Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1903-06-26
AUNT JANE.

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Anything exciting in your letters
this morning, dear?"
well, don't know" said Lucy;
here's letter from Aunt Jane"
Aunt Jane? Did ever meet Aunt
Jane before she married."
Lucy got up and went around the
breakfast table, looking troubled.
"Tom dear, you remember that day
you asked me to be your wife?"
YES" he replied. ''Why, what's
the matter?"
you remember l said had an aw-
full sin to confess-a past, a present,
and future; something you might
never be able to forgive?"
Yes. l wouldn't listen" He put
his arm around her.
''Well, it vast was Aunt Jane"
Great Scott" he replied.
Aunt Jane arrived as threatened,
punctually quarter of an hour late.
She was always quarter of an hour
late, on principle. 1t arose out of a
dislike for being kept waiting when
asked out to dinner, for instance, and
rapidly spread over the whole of her
movements, owing to her morbid pas
sion for regularity. To be late for
breakfast and in time for lunch upset
her for week, so she was scrupulous-
ly late for everything. This was an
noying, unless you knew her and al
lowed for it; but SO were most of the
things Aunt Jane did. She was SMALL
but enjoyed deep bass voice
"Ah, my poor child" was her greet
ing, how i'll you are looking"
Il didn't know it," said Lucy meek
ly.
You think you're happy, but know
better, poor thing. l see from your
looks, from your manner, that you
are utterly miserable Now, confess
haven't l guessed right?"
'I'm-Im perfectly happy" groaned
Lucy, dismally. 81 mean, was till
till"
IT'LL you came" was what she
wanted to say, but her courage failed.
It'll yor married." said Aunt Jane,
triumphanily. Didn't say. so?"
The manner of Aunt Jane had GU
riously quelling effect upon all who
allowed themselves to be brought I'M
der its SPELL. Having extracted this
admission, she followed up her sue
cess by a skilful cross-examination
which reduced the poor girl to tears,
and almost persuaded her that her
husband was the most brutal scoun-
drel on earth Every little instance
of his irritability, every little protest,
however gentle, about lateness Of
breakfast or toughness of beef, was
dragged out of her by tortuous means,
carefully exaggerated and embellished
with details supplied from Aunt James
own instinct, and fitted into its place
in an elaborate and highly colored
mosaic of perfect villainy. And when
it was done. so difficult was it to dis
tinguish fact from fancy that Lucy
was wondering how on earth she could
ever have married the man at all.
"And now, my DEAR" said Aunt
Jane, ito follow up your suggestion
that he is concealing something far
worse than all this''-Lucy had never
suggested anything of the kind, but
she saw now how probable it was
"just tell me fully anything he may
have confded to you and any suspi-
cions you may have that he is keep
ing anything back. There. should be
49, h.
wife's aunt
mo, Aunt" said Lucy, struggling
with her tears; 81 quite agree"
"For instance, does he receive let
ters which he doesn't allow you to
look at?"
"I-I-doa't know; I never asked
him. she sobbed.
Poor child-poor, simple child As
If he would confess il. The very fact
that he says nothing about those let
tiers ought to have put you on your
guard. He always getsadown to break
fast before you, I'll be bound, ard
gloats over them in secret, eh?"
Yves, he does. usually but-but.
II don't know anything about the
gloating." She dried her eyes be-
tween each word.
No; the housemaid would see that ;"
Il sup-suppose she would"
And doesn't it strike you as suspi-
cious that the housemaid hasn't told
you about 1t? Looks like a conspira-
cy. doesn't it, eh?"
Lucy clinched her hands and said
she ought to have suspected it, it was
50 obvious
"Ah, my poor child, the obvious IS
SO seldom visible, l find that people
very otter miss what to me is as clear
as daylight
Aunt Jane had never been ON a
scent SO hot.
And have you access to all cup
boards, brewers, safes?''
'I-I-think So" was the faltering
reply.
Think SOL said Aunt Jane. That's
a pretty state Of mind for wife,
Take me to his study at oncel Am
not his wifes aunt?"
This was said because Lucy seemed
TO hesitate. Together they went to
the atldy. Aunt Jane snissad eon-
tananlunraiy.
"smeksl" shs HnerssaI ''sfa
sMQlEeaf"