The Irish standard., 1908-12-19

dance Of silvery hair-parted in the
middle and growing thickly on each
side in natures own fashion. which art
can not counterfeit, as we'll rs softly
puffed and massed above-that ex.
quisitely colored and textured skin,
strangely smooth for her years. with
tiny wrinkles Of humor. to be sure,
about the eyes, but with cheeks and
skin unmarried; that fne, firmly carved
profile, those black eyebrows and
lashes and still brilliant dark eyes;
most of all that erect, alert, dainty
carriage, gave no impression Of age:
but they all, and their accessories Of
toilet and manner, and little prim
touch Of an older. more reticent day
in both dress and bearing, recalled the
last century phrase.
A soft gray bunch Of chinchilla fur
lay where she had slipped it on her
soft gray skirts; one hand rested in
the fur-her left hand-and on the
third finger we're the only rings which
she wore, band Of gold, worn by go
years, and wonderful ruby, wherein
(at least such was Rupert's phantasy)
writhing flame was held captive by
its guard of diamond icicles. The
same rings admired by her nephew
ever since he was cadet-just the
same smiling, inscrutable, high-bred.
unchanging old dame!
"Good evening, Aunt Rebecca; not
a day older!" said the colonel.
Good evening", Bertie." returned the
F; lady, extending a hand over the cards;
excuse my not rising to greet you;
might 3cz czgle the cards. OF course
I'm not day older; I don't dare to
grow older at my age! Sit down. I'm
extremely glad to see you; I've heap
to talk to you about. Do you mind II
1 run this game through flrst?"
The colonel didn't mind. He raised
the proffered hand to his lips; such
! homage seemed quite the most natural
| act in the world with Mrs. Winter.
j And he unobtrusively edged his own
lean and wiry person into the vacant
seat opposite her.
/ "How far are you going?" said she,
after few moves Of the cards.
/! my ticket says Los Angeles; but
1t had to say something, 80 I chose
i, Los Angeles for luck; I'm an fire.
sponsible tramp now, you know; and
may drop of almost anywhere. You
are for southern California, aren't
! you?"
Eventually; but we shall stop at
San Francisco for two or three
weeks"
"Do you mind II stop of with you?
I want to get acquainted with my
ward" said the colonel.
| That's q good idea. Bertie."
"He seems rather out Of sorts; you
aren't worried about-well, tubercu-
losis or that sort Of thing?"
II am worried about Just that sort
of thing; although the doctor says
nothing organic at all is the matter
j with him; but he is too melancholy
for boy; he needs rousing; losing
his father and mother in one year. you
know, and he was devoted to them.
can't quite make him out, BERTHE; he
j hasn't the Winter temperament. ]
suppose he has . legal right to his
mothers nature; but it is very annoy
.ng. 1t makes him so much harder
% understand-nott that she wasn't q
good woman who made Tom happy;
but she wasn't Winter. However
Janet has frightened him up consider
ably-you've seen Janet-Miss Smith
What do you think Of herr"
Winter oafA hnr that nk~ nm .
very nice-looking and that she looked
, right capable; he fell into the idiom
Of his youth sometimes when with q
southerner.
"She is," said Aunt Rebecca.
where did you find herr" asked
| the colonel carelessly, inspecting the
cards.
Aunt Rebecca smiled. 'I thought
Millicent would have given you all
the particulars. She was nurse, secre
!, tary, companion and diet cook tc
!, Cousin Angela Nelson; when she died
. got her. Lucky for me-"
$50 should judge" commented the
colonel politely.
, II presume Millicent has told yor
. SAAsss 1AA0 AZ Oh 0OVVAtuI0S0 0uu nAIOA
! my money and heap more stuff. Il
she hasn't she will. Get a notior
once in Millicent's head and surgica
i, operation is necessary to dislodge it!
Janet is the only mortal person whit
could live with poor Cousin Angela
who had enough real diseases to Kill
her and enough imaginary ones tt
: kill anybody who lived with her!
:. Janet made her comfortable, woult
not stand everything on earth from
her-though she did stand q heap
and really cared for her. When sh.
.. died Cousin Angela left her some
money; not very much, but few thou
sands. She would have left her more
: but Janet wouldn't let her. She lef
! some to some old servants. who sure
: ly deserved it for living with her, som,
to charities and the rest to her sis
tiers, who hadn't put foot inside tn,
4 ho,,e> hop tx unor~ h,,< ~,