The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-05-23
AUNT MOLLIE's PLOT.

dark ha1r and water Streamed from hei
umbrella as she furled it and climbed
wearily into the hindmost seat of the
station wagon.
The evening was dark with an inky
black gloom, but just as the horses
started ray of light from some sta
tion lamp shot athwart the vehicle
and revealed to her sight the occu-
pants of the seat before her.
"Ben p she calculated mentally.
80 they have sent for him, too.
Poor Aunt Mollie must be very i'll,
indeed"
Her cheeks were flushed and her
lips quivered with commipgled pain
and pleasure.
It was the first time for long months
that she had looked upon the face of
Ben Snydam.
She loved him, and before they
parted there had been times when she
almost believed that he cared for her.
But destiny seemed to have inter
posed barrier between them.
Rich eccentric Aunt Mollie had re-
solved herself to select the matrimo-
nial mates of the young niece whom
she had reared from childhood, and
of Ben Snydam, who was her beloved
ward and the son of her girlhood's one
lover.
81 have chosen a husband for you,
Ethel" she had advised the girl Of
ten, "and if you do not grant my
dearest wish I shall settle the whole
of my property upon some charitable
institution.
81 don't want any of your proper
ty," Ethel had stubbornly protested.
"And if you won't let me chose my
own husband, I will live unwedded
as you have done, Aunty."
my child, this man is young,
handsome and everything else any
girl could DESIRE" her aunt assured
her.
"Please don't talk about him"
Ethel pouted. II don't know him,
and I will never meet him if 1 can
prevent it,"
And after one of these discussions
Ethel felt SO exasperated that she i'm
pulsively quilted the house and sought
a home with another relative in dis
tant city, where she had since re-
NAMED.
Young Snydam's experience with
his eccentric guardian had been SINH
lar.
eve got my eyes on girl 1 want
you to marry" Aunt Mollie had
told him, "and unless you abide by
my choice, dearest boy, will give
all my money to some home for the
INDECENT. :"
''I don't care snap for your mon
eY,n be had declared vexedly, ''and
Mollie, I'll do anything on earth to
crafty you except that one thing"
"But," Aunt Mollie persisted "you
will be pleased with the girl 1 have
chosen. She is sweet-tempered and
fair of face, aud"
''Oh, never mind" he interrupted
impatiently. II don't want to hear
anything about her, and I neverwant
to see her, either"
The old lady's constant allusion to
the matter irritated him, and he be-
gan to hold himself little aloof from
her. And finally he started busi-
ness for himself in the next town, and
seldom presented himselfin her pleas
ant home unless she sent for him.
Aunt Mollie had sent for them
both now. She had been stricken
with some sudden and serious illness
she believed that her days were num-
bered, and she yearned for the pres
ence of the two persons whom she
held dearest of all on earth.
The rain had. subsidized into chill,
monotonous drizzle; the night was
still pitchy black when the station
wagon halted before her pretty house.
Ethel started to alight unaided.
But Snydam' S movements were quick
er than her own, and his arms were
ready to lift her from the vehicle.
His touch was almost caressing,
and he released her lingeringly.
Then, as she looked at him with
startled wonder in her eyes, he bent
his head and kissed her gently on the
lips.
"Forgive me, DEAR" he whispered.
"You have never let me kiss you and
l wanted one kiss before you promise
to wed the man Aunt Mollie has
chosen for you."
81 can't promise that--oh, can
never promise it; even now when
she may be dying" Ethel replied,
in a stiGed voice.
"Is the-the man so distasteful to
your" Snydam asked gently.
He fastened her storm collar little
closer, drew her arm within his own,
and led her slowly along the graveled
path between the dripping shrubbery.
"I never have seen him, never even
heard his name" she answered.
"It's queer, he commented, as if
the idea never occurred to him before.
"Aunt Mollie was kind enough to
pick out spouse for me, too, but she
has never dislodged the paragon's
identity. It's jolly queer"
"She is some great heiress, proba-
bly," Ethel suggested.
"Heiress or empress, decline the
honor without thanks. My affections
are already monopolized," said he.
At this juncture they reached the
door of the house.
A few moments later, when they
discarded their wet outer garments,
they were ushered Into the sick wo-
mans chamber.
Aunt Mollie lifted herself on her
pillows, and held thin, tremulous
hand out to each.
"This is kind of you, dear chill
dren," she began weakly.
She gazed from one to the other
l. L. ~