Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-03-02

| own her as 4 relatiOn,' said my sister
Maud. with an ugly frown Oh her pref
ty face.
For shame, MauLw l answered
sharply. Il am sure you have no rca.
son to complain; Aunt Anne is good
ness itself to you. If she has odd IDEAS
about dress, what does it matter? She
has perfect right TO indulge in them, if
it gives her pleasurr.'
well, it is 10 be hoped she will
keep in the background and not show
herself whe Colonel Hargrieve calls.
have half Il mind to invent some tale
about old Mollie Sanders being worse;
she would be sure to be Off there to,
morrow afternoon
"lf You do, Maud, shall certainly
Illustrate your plans by telling her the
TRUTH" | answered severely. III
Colonel ILargricves is rs keen-sighted
n man as he looks, he will be able
to penetrate beyond Aunt Anne's old
dress and see the kind heart that bpat
within
Maud stood Up and yawncd. ''Wcll,
IL your devotion is SO great to Aunt
Anne she said sarcastically, per
haps it will go 10 the length Of taking
her for stroll tomorrow afternoon.
while | entertain the Colonel" With
this parting shaft she left the room.
l bluShed guiltily. How long was it,
{ wondered, since | had asked Aunt
Anne TO accompany me in my walks.
Poor Aunt Anne! Hers was busy
life, yet lonely. She kept in the back
ground, watching her machine that
Kept our household arrangements in
perfect order, Oiling wheels carefully
but always silently. We We're tiny
mites when our mother died and Aunt
Anne had taken her place ut once,
nursing us through our childish all
mentS with devoted care, attending to
our wants and ministering to our
pleasures with the same patient unset.
dshness all through the long years.
Her voice was gentle, her face pale
but sweet, and the only odd thing
about her was her dress: she always
dressed in the style of her girlhood;
fashions came and went, bat Aunt
Anne needed them not.
1t was this fad that annoyed Maud
so much. "She might alter. if only for
our salies," she would say mpatientiy;
but in this respect Aunt Anne WAS
strangely firm.
| My father gave us 4 generous allow
ancc; we both dressed well and styl-
!shly. our elegant costumes acccntUat-
ing The contrast between Aunt Anne
and ourselves.
\ few evenings ago we had met at
n dance Il singulariy handsome stranG.
er. Tall. finely proportioned, with
erect carriage and fine gray eyes.
Colonel HarSrieves took our youthful
hearts by storm.
us lie not splendid, Alicc:' Maud
whispered to me; "he has charming
| manners, too
"Re careful. Naud; do not wear youl
heart on your sleeve" l answered.
Colonel Hargricves VIII read you
like Il book
An angry flush crimsoncd Maud's
| putty Jaw. AioN soN
are. Alice!" she said. - suppose you
are jealous. Never mind,' triumph,
antly, "he has promised to call and
sec father" and nodding suucily she
turned away with her new partner.
The following afternoon Maud
donned her prctticst white gown aud
sat in a graceful attitude in the draw.
ing-room waiting.
smiled in my most aggravating
manner, but she trcatol me with silent
contempt.
True to his word however, Colonel
Iargricvcs called. Maud received him
| with her sweetest smile.
| Before long. however. 1 noticed de
rded rcst!cssness about Maud; she
seemed bent on drawing the Colonel as
far away from the window as posi-
bic.
cause. "Ah," I said to myself, 81
guessed as much' There, fitting
among the rose trees in ner Qraint lit
tie muslin gown. WAS Aunt Anne. Blu
| all Maud's efforts We're in vain; tht
Coionel's keen eyes wandered agar
and again to the garden. At last Ii,
said abruptly: Excuse my apparen
curiosity. but who is that lady gather
Ng flowers in tile gardnn!'
Maud mumblcd some inarticulatc re
ply, but I interrupted her. THAT i:
Aun- Anne" I said boldly.
| 4 f.,1c,,n1 prtpi
sharply, "Annt Anne; then it must b'
she. There could he no other Anne
like her. Excuse ne. believe you
aunt is an old friend of mine. l mus
speal; to her"
He stepped through the open Frcncl
rapid strides.
We watched him braathlcssly. Aun
Anne turned and fixed her wondevn!
eyes upon him; we saw the roses fcl
in heap ut his feet "Annc, dca
Anne" we heard him cry: then. TO OH
! establishment. lie c!aspcd the quain
little figure i'll his arms.
Good gracious" exclaimed Maud
ais the world coming to an end? Wha
can it nean:'
1T evidently means that Colonc
Harglievcs cares moro for Aunt Ann
IN her old muslin gown than for you il
your latest said colby.
We had not long to wait FOR en- OK
plantations: tho Colonel returned wit
blushing little Aunt Anne leaning Ct
his arm.
How very odd YOU must think /!
my dears" she said gently; be til
Colonel intcrruotcd with 81 hone va