Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-15

Mrs. Matilda DarL6r SAT on ueT lTOuL pOrCu IudL
afternoon in a state of mind far from tranquil.
She made but little progress with the sewing on
her lap; her attention often wandered from 1t,
and more than once she dropped her needle.
And this was something new with Mrs. Darter,
who had at tongues end many maxim that
taught unceaSing toll
She was expecting guest this afternoon whose
stay would be indefinite. For the rest OF my
life' and "To be an unmtigated pest" were the
terms in which Mrs Darter communed with her
self, notwithstanding the expected guest was her
nephew, the only son of her brother who had died
but few months before.
One would have thought that lonely, isolated
woman, nearer sixty than fifty, would have ac-
cepted as a delightful provision for her old age
this coming of young life into it. But Mrs.
Darter thought differently She had no children
of her own to keep alive her interest in the COM
ing generation her husband had died many years
ago. and, one after another, she had dropped from
her acquaintance, relations, friends and neighbors
So little she in touch or sympathy with the
world about her that she was known as "the
strange old lady who lived on the hill,' whom
few people dared, cared, to visit.
She and her brother had been left sole repre-
sentatves of their family at the death of their
parents This brother was many years her junior,
lad of fine character and fine disposition and
(well for him in those days. had no other thought
than doing just his sister bade him, regarding
her in some sort his mothers representative. But
when he went to the city and became his own
man. he made declaration of independence. This
she resented, but might have in time overlooked;
but his marrying without consulting her was past
all endurance
His pleasant, cheerful letters telling of this
event were disregarded; and, pleased to regard
herself the aggrieved party she continued the OBJ
stinate silence she herself had begun.
She devoted herself to her little farm, priding
herself the good condition in which she kept
it, the fine crops she raised, and the money she
was laying up She often said of this money:
Neither john that butterfly of wife he has
married shall ever get cent of it."
And neither of them did get cent of 1t. They
died within a short while of each other and John,
hiS he'd of
care. John had been dead two months, and
today Jamie was to come
The road, along which the numbering old stage
coach made its daily journey, in full view of
Mrs Darter as she sat on the porch, and every
moment she was expecting 1t to swing into view.
After while the clear, prolonged notes of the
horn reached her ears They would have thrilled
with mingled pain and pleasure the heart of any
other woman but it took more than the sweet
cadence of stagehorn to arouse Mrs. Darters
emotions.
gate and her little guest had alighted. He came
sauntering leisurely up the path, looking about
him If acquainting himself with his new home.
AS soon, however, he caught glimpse of Mrs
Darter he quickened his pace to a run, and when
he reached the porch bounded up the steps and
ran to her with outstretched arms
"Here am, Aunt Matilda" he cried; and before
she had time to turn her cheek for his proffered
kiss, he had placed it full on her lips!
Aunt Matilda did not clasp him in her arms, and
cry over him, and say that he reminded her of
tempating him for moment she said:
your name is jamie l believer
'Yes-most people call me jamie, but Mamma
always called Dear Heart. Wasn't it pretty
name?"
Mrs Darter made no reply to this.
"You are hungry" she said after little silence.
Eyes, indeed, I'm hungry; Pm as hungry as l
can be- But it's so funny that you should know it,
Aunt Matilda. How did you know it?"
Because boys always hungry" she snapped