The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-05-20


this morning, dear?"
"well, l don't know" said Lucy;
here's letter from Aunt Jane"
"Aunt Jane? Did I 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 said had an aw-
ful sin to confess-a past, a present,
and a future; something you might
never be able to forgiven"
Eyes. l wouldn't listen" He put
his arm around her.
"Well, 1t vast was Aunt Jane"
"Great Scott" he replied.
Aunt Jane arrived as threatened,
punctually quarter of an hour late.
She was always a 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
ly spread over the whole of her
pents, owing to her morbid pas
Tor regularity. To be late for
akfast 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"
81 didn't know it," said Lucy meek.
ly.
you think you're happy, but l know
better, poor thing. see from youl
looks. from your manner, that yor
are utterly miserable. Now, confess
haven't | guessed right?"
'T'm-I'm perfectly happy" groanet
Lucy, dismally. II mean, was till
till"
It'll you came" was what she
wanted to say, but her courage failed
It'll you married." said Aunt Jane
triumphantly. Didn't l say SOP,
The manner of Aunt Jane had a GU
riously quelling effect upon all wht
allowed themselves to be brought un
der its spell. Having extracted thi
admission, she followed up her sue
cess by a skilful ross-examination
which reduced the poor girl to tears
and almost persuaded her that he
husband was the most brutal scoun
drel ON earth. Every little instanc,
of his irritability, every little protest
however gentle. about lateness o
breakfast or toughness of beef, wa
dragged out of her by tortuous means
carefully exaggerated and embellishe'
with details supplied from Aunt Jane
own instinct, and fitted into its plac
In an elaborate and highly coloret
mosaic of perfect villalny. And whel
II was done. so difficult was 1t to dis
tinguish fact from fancy that Luc.
was wondering how on earth she couli
ever have married the man at all.
"And now, my dear" said Aun
Jane, ito follow up your suggestion
that he is concealing something ia
worse than all this"-Lucy had neve
suggested anything of the kind. bu
she saw now how probable it was
''just tell me fully anything he ma,
have conflded to you and any suspi
cions you may have that he Is keep
ing anything back. There should b
no secrets between man and hi
wife's aunt"
mo. Aunt" said Lucy. strugglin
with her tears; Il quite agree"
"For instance, does he receive lei
ters which he doesn't allow you t
look att"
'T-il--don't know; never aske
him. she sobbed.
Poor child--poor. simple child! A
1f be would confess II! The very fat
that he says nothing about those lei
tors ought to have put you on you
/ guard Ho always gets down 10 breal
5 1nGt before you. I'll be bound, an
Uloats over them in secret. shS"