The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-23

I am" wondering what she meant.
BLESS met Why. is this your faith
er? Bless me! You must have taken
after your mothers family. l never
saw her"
The next moment the squire had hur-
ried UP. full Of apologies for being 30
tardy. My dear Aunt Mary Anne,
can't say enough. one OF the horses
cast Il shoe in the avenue. had to
stop / was afraid to drive three miles
over these frozen roads with a loose
shoe. I'm afraid you have been wait
mot all all. AZ least. we have been
here n few minutes, but only long
enough TO become acquainted. hear
this Is one OF your boys. ThOmas?"
Yes, this is Geoifrey, my second son.
And this is Dicks son, Lionel" indl-
eating his nephew, who had not yet
spoken.
For moment Godfrey Parker stared
at the old lady surprised smile gradu-
ally overspreadinG his countenance
"Why. are you Aunt Mary?" he ex-
claimed.
Why shouldn't ] be?" she demanded
~ don: know why you shouldn't, but
didn't expect sou We're he replied.
Then he audaciously bent his head down
and kissed her on either check. Wei
come to Addlngham. anyway, Aunt
Mary Anne" he said And now ]
think we've been standing here long
enough,
Aunt Mary Anne allowed herself to be
hurried or to the carriage. which was
waiting at the gate OF the little country
station. Here she was comfortably In
stalled In the warmcst corner OF the
shabby but commOdious omnibus.
49,, = In fNnR
dropping Lionel and his portmanteau at
the rectory gate. and. so when Mrs. JeX,
anxious and hospitable. ran out to greet
the important guest on whose pleasure
SO much depended, she saw to her as
constituent her favorite boy, GeOfTey,
sitting next to his formidable aunt
why, GeofE," she cried, we didn't eX-
pect you until tomorrow"
'Lal and got a chance Of getting on
to-day, so we both jumped at 1t. he
replied. ut was bit OF luck to find
someone else at the station who had to
be- met"
Then he turned to help Aunt Mary
Anne out OF the carriage, and Mrs. JeN
held out both hands with 4 cordially
which was. Il must be confessed, some
what tempered By awe and anxiety.
Welcome to Addngham, Miss Par
Iii / might be called Aunt Mary
Anne. ] should like II better" the arri-
val snapped out
"Oh. We would much prefer 10 call
you so, began Mrs JeX, when Geof-
frey broke in with a laugh.
I'm fact, VIC always do"
DO YOU. my boy?" said Aunt Mary
Anne, looking up at him with her bright
old cyea Then she turned back again
to Mrs. JeX oh, how cold II Is, Tell
mo, is Il always like this IN winter? /
haven't spent wlnter in England since
was twenty"
Mrs. Jex laughed. 1T il very sea-
sonable winter" she replied. PERSON
ally, prefer Il. always provided that !
can have good fires and plenty Of them.
or course, Il puts stop TO the hunting y
abe added. aR she led the way into the
house. This way. Mlss--Aunt Mary
Anne: they are all here"
Aunt Mary Anne drew back nppre-
henslveiy. what Have you asked all
OF Them TO meet me-? Thomas. that was
very unfrlendly Of you. Too many
Parkers at time get on my nerves.
wish hadn't come"
"wbat-the famlly?" he exclaimed,
misunderstanding her. what. did you
expect them, Ell? My dear aunt, I'm
barely on speaking terms with most OF
them. and certainly not on visiting
ones"
Aunt Mary Anne brenthed 9 sigh OF
relief ~ beg your pardon. Thumns. |
wap afraid you had. that was all Now
I can when I have seen Margheritn
disposed o. resign myself TO perfect en-
joymcDt.
She turned back and spoke few
words to the maid.
III one Of you win take her up to
my room and put her near n IRE, and
! give her some hot coffee or a little hot
| wine and water, Hhc VIII be all right
until / 20 10 TOOL. after her" abe snid
Mrs 10y cast II glance at RosnmOnd
which said. plainly enough; do as
she tells you. she's going to stay for
ever"
And. oh! what fortnight II was that
| followed. Probably never before had
the lodge been go thoroughly dlaor-
RRniEed and turned upside down. Aunt
Mary Anne was revelation In more
ways than one. and amid all their
ChrlEtmaR festivities tho JeX-Parkers
felt AZ n they were sitting on the top Of
n barrel Of gunpowder aye. and with
lighted torches IN their hands. For
Aunt Mary Anne, who was certainly
eighty years old, was the direct Opp0-
ate " all their pToc0nGeived notions,