The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-07-18

Congratulations. | am coming.
Tabby."
Our dear old aunt is coming to our
betrothal," Miss Emily announced the
next evening to her lover.
20, indeed. I'm pleased to hear
that he responded, and after mo-
ment added: II wonder how She
appears Isn't she little bit queer,
like most people who are well adj
Vanced in years?"
why, Arthur" Emily faltered,
don't you know that Aunt Tabby is
only fifty-two."
What fifty-two!" exclaimed Fret
herr Won und zu Habenichts, the cigar
dropping from his lips. IL always
thought she was we'll up in the seven
ties"
From that moment the aristocrat
began to show uneasiness. Several
times he cleared his throat as if there
were a. lump in it; several times he
seemed on the point of saying some
thing, but did not; several times he
patted lis forehead with his fine hand.
Finally he looked at his watch and
snarled: why, it's nine o'clock al
ready, and I nearly forgot an engage
ment I have with a friend at Sherrys.
You'll kindly excuse me" And he
withdrew hastily.
The next morning a messenger boy
brought letter from him, which
read:
Dear Miss Tucker
Arrived home last night. Found a
message from Germany, in which my
family demands my immediate return
on matter of the utmost Importance.
am embarking this noon, and the
dark presentiment besets me that |
shall never see you again. think it
therefore well to consider our engage
ment void. Your respectfully,
Arthur Freiherr Won und zu Habe-
NIGHTS.
"P. S. Kind regards to your dear
old aunt"
Miss Emily only made a significant
short laugh as she finished reading
this curious letter; but Mamma Tuck
er nearly tainted, and cried as if she
had lost the dearest friend on earth.
Then suddenly dreadful thought
struck her. Aunt Tabby is coming
to celebrate the betrothal, and there
is no bridegroom to-be.''
CONSERVATION took possession of
the fuckers. With gloomy eyes Nam
ma Tucker sat in her chair, mutter-
ing despairingly, What shall we do?
What shall we do?"
Papa Tucker, who always felt mis-
cradle when his wife felt uncomfort-
able, sighed and said: Its dreadful
She will be awfully disappointed, and
it isn't impossible-you know how
easily excited and irritated Aunt Tab
by is-that she disinherits Emily"
Mercy" exclaimed Mrs. Tucker,
and skipped high up in her chair.
"That would be the worst? But what
can we dor
Mr.. Tucker shrugged his shoulders
Il really don't know" he answered;
then, forcing a laugh, he added, 'The
only shift seems to be the borrowing
of man from somewhere to act the
part of the lost gentleman"
Eyes. But tell us of a place where
they rent courters," said Emily timid
ly from the corner of the parlor.
"Fiddlesticks!" growled Papa
Tucker. There's no such place.
was only joking
"W-ell, I don't know" Mamma said
after while, thoughtfully. "If we
can only manage to keep Aunt Tabby
from being offended. Consider how
angry she will be to have ridden il
midWinter so far, ten miles in a sleigh
to the station and then fifty by cars
all for nothing. can see her scow
when she says: Why, it's just out
rageous to fool a person hundreds o
miles away from her home for a pure
phantom o, and then she will fal
back on that old story when you
Tucker, announced your engagement
to a girl, and before your aunt came
the girl had found better man. O.
IO-o-o!"
my! what mess she made at tina
time!" said Papa Tucker, and smiled
sadly. Eyes, good-natured as my onl!
sister, Aunt Tabby, is, she is yer!
easy excited"
Eyes, and therefore we must d.
something to prevent any excitement,
Mrs. Tucker pleaded. you neve
can tell. There have been cases wher,
such queer old aunts have disinheritet
relatives and bequeathed all thei
money to an institute for motherles
kitties, or something like that"
well, suppose we show her tn,
letter of this fellow" suggested MI
Tucker.
mo, no, that wouldn't do,
responded Mrs. Tucker. THAT meal
postscript he made, Kind regards t
your dear "old" aunt, would be like
slap in her face. But-er-I don
know if we shouldn't get"
| WHAT"
"A man to play the part of the van
ished Freiherr von.'
Mr.. Tucker smiled. 1T won't be S
easy to find such man." he said
Where in the world shall we ge