Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-02-03


chickens, while all the time there was a
peculiarly quizzical expression in his
eyes, which We're dark and very hand
some. To Anna and her spit curls" he
took kindly, and ere his lady mother
made her appearance q second time be
had put his arm round her twice, telling
her she should come to Boston some time
and go to school. A rustic of silk upon
the stairs announced tbs descent of Aunt
Charlotte, and with her nose slightly
elevated, ready for any emergency, she
entered the parlor, where she was intro
duced to Aunt Betsey, who, courtesying
straight down, hoped to see her well, y
adding that she ''s'posed she'd come to
the country to see how poor folks lived"
Failing back into the rocking chair
which Anna brought for her, Aunt Char
lotte made no particular reply, save an
occasional attack upon her hartshorn.
Aunt Betsey, however, nothing daunted,
endeavored to engage her in conycrsa-
ton by asking if she knew Liza ann
Willcott, tailoress girl, that boarded
with Miss johnson, who used to live in
Union, but who now lived in Boston,"
browning majestically, Aunt Charlotte
replied that she had not the honor of
Miss Willcott's acquaintance; whereupon
Aunt 6etsey advised her to make it by
all means, assuring her that Liza Ann
was first-rate girl, and that Miss john
son was the best kind Of neighbor, al
ways willin' to lend, or do good turn"
Aunt Charlotte turned away and began
talking in low tone to Herbert. 1t is
strange how much consEraint one person
can sometimes throw oyer a room full.
On this occasion, had an ogress suddenly
/ alighted in our midst, we could not have
been more silent or less at ease than
we were with that Boston lady, sitting
there so starched and stiff. Even Uncle
Joseph, whose genial nature usually shed
so much sunlight over our circle, was
grave and reserved. Uncle Jason, who
painfully felt his own awkwardness, sat
tipping back in his chair against the well.
with his feet on the rounds, while his fin
gers kept time to tune, which he was
evidently whistling to himself Glad were
we all when, finally called to dinner. the
savory smell of which had long been
whetting our appetites.
What! dinner so soon?'' said Aunt
Charlotte, consulting her gold watch,
which pointed to half past two. Il don't
believe | can force down a mouthful"
But, in spite of her belief she did man.
age to make way with the contents of
her weil-hlled plate, which was passed
back second time to be replenished. So
eager We're we all to serve her that we
partially forgot Aunt Betsey, who, after
waiting awhile for potato, at last arose
and reaching half way across the table,
secured one for herself, saying, by way
OF apology, that ''she believed in looking
out for Number One, for if she didn't
nobody else would"
So incensed was she with what she
termed our neglect that the moment din
her was over she insisted upon going
home. saying, as she bid us goodbye.
that when she went again where she
wasn't wanted she guessed she should
know it," and adding, while two big tears
dropped from the end of her nose, that
''she never s'posed she should be so mis-
used by folks that she'd done so much
for"
The sight of her tears brought forth
answering ones from me. for. with all her
peculiarities, loved Aunt Betsey. and
remembered that when sickness and
death were among US she had left her
own home to stay with US, ministering as
1 L
liked her far better than did my Boston
aunt, who, after bidding her sister-in-law
goodbye, went back to the parlor, say
ing to her husband in tone loud enough
for us to hear. What vulgar creature!
Did you notice her hands? Why, they
are as coarse and black as a servant
girls"
''And she's none the worse for that"
interposed grandma, warming up in de-
tense of her sons wife. ''She has now
and then an odd streak. hut on the whole
she's better than they'li average"
After this, Aunt Charlotte relapsed
into silence, which she did not break
until she overheard Herbert proposing to
Anna ride on the morrow. Then she
reused up, and while her little black eyes
snapped. he.said:
II am going home tomorrow afternoon,
and so are you. Consequently there'll be
NO time for a ride"
The next morning Aunt Charlotte did
not appear at breakfast, It being so mucn
earlier than her usual hour of rising.
Accordingly, though we Cid not wait, the
table did until ten o'clock, when, pale
and languid, she came down. seeming
much disturbed to find that Herbert had
coaxed Anna into going with him to call
on Aunt Betsey, to whom he had taken
quite a fancy.
Darling an angry glance at her hus-
band, she said: How could you suffer
ity" asking at the sar2e time if there
was a hotel on the road. Being told that
there was one at Union and another half
way between that and Sunny Bank, she
seemed more disturbed than ever, eating
little or no breakfast, and announcing
her intention of staying ever that day, or,
az all events. until Herbert returned.
Seating herself at the window, she watch
ed and waited, while the hours crept on
and the clock in grandma's room struck
four ere the head of ''old Sprref' was
visible far down the read. Then with
an eagerness wholly incomprehensible to
me. she started up. STAINING her eyes
anxiously in the direction of the fast
approaching cutter. As it came nearer
we all observed something rather singular
in the position of Herbert. who seemed
lying almost across Annals lap, while
she was driving!
"NIe-ciful heavens, it's az | feared!'
was Aunt Charlotte's exclamation. rs she
sank upon the lounge, Roaming bitterly,
and covering her face With she cushion.
Lifting him out, my father and uncle
laid him upon the settee in the sitting
room, just where little Jamie had been
| laid, and my mother, as she looked upon
the senseless inebriate resting where once
had Lain the beautiful, inanimate form of
/ her youngest born. thought how far less
/ bitter was her cup of sorrow than was
that of the half-faintiug woman, who
) would rather. far rather. her boy had
4 died with the dew of baayhood upon his
brow than TO have seen Elm thus debased
and fallen.
The story was soon told. my uncle sup
plying all points which Anna could not.
Il seems thar early in life Herbert had
acquired love for the wine aud porter
which daily graced his mothers dinner
table. As he grew older his taste m
creased for something stronger. until now
nothing save brandy could satisfy the
cravings of his appetite. More than once
had he been brought hone in a state OF