The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-06-22

4 "A : be in anywise different
E~o~ from the rest of the world.
Only Aunt Picklebury was different.
She had. as it were, 4 vein of original
ity running through her. She liked to
wear her brocne shawl wrong side out,
and to tie her ribbons askew. and to
put the flowers on the right hand side
Of her bonnet, while all the world was
wearing theirs on the left hand side.
And she could afford to cultivate as
large a crop of peculiarities as she
pleased. for Aunt P~icklebury had
money. 1t had been part of her pecu-
iiarity TO eNigrate West and buy lands
Just when all her relatives were To-
Gated in a snug little Eastern town.
"Are you crazy. MelisSa:" her mar
ried sister had plaintively demanded.
mo" Miss Picklebury rad answered,
'but 1 want breathing room"
The lands had risen in value with
almost fabulous r%apidity; the West
ern settlement had grown into a young
city, and Miss Melissa Picklebury was
rich.
! She sat knitting. with a magazine
open on her lap, one bright October
morning. when Harry Hayden came
in, the junior member Of the firm of
Hoyt & Hayden, who transacted Miss
Melissa's legal business.
Crying, Miss Picklebury" he ex-
claimed, cheerily. why, what on
earth is the matter?"
"Was 1 crying" asked Miss Pick
lebury. somewhat shamefacedly.
swell. you couldn't help it yourself.
Harry, if you had been reading this
story. It's by my literary niece-the
prettiest little thing you ever saw"
"The story. or the niece"
"The story, of course. 1 never saw
my literary niece, but I dare say she
Is rawboned and sallow, with holes in
the elbows Of her frock and grease
spots IN her apron. But she writes
well; there's no denying that. I read
all her papers, and I almost always
laugh and cry over them. It's a great
talent. Harry.
$50 it is" assented the young man,
lrarelessly.
II have written East for one of my
Sisters girls to come and stay with
me-" said Aunt Picklebury; II told
them to forward her by express. She'll
b. here this afternoon. I want you
10 go to the Office and meet her"
"The literary niece" said Harry.
laughing.
Goodness forbid!" said Aunt Pick
Ilebury. with a grimace. II want no
ink spots On my chintz bedroom furni-
ture. and fine frenzies about sunsets
and autumn leaves and things. I wrote
te Polly to send me a homespun, sen.
sible girl, that would be a companion
ito me; not a full-hedged fashionable
Byoung lady"
GAIL right said Afr. Hayden.
Miss Picklebury looked after the
'yeung man as he strobe away over the
dead drifts Of yellow leaves that lay
Hin the road.
"a nice young fellow. that" said
she to herself, with no airs and graceS
about him. | like him. Perhaps
miss P~icklebury was by no means free
&from the feminine trait of castle-build.
ing-"he will fall in love with my SEN
8siblc niece. If he does, he shall have
my blessing"
The niece by express arrived that
might just as Miss Picklebury was lit
ting down to tea. She was slight and
8graceful and dark eyed, with q clover
pink complexion. and a laughing. dim
piled mouth. Aunt P%icklebury liked
The looks of her.
"What is your name, my dear?" she
Said.
"Clara." said the newcomer.
"Iou are very pretty said Miss
Picklebury. Il think 1 shall like
you"
"And I know I shall like you. Aunt
Nelly said Clara with a great hug Of
The old lady's plump, cushiony form.
"Let me see" said Miss Picklebury;
4 there are three Of you-the literary
pne, the school teaching one. and the
sensible one"
II Eope we are all sensible, aunt"
said Clara, coloring 4 little.
II hope so, too" said the old lady;
&'but I have my doubts on the subject.
am afraid OF literary folks. and I
lon't like schoolma'ams. H"r you
sew?"
ooh. yes, aunt dear
"And darn stockings, and put Oh
heat patches, and mend linens"
81 'Of course l can
Can you COOKE
- "rll show you tomorrow, Aunt Mel
IT,"
oh" said Miss P~icklebury, eve
bn idea that the literary one and the
school teaching I are rather inef-
lcient.'
Indeed. aunt. you are quite mistak,
en. l.
"Oh. we'll. never mind all that" said
piss Pick!cbury. Only I'm glad yoIr
mamma sent ne tho sensible 4 OF
the family"
Clara Courtnnay plunged into the
.lomestic details Of Miss Pickiebury'
establishment lita q hoo into o hnrar