The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-10
JOHNS BIT OF STRATEGY.

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BIT; OF luck for any man. OF course,
was my aunt's nearest living relative,
and It was only right that should:h
succeededsto this property on her oe-
mise. Still, under my uncle's Will, she
mad an absolute power of appointment,
and had she chosen to make the Wnole
estate over to a total stranger NOBODY
could have prevented it. AT one Tune.
In fact, there really was danger OF
this occurring Have you heard the
story? No? Then I think it wili IN
terest you, for some of its features are,
I believe, quite unique.
You never saw my uncle ana aunt!
They were two nice old people, extreme
ly kind and good-natured, but a Urine
eccentric. They were not cut out at
ell for county people-the position IN
which they found themselves after my
uncle purchased this estate. My I'M
Gle, as you have doubtless heard, was
selfmade man. He amassed ms lor-
tune at cotton spinning. My aunt, be-
fore she married him, was diapers
assistant in Manchester; so naturally
it was not to be expected that she
should have the haut-ton. Neverthe-
less. when they took up their residence
here, they went down better than you
might have supposed. This, imagine,
was because neither of them was IN
any degree pretentious or vulgar. In
deed, two more simple, unaffected old
people I have seldom met They al
ways remained just what they were and
never pretended to be anything else.
And so, being kindly, simple and nat
ural, they soon made themselves liked
by their neighbors of all classes.
I have said that my uncle and aunt
were somewhat eccentric But they
had, in their establishment, one who
was considerably more eccentric than
themselves. You really should have
seen John Simmonds, the butler,
dear, delightful, faithful old creature,
perfectly devoted to the family. but one
of the oldest men you ever saw. lie
was about the same age as my uncle.
whom he seemed to regard as sort of
brother, and whose interests he watched
over with more than brotherly solicit
tude. To say that he was familiar in
his manner toward his master and mis-
tress would be to convey a wrong i'm
preston. For he never took a liberty
or presumed on the affectionate regard
Yet he often said to them things which,
If spoken by any other servant or in
any other manner than his own would
have sounded inexcusable and even
outrageous That was just where it
was. The old fellow had a way with
him in this direction which somehow
robbed his plain-spoken utterances Of
every tinge of disrespect.
nearly broke Johns heart-the faithful
servant constituted himself more than
ever a guardian of the family inter
ests. He looked after my aunt almost
as if she had been a child. 1t gradually
became evident that she needed some
looking after, too. Her intellect had
begun to fail a little since my uncle's
death. Not that she sank exactly into
a state of dotage. But she became
rather foolish and weak-minded. And
this k-mindedness Of hers assumed
a most absurd and, for an old lady, a
most incongruous form. 1t is bad
enough when a 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 susceptible of the tender
passion--at seventy-five. She discov-
cred quite decided penchant for fir
tations. Really it was downright
laughable-at first. But the time was
not long in arriving when the laugh
able aspect of the matter grew less
pronounced A serious, a disastrous
consequence began to threaten. I will
tell you how it was.
There had lately come into the neigh
borhood a certain retired Major, by
name Mallaby, a well-kept individual,
who looked forty-five. and was probably
sixty-ive-tall, handsome, and of In
gratiating manners and address. In
due course, / called upon him, as
everybody else did, and in due course
he became rather frequent visitor at
my aunt's house. Anything so fragrant
ly 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-
manned shut until it was too late. One
morning, however, John came into the
library, where was alone reading, with
a very perturbed expression on his sol
emn face.
Master Charlie" he bIurted out,
coming close up to me, and dropping
his voice to a low, confidential pitch;
this woan't du."
What won't do. John?" I was con-
strained to inquire.
= This what's going on between thy
aunt and yon Major
"Oh!" 1 laughed lightly. That's alp"
And bean't it enough?" demanded
John, almost fiercely.
It's silly of poor old aunt, of
course" 1 said, land it makes her
rather a laughing-stock Still it
amuses her to think she's getting up
a Irritation. And after all, there's no
harm done"
"Bean't there?" rejoined John, in a
very insignificant tone; "of, bean't
there, Master Charlie?"
What do you mean, John?" I ex-
claimed.
Mean" retorted honest John, evil
IDENTIFY exasperated by what he con-
sidered my wilful obtuseness. eff thee
Master Charlie"
You don't really mean that you
think anything serious is likely to come
of these foolish fiirtations with Major
Mallaby?" ~
Depends what thee calls serious.
Some folks might call marriage seri-
Gus Some mightn't. That's what's
coming of it, anyways"
Pooh, man. Impossible! Why, aunt
Is IS"
Eff she was IS and the marrying fit
took her. age wouldn't be no hindranee.
as it amt a been to many silly old
women before now" answered John,