The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-09-12
The rlatch-rIaker rIatched.
BY J. GRAY.

"I WISH" said my Aunt Jemima,
looking at me somewhat severely over
her spectacles, u wish Mr.. Baynes had
been at home this summer, so that you
could have been introduced.
"Why do you wish that, aunt?" |
asked, indiffersntly. You expressed
the same desire last year. Are you
specially interested In Mr.. Baynes?" I
added, naughtily; because, If you are
not, / don't sea any reason for Guilt
waiting his acquaintance"
.My dear" Aunt Jemima replied
with decided blush. showing through
the tan of her handsome but uncom-
promising countenance, as If she were
ashamed of what she was going to
say-as we'll she might be- Mr..
Baynes is a very worthy man
81 hate worthy men!" interpolated
In the tone which always made Aunt
Jemima declare was a spoiled child.
This time, however, she passed my
comment by with scarcely a froWn,
and went on calmly, though the blush
increased slightly, land he is also ex-
ceedingly we'll off-and a widower."
l gave a little gasp, asking wrath
fully what that had to do with me.
"Oh! well, really. Betty" she STAN
mered, you are now of marriage
able age, and-and I do not see any
reason why you should not make Mr..
Baynes happy. He wants wife bad
ly"
do you know of any reason why
he should make me happy" l asked.
with an attempt at sarcasm which was
quite unappreciated.
Eyes, several" my aunt replied,
calmly. Gas l said before, he wants
a wife; and suppose you have no
desire to be an old maid"
I tossed my head with some indigna-
ton. In my own mind I did not fear
that fate very greatly, and certainly
was not going to be palmed off on any
one in order to escape it.
my dear aunt / thought you al
ways maintained that it was the hap
piest life for woman"
For some; not for you, Betty Be-
sides, you have no fortune, and are
barely clever enough to earn your own
living"
"Thanks!" l said, my temper
which was none Of the coolest-ris-
ing, and showing itself in my burn
ing cheeks; thank you for your frank
opinion of my mental and moral attri-
butes. AS I have not sufficient brains
to earn livelihood | am supposed to
be willing to marry man old enough
to be my father-for whom 1 do not
care a straw-D as to have home!
No, thank you, Aunt Jemima!"
To my surprise this did not afouse
any corresponding ebullition, yet our
tempers were so very much alike that
in like manner.
'My dear child" she replied, in
quite patient and eren tender voice
that is, tender for her, for she was
of a stern and almost manlike dis
position-'T wish nothing of the sort;
If you do not get to care for him you
need not marry him. Still, l think
you would be very fond Of him, and
l am sure he would like you very
much
why do you think that?"
"Oh! he would be sure to-" she
replied, in what I considered an ex-
ceedingly lame manner.
"Well, that is the first time I ever
heard you express such high opin-
ion of my charms!" I said, somewhat
scathingly. .Are they SO fatal that he
would have to succumb at once?"
Aunt's disclaimer to this query was
more emphatic than flattering, yet she
gave me to understand, distinctly,
that though my charms were by no
means great, she still believed they
were sufficient to fascinate Mr..
Baynes
This only puzzled me more than
ever, and | could not understand what
possessed my staid aunt to turn her
into a matchmaker She had an un-'
compromising objection to matrimony
in the case of any one, and particular
ly any one belonging to her own fam
lily.
None of us ever much looked for
ward to a VISIT to her quiet little
house in the quiet little town in Nor
folk; but one Of us was packed off
by mother twice year, at mid-sum
mer and about Christmas. / general
ly went IN the summer, as I could
cycle, while my two elder sisters hated
the idea of rushing about on wheels.
Besides, Jim-the eldest, who was
called after Aunt Jemima, poor dear
had incurred her displeasure by mar
rying the previous year, so that meant
that I must go every summer and
Clare every winter. It was rather
dismal prospect, but mother would
not let us off. She said aunt had al
ways spent herself on her family when
she was young, and we must look at
ter her and cheer her now she was
lonely did not believe she was
lonely, and / know was. when I had