she added, de-
precatingly, perhaps l am in the
matter of white aprons. Mother al
ways said so, and do like plenty of
clean aprons, say one every after
noon.n
"My wife shall have a clean one for
every hour in the day, if she wants."
roared Uncle Jerry, with enthusiasm.
And, now | think of it, by George,
if don't believe white apron dress
es up a woman more than the big
Koch. moor could!
And | shouldn' wonder, after all, if
them white aprons had somethin' to
do with your lookin' so different from
other women-so kinder good and old
fashioned, you know"
Aunt Bethia blushed and laughed.
"They call me the old-fashioned wo-
man." she said, simply.
And | am an old-fashioned man, "
he said significantly.
Then he looked at her and met the
startled glance of her soft eyes.
Maybe it occurs to you, as it does
to me, that there's somethin' peculiar
ly interestin' in the fact that | am an
| old-fashioned man, and you are an old
| fashioned woman-coincidence ain t
| it now2n
Dear me-" murmured Aunt Bethia,
| dropping dozen stitches in her con-
fusion; why, no, l hadn't thought
| on't.n
He took her hands with gentle force
knitting-work and all, and bent over
| her.
Think ont now, then, won't your
said he. Come, Bethia, be my wife,
and we will show the world what a
happy couple an old-fashioned man
| and an olG-fashioned woman can ber'
She looked up into the honest, kind
| ly face, glowing down upon her, and
it treasured her The grasp OF his
hand so firm yet so loving, compelled
her, and with a thrill sweet as strange,
she opened her heart at once and wei,
coined in his love as the bird does
its mate to the nest.
She dropped her head in confusion,
and foolishly, just for the sake of say
ing something, faltered:
Il know l am old-fashioned."
"Old-fashioned So is a daisy! so is
q robin red breast-and so, by George,
am Ir' And plucking up courage
Uucle Jerry took her face in his hands
and kissed her on both cheeks, and
lastly on her lips.
VARIETIES.