The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-07-26
SOMERSET. Pa WEDNESDAY JULY 2s 1899.

most absurd, and, for an old lady, a
most homogeneous form. 1t Is bad
enough when young lady develops
foolish sentimentality.
When an old lady does so, it is fifty
times worse. This is what my aunt
did. She imagined herself still suscep-
tible to the tender passion-at seventy
five. She discovered quite decided
penehant for fiirtations. Really it was
downright laughable-at first. But the
time was not long in arriving when the
aspect of the matter grew less pronounc-
ed. A serious, a disastrous consequence
began TO threaten. | will tell you how
it was
There had lately come into the neigh
borhOod a certain retired major, by
name Mallaby. well kept individual,
who looked forty-five and was proba-
bly, sixty-five-tall, handsome and of
ingratiatipg manners and address. In
due course l called upon him, as every
body else did, and in due course he be-
came rather frequent visitor at my
annt's house. Anything so flagrantly
absurd as an affair between my aunt
and this elderly bachelor l had never
imagined. And if it had not been for
John, my eyes would probably have re-
mained shut until it was too late. One
morning, however, John came into the
library, where / was alone, reading,
with very perturbed expression on
his solemn face.
master Charlie" he blurted out,
coming close up to me, and dropping
his voice 10 low, confidential pitch.
''This woanl duP'
"What wont do, John ?n / was con-
strained to inquire.
This what's going on between thy
aunt and yon major"
"Ohv' l laughed lightly. "That's
allr
"And bean't it enough ?" demanded
John, almost fiercely.
"It's silly of poor old aunt, of course"
l said, "and it makes her rather laugh
ing stock. Still, it amuses her to think
she's getting up Irritation. Aud, after
all, there's no harm done.n
"Bean't there?" rejoined John, in
very significant tone; "oh, bean't there,
Master Charlie?v
"what do you mean, John? ?'' I ex-
claimed.
"Mean ?" retorted honest John, evil
IDENTIFY exasperated by what he eonsid-
cred my wilful obtuseness. "If thee
can not see, thee's no better nor a fule,
Master Charlie"
"You don't really mean that you
think anything serious is likely to
come of these foolish fiirtations with
Major Mallaby?''
Depends upon what thee calls Sc
rious. Some folks might call marriage
serious. Some mightn't. That's what's
coming of ii, anyways"
''Pooh, man. Impossible! Why, aunt
is sevepty-fiveu
''If she was eighty-fve and the mar
rying fit took her, age wouldn't be no
hindrance, as it amt a-been to many
silly old women before now" answer
ed John, sententiously. "And / warn
thee solemnly, Master Charlie, that If
you OF or both Of us don't interfere at
once, Major Mallaby will marry the
mistress. Which is the same thing as
saying he'll get her to leave i'm the
property" said John, with troubled
shake of the head, 'she being in that
weak, foolish state, as she'll do any
thing at the word of one who gets an
influence over herr
didn't laugh now. Johns solemn
words were beginning to alarm me.
knew he was a shrewd old fellow, with
. sery keen insight into things, and by
no means the sort to take fright at
nothing. Besides, the result which he
feared, even If only remote chance,
was fraught with consequences too dis
astrous TO be lightly disregsrded.
therefore said:
Whats to be done, John? How
are We to put spoke in the majors
wheel?"
John rubbed his bald head thought
fully.
"I'd like to forbid the major the
house." he said after q while. But |
doOt We can't very well du that, neither
of US being the master of the estab-
lishment."
And then, after another pause, he
broke out regretfully: "Ah! Master
Charlie, Master Charlie, what pity
thee'rt thee aunt's nephew, and can
not marry her theeself That would be
a gram way out of the difficulty, in
deed, if it wasn't for the table of affin-
itiesn'
REALLY, john" / smiled, "eyen If
wasn't within the forbidden degrees,
could hardly bring myself, at my age,
to marry an old lady of seventy-fiye."
"Then thee'd deserve to lose the prop
erty for sticking at such 8 mere trifie,
Master Charlie" retorted the old man
with severity. "But there! There. That
being impossible, it's wasting our time
to discuss it. We mum think, Master
Charlie-we nun think what can be
done. I'll give the matter my atten-
ton; and thee mum give il thine. In
the meantime" he added, keep aboot
the hoose, Master Charlie, and if the
major calls, don't on any account leave
him alone with thee aunt
With this caution and another warn
ing shake of his bald head he retired to
attend to his household duties.
The major did call that afternoon,
and carried out Johns advice, taking
care 10 be present in the drawing-rOom
all the time. Very glad, too, l felt that
I had not neglected this precaution.
For from the way the major kept look
ing toward me, as If he wished me at
Jericho, and from the various attempts
my aunt made to get me out Of the
room by transparent subterfuges = to
which declined to tumble-I began TO
feel that the danger Of which John had
warned me was very present and real,
and / found myself wondering that
had hitherto been so completely and
cnlpably blind to the matter.