The Alaska citizen., 1911-06-19
AUNT I


 She had come that day fr a months visit. the first lu '"n years. and was naturally eager I. ind out all about everything
 | never y.' told folks 'he thing didn't know" Mrs I.ary sad al most srifiy "MyriiIy deuE gel The so-by at the parties. uor 'he pie nips neither does she have rr ride lonesome all 'hc Way 'o meet ing Rlr s.ciable attention i~ he thing. and cour,ius quite another. | take i, you don't cali a young man d beau unless he hangs around Il whole lo- ot the time.
 Why. uo," Aunt Ian" began eag- crly. hu' Myrilla interrupted her. her face d ycNed scarlet
 Never mind about my beau. amt be sure l don't I've go' 'o like al of them so we'll fl dscs not seem d. if | could ever he con tent wi;D just one"
 For the land" Aunr lane "ja,- ulated Nara. know I've never raised girl-hu mark thi~-n l had raised one ste'd not talk no such way as that"
 "Myrilly's got a right to her no tions." Mrs Lacy said uoucommital- ly. hut with a significant glance ai her sister A Myrilla disappeared into tho kitchen she added in half whisper D ur please name h-au to her" noddins toward the door. while ynu're here I'll feN you why the first good chance"
 line chance cam" ucX' day My rila had driven to town and was safe for some hours ShC was no more han outside tine biz gate when her mother bursr out. It's all on account f Len Talbot My ri1lv never says -o, but her eyes tell mo They rHrH like morning sunshine when she sees him pass Stop Why he never stops nowhere. Won't hardly speak tO folks-nnt unless they're sick or in 'rouhlo- then I'll agree he's au angel from heaven"
 He oueh'er ro he Remember what hes eor to make up for" Amt Jane said. pursuing her lips "Bur dear. dear, To think of my own and only niece loving the son f q murderer.
 You can'r call old man Talbot 1hat-you know hc come clear af th" trial" Mrs Lacy put in with a faint show of spirit. And then he died saving life Didn't You hear how he sWum through the flood. waters and broueh' ont all that Mil Ter tribe O children? Got pncumo- mia by il and old sam Miller had been harder down on him than anybody Old sam tried 10 make up with Len al the funeral but Len couldn't see his hand even then. He didu't say nothing harsh. Imean
 just looked the other way. And to everything offered he had one answer: Thank but my father no long CT needs any help Since then he's been just inc same, string and thriving. the best farmer in the dis tricr; keen cn bargain. but not what you call close; civil as can be when he has to be, but never lei ting anybody ae nearer n arms length Not even Myrilly
 Well, 1T she Wa the least kin to me she'd have more pride n to give him q thought Aunt Jane inter rupted.
 Mrs. Lacy sighed. "Myrilly's not forward" she said. "Youll see that, no matter what you think. I believe she'll live and die loving Len-and all she's get 10 feed her heart on is just this; she made a Wrea'h-am- br0sia and white rOaebuds and summer Chrysanthemums. and sent il for the old mans funeral. Lots more folks sent flowers. the very best they could pick in their gar dens-and Len Jeff them in the par Tor. But Myrilly's wreath went in the coffin-and with if down in the cold ground You see. before the trial, while the old man was in jail - they wouldn't take bail sec ing the charge was murder-she'd sent little nosegays to him whenever she got the chance Folks thought il was awiul-me letting her do it but she was just such a young thing and I felt sorry myself-the Talbots. you know had held their heads so high, it did seem a shame their come down"
 We'll" All I've got 10 say is the day she ups and marries some good. sensible young man-you say they all like her that day make my will leaving her all I've got, Aunt Jane announced. But if she's going to keep on incoming after one of that bOOdy-minded stock, my money goes straight to my husbands s kin"
 "Myrilly won't care-she's mighty independent And if she ever knows you say that, she'll be moren ever set" Mrs. Lacy said with a little hard laugh that had in it spice of ride "I won't care eith"., she went on. "Whatever Myriiiy may or mayn't do, she'll be worth a dozen such as John Miller's sipshod nieces."
 It's easy to see where sine se's some of her foolishness, Aunt Jane retorted angrily, going outside in a huff
 It was a soft spring day - the breaking blows were in the old grass. the very meadow she had rul over sc many times in her childhood and youth. She made her way down the lane. snuffed the plowland odors gratefully. then strOlled on into a stretch of pasture debating whether 10 stay and enjoy the orderly com fort of the Lacy house. or go back to the slipshod nieces of whom her soul was sick.
 She knew the pasture no less than the meadow il was the cid Hicks farm. it's owners thriftlessness pro- claimed by the rocks and bushes that encountered the face of it. II