The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-09-04

that the young doctor with whom 1t
kind Providence for the special pur-
pose of alleviating my terrible ennui,
Aunt Jemima was to be thanked,
too, as well as Providence, for she was
the unconscious cause of our meeting.
1t was the result of bad burn re-
ceived while baking cakes. Aunt dis
approved of girls being idle, and was
determined to make me learn to cook.
Now, | can make as pretty blouse
as any one, and trim a hat that will
compare favorably with West-end
| product; but these are only frivolous
amusements in the eyes of Aunt Jemi-
ma. So she set ME to cake-making,
| an occupation that | detestl 1t ruins
and at home my brothers say they
will not have me tampering with their
| digestions, so what is the good of
trying? Nevertheless, | was made to
try, and, consequently, | got a per-
fectly horrid burn.
Aunt Jemima sent for the doctor,
who is an old fogey, and said to be
very brutal in his manners-or lack
of manners. He was away, greatly
to my joy, and the assistant came, who
is not at all an old fogey, and not
bit brutal in his way of treating one.
In fact, he was very nice and polite
to the aunt, and awfully nice to me.
| was rather glad of that burn, pour
passer lie temps. | don't deny, how
ever, that the remembrance of it all
made the time pass more slowly dur
ing the winter months, when l often
thought of my nice doctor, and won
dered whether l should ever see him
again. | pondered over the question,
would he be married? and l wondered
how l should feel if he were, and
whether | should mind if he had for
gotten all about me.
Aunt would have been shocked had
she known | ever thought of him. |
dared not even ask if he were still
in the town, but wanted, dreadfully,
to know; and as two days went by
without my getting glimpse of him,
| began to think he had gone away.
On the third morning, however, | saw
him pass the house, and / felt pleased;
but it was not till he looked up, and |
saw the glad look in his eyes that |
was trying to keep out of mine, that
was really cheered. Aunt Jemima saw
him, too, and made the ill-advised re-
mark that he was to be married soon.
| did not want the information, even
if it were true but | did not believe
it was. Aunt Jemima seems very
different lately; she never used to take
any interest in marriages and such
silly local gossip. l can't quite make
her out.
Mr.. Baynes will be home sooner
than he expected" she remarked to
me little later. II hear from his old
housekeeper that business has recalled
him"
Il wish he would keep away" |
muttered, but aunt did not hear me.
81 hope you will like each other"
she continued in a somewhat anxious
tone, which struck me as exceedingly
silly.
well, as he is old enough to be
my father" l replied, in a provoking
manner, 81 shall be pleased to accept
all the chocolates and other nice
things he likes to give me. Perhaps
he won't be gallant enough to offer
me any, for though you call him a
gentleman farmer, expect he is a bit
of boor."
Not at ALL" was the reply, "he is
not at all a boor, and he is certainly
gentleman. Besides, he is quite
young-h "a middle-aged man, at
any rate, upright and strong. oh!
there is no doubt he would make a
good husband for any girl"
Il thought you disapproved of dis
parity of age in marriage!"
Il do; that is to say, | object to a
woman marrying a man who is her
Junior,
We'll, l do not see why a young
girl should be bothered with an old
husband any more than the other way
about" | said, aggressively; besides
l am not sure that l do not care for
somebody else"
Aunt looked at me shrewdly. Does
he care for you?" 1t was a confusing
question, and / should have liked to
say "As much as Mr. Baynesl" but |
felt must not arouse suspicion, so |
merely assured her chat | meant moth
ing, only was absolutely tired of
hearing about her friend
That evening l met DIR. Alwyn. and
after our little walk together | could
have answered more satisfactorily the
question. Does he care for your" but
as this is not my love story it does
not matter what happened then.
After that, however, my visit passed
all too quickly. l had my cycle, and
that gave me. many opportunities of
getting off alone-no, / do not mean
that; | mean it gave me many chances
of getting away not alone. We had
Cnpna plnriOnc tir,ac o,l