Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-02-12
CHAPTER TX.
A Winter Butterfly.

"Capn Rose" began Aunt Nancy.
Brother Abe pricked up his ears at the
formal address. "Cap'n Rose" she
repeated, deliberately dwelling on the
title. y never believe In calm a man
tew account in front OF his wife. 1t
gives him somebody handy ter blame
things on tew Jest like ole Adam.
Naow, look a-here! What I want Is ter
ask yew Jest n question: Whar.
whar on 'arth kin We look fer q decent
behavin' ole man of not In . Old
Ladies' hum? Would yew-" shs ex-
horted earnestly. pointing her crooked
'oreinger at him. Would yew-"
Abraham caught his breath. Beads
IT sweat had appeared on his brow.
He broke in huskly:
"Wait q minute. Aunt Nancy. Jest
Z tell me what I've been an done"
Tia ladies glanced at one another,
contemptuous, i%ncredulous smiles ON
their faces, while Aunt Nancy almost
9wept at his deceitfulness.
z "Cap'n Rose" she vowed mourn
fully. Eve lived in this house fer
|, many, many years. an all the while l
been here I never heard tell o. a breath
o. scandal agin' the place until yew
come an commenced ter kick up e
\ heels"
Z Lazy Daisy, who had long been an
inmate, also nodded her unwieldy head
in confirmation, while q low murmur
Of assent arose from the others. Abra-
ham could only pass his hand over his
brow, ~uneasily shuttle his maligned
heels v the floor and await further
4 Developments; for he did not have the
elightest conception as to what they
were driving at"
N "Cap'n Rose." the matriarch pro-
ceeded, as In the earnestness Of her In
dignation she arose, trembling, in her
seat and stood with her palsied and
shaking hands on the board. "Cap'n
Rose, yer conduct with this here Mis-
jBetsey Ann Blossom has been some
thin r%eediculous! It's been disgrace
full"
Aunt Nancy sat down, anonymously
X~disreratable in appearance, her pink
lpow having slipped down over her
4, hight esr during the harangue. Over
Ihe cuiprit's c~ountenance light had
Hlhawned, but, shame to tell! it was a
light not wholly remorseful. Then
2Elent laughter shook the old mans
Slhoulders, and then-could it be?-
s1nese crepe about his lips and eyes a
mile Of superbly masculine conceit.
The sisters we're fighting over him.
Wouldn't mother be amused when he
kGhould tell her what all this fuss was
about.
Nov, kindly. short-sighted Miss
Abigail determined that It was time
br the matron's voice to be heard.
"Of course, Brother Abe, we under
land perfectly that yew never stopped
sbr take inter consideration haow sus-
bptble some folks is made"
There being plain evidence from
hes blank expression that he did not
InUcIbtdA0 tuO AlOuAkh6 VI tAO WOLus
El1uby Lee fastened to explain.
A"Eusceptible is the same as Eighty
ssaded. Blossy alters was a fool over
II1hything that wore breeches."
Abe pushed his chair back from the
sSble and crossed his legs comfortably.
Ebr him all the chill had gone out Of
lie air. Suppose that there was some
Wing in this? An old. old devil Of
NIFTY came back to the aged hus-
kpd's heart. He recalled that he had
hen somewhat Of a beau before he
Itarned the Joy Of loving Angy. More
nan one Long Island lassie had
Known herself at his head. or course
PNlossy would get over this; and
lazy knew that his heart was hers as
ls,ch as it had been the day he pur-
Bksed his wedding-beaver; but Abe
hid not refrain from a chuckle Of
|lnplscena unusemsnt ~ he stroked
beEfd