The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-04-17
ON. Nd, SATURDAY, APRIL II. 1909.
THE PARAGON AUNT.


"Aunt Nancy's come" Nannette
announced to her bosom friend in a
choked voice, ''and of all the frights !"
''What do you mean?" asked her
bosom friend.
"Well," hesitated Nannette, "of
course she's as neat as can be, but her
clothes look as if they were made for
Mrs. Methuselah."
eff it's only her clothes you needn't
worry" remarked the bosom friend.
"You don't have to wear 'em."
'It's not only her clothes p Shrek
ed Nannette. cts her notions
They are simply appalling P'
For instance?" suggested the
bosom friend, taking a look at her
back hair in the mirror with the help
of hand glass.
"For one thing she objects to my
name," explained Nannette, indig-
nantly. "The very first thing she
did-after taking comprehensive
view of the family-was to stare at
me through her spectacles- steel rim
med ones at that-and ask: is this
one Nancy, my godchild?'
dad, who is as proud as he can be
of his enormous family, looked little
sheep;sh at that.
"'Y-y.yes, he suffered. We had
her christened Nancy, of course, but
she has taken fancy to be called-er
-Nannette.
sHumph Z said Aunt Nancy"
Haven't / always heard you speak
of your Aunt Nancy as a paragon 7"
demanded the bosom friend. "Have
you not told me time and time again
that your father looks upon her as the
salt of the earth?''
"He does," acknowledged Nam
nette. "And so do I at distance.
But because she is dad favorite sister
why must follow her old fogy no.
tions?
"Why, she was perfectly scandal
lied at the idea of my entertaining
Charles all the evening without the
assistance of the other members of the
family The idea !
"Of course when the bell rang at
the accustomed hour that horrid Tom
had to below out, It's Mans Tues
day night beau, Aunt Nancy. Par
lor's pre-. empted for the evening
"You should have seen her stare.
"'Am I to understand, Maria, she
asked, fixing poor mother with her
eye, that this child has visitors from
whose company her parents and her
brothers and sisters are barred?
"'Times have changed, Nancy,
said dad, looking silly"
"And Aunt Nancy" prompted the
bosom friend.
In my time,' said Aunt Nancy,
1t was our greatest pleasure to have
our parents and all the family enter
into the enjoyments and help in the
entertainment of our friends. Hos
pitality meant something then, and /
believe our guests enjoyed themselves.
1t seems to me anything but dignified
for parents to be excluded or for any
room in their house to be shut away
from them"
"Well, declare p said the bosom
friend.
"Now do you wonder that l was
frightened at the idea of Charles
meeting herr" asked Nannette.
'But I haven't told you the worst, >"
with gloomy emphasis. II slipped
away while she was holding forth,
hoping that she would forget all about
it. But 1 couldn't shake off my
forebodings and the conversation
tagged"
Nothing unusual in that, is
there ?" wickedly interposed the bos-
ON friend.
"Charles actually began to look
bored" continued Nannette, "and
then we both had such a shock If
you will believe ME, who should come
marching into the room but"
"Aunt Nancy 7" breathlessly in
terrupted the bosom friend.
"Aunt Nancy" repeated Nam
nette. Wasn't it awful? I had
been so afraid of something Of the
kind. She planted herself in the
only straight backed chair in the room
and sitting bolt upright gave me my
orders:
"'Now, Nancy, introduce to me
your friend
"Charles had been lounging in his
chair, and assure you, Isabel, that
the way she looked him over through
her spectacles made him straighten
up in short order.
81 felt as if I should sink through
the floor when she came in wearing
her plain black dress and white collar
and cuffs, her hair parted in the mid
die and plastered down on each side,
looking for all the world as if it had
been vanished, she had brushed it so
smooth. You know how stylish and
exclusive Charles people are?
"Well, before 1 knew it, they were
talking together in the most animated
manner. don't know when have
seen Charles so interested. 1t was
strange talk to me, too, for, as dad
says, have neglected to cultivate my
mind.
"They talked about literature, art,
politics and even science, and / had
to sit there like dummy and listen
to them. Even while he was holding
my hand to say good night he was
looking at and talking to Aunt Nancy.
"Now, what do you think of that?
"I think you're lucky that your
Aunt Nancy is too old for Charles to
marry," said the bosom friend.
A BALTIMORE man had decided
that he must administer stern lee.
ture to his six-year- son, Harry.
The boy had been naughty, but die
not seem to appreciate the fact, and II
was with some reluctance, therefore,
that the parent undertook scolding
He spoke judiciously, but severely
he recounted the lads misdeeds ano
duly explained the why's and where