The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-01-23
CELIA'S
h MAIDEN
y AUNT -
BY R. N Isl H.

HAVE been staying with Jack and
i Celia, and Jack has been in trouble
again. The morning after my ar
rival he came into the library, where
| was writing letters, and sank down
rather despondently into a chair.
81 say, Dot" he said, in lugubri-
Gus voice, "Celia's maiden aunt is
coming to stay with u.s."
Aunt Julia arrived the next day.
She is tall, rather masculine, or,
should say, unfemininc, looking lady,
with an aquiline nose and wiry, black
hair, slightly tinged with gray. Her
hands and feet were large and pow
erful, and her voice was one that
Carries" She greeted Celia, who is
her favorite. quite etfusively, and
then turned inditferently to me.
"Well, Dot, so you're here again."
she said, and held my hand for mo-
ment loosely in her palm, while | re-
piled cheerfully, like the clown in the
pantomime: YES, Aunt Julia, here
we are again."
Aunt Julia had decided views upon
many subjects, but, perhaps, more
especially upon the marriage ques-
tion than any other. l asked her uur-
ing dinner, quite innocently, of
course, if she did not think it quite
right for man to marry a second
time if his first wife died.
She looked down at her plate and
sniffed angrily. as if scenting battle
instead of mint sauce.
"Right?" she said contemptuously,
tossing piece of unoffending lamb
from one side of the plate to the
other and upsetting three green peas
on to the table cloth. 81 think it's
mean-positively mean. If a man
wants two wives, let him take them
both at once; two, or as many more
as he likes, Pm sure l don't care"
(This was only natural, since she was
not likely to become one of them.)
$50 long as man does it openly, l
say, | don't care how many wives he
takes at once, but to marry a Sec
ond time when the poor dear first
isn't there to prevent him, l call that
mean, indeed"
Here Jack, who only wanted to be
pleasant, put in, cheerily: "Quite
right, Miss AnstrVther, l agree with
you entirely. Let him take them all
at once, l say, and the more the mer-
rier,' and he smiled genially at Aunt
Julia.
But his sentiments so annoyed
Celia, who is inclined to be jealous,
that she nearly began to cry, and we
had to change the conversation.
Things went on smoothly for few
days, but gradually Aunt Julia's un-
due influence over Celia began to
show itself, and at last it became
marked, indeed.
My pretty sister came down to
breakfast with her hair pushed
straight off her face and carrying a
large book in her hand.
Pour out Jacks tea, Dot" she
said, hastily, because | am in a
hurry, l am going out with auntie."
"Where to, Celia?"
Il
Mammoth Antiquities" she said, inn
portantly; and then. with sudden
change of voice: "Oh, by the way,
the tickets are five shllings each,
have you a half sovereign, dear"
"If you stay at home Aunt Julia
will give you lecture for nothing"
he suggested, as he handed her the
money.
"ies, and she might give free illus
trations, with her hands and feet, of
the Mammoth Antiquities" / added,
pleasantly.
Celia rose with dignity.
please do not make fun of auntie,"
she said, coldly; "she is exceedingly
clever, and is going to help me with
my education. She has leant me this
book to read" she added, holding up
Whateley's Logic" as she spoke.
: "How kind of her; you might lend
her my Bradshaw in return" re.
torted Jack, as he settled down to
: read his paper.
Poor Celia! Her symptoms became
: daily worse and worse. She dressed
! herself as much like Aunt Julia as
possible, and wore a coat and skirt
with stiff collar, instead of her
usual fluffy" garments, and she read
80 much (although don't believe she
understood word she ready that she
quite wrinhled up her forehead.
jack was Arst amused and then
angry, and finally conAdsd in me that
% intended 70 ask Aunt Julia to 70;
~ - sAs \ rich and Celia has ex.
opsla1lana ron Asr. ) leEsusdsd him