The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-07-20


Aunt Flo; both Leslie and Nora agreed
on that. Leslie and Nora had been
engaged for over year. He had fine
position and an income capable Of TAX
ing care of a wife, so he thought it
time they were married.
why, Leslie" she said one day near
the end Of the season, you talk as If
/ was ON the verge Of being an old
maid like auntie. I'm just In my early
twenties-the age when girl gets the
very best out of life. My good times
have just begun"
THAT doesn't say that they will
cease when you become my wife," he
argued. "You know that I love you
and that your happiness is my first
consideration"
But arguing only made each more
stubbornly sure of his own opinion, and
finally Leslie left Nora In tears.
Aunt Flo was waiting for them on
the veranda of the hotel. The minute
she saw Leslie appear alone she knew
something had happened and was
ready with her sympathy when he
poured out his troubles.
81 agree with you; Nora is foolish
to wait" she said after he had fin
ished. Have patience, though, for
have plan."
Near the end of the week, trunk
arrivedsfor Aunt Flo. She had not said
anything about It's being expected and
Nora was rather curious to know why
it had been sent. Surely her aunt had
not bought new clothes. She had more
than she would be able to wear there,
as 1t was.
"It contains some things / have had
sent here for you, dear" Aunt Flo ex-
planned when Nora questioned her
about it. "They are some things of
mine that I have intended giving you
and they can go home with your lug
gage"
you're a dear! What are they 2"
Nora asked eagerly.
"Some things that I started collect
ing when / was younger than you.
prize them and would not let anyone
have them but my favorite niece"
Nora found the trunk in her aunt's
room and the key was in the lock- 1t
was an old-fashioned trunk but it look
ed as if it had done very little travel
ing. She looked it over reverently be-
fore she opened it. Somehow there
seemed to be something sacred about
1t. Carefully, she lifted the lid and
the odor of fresh cedar filled the room.
The trunk was lined with green silk.
On top was a picture of very beau
tiful girl. She picked it up and looked
at it wonderingly. Why it was Aunt
Flo when she was a girl
The picture, however, was forgot
ten in the wonders found in the trunk
linens of all kinds in sheets, pillow
cases, towels and many other things.
Before she reached the bottom she
knew what the trunk had been. It was
Aunt Flo's "Hope Chest" Now she
knew why 1t had seemed so sacred to
her. Poor Aunt Flo, she had never
been married! AS she leaned over the
trunk something caught her glance.
A neat pile of letters tied with pale
ribbon rested at the bottom. They
were her aunt's love letters, she knew
| without looking inside.
|. Letter after letter she read. They
| read like Leslie's letters, only more re-
| served and old-fashioned What q
wonderful lover 1t was that Aunt Flo
had had, and how anxious he had been
| that they get married! Why hadn't
| they? Some Of his arguments were
! just the same as Leslie's. How foolish
Aunt Flo had been to let his pleadings
| go by unheeded. The last letter was
addressed in a different hand than the
/ others. The stationery was edged In
| black. AS Nora read this letter the
| tears started to her eyes. So he had
died in foreign country-that was
| why Aunt Flo had never married
Nora sat for long time In medita
ton. A step sounded. 1t was Leslie
| Aunt Flo sent me up here" he or oil.
ogized.
"Oh, Leslie" she cried as she jump
ed to her feet; "come and read these
letters. 1t is the saddest thingl Poor
| Aunt FLOP
1t was not necessary for him to read
the letters. Nora told him what they
contained almost before he had 8
chance to open one Of them. He real
the last one, however, and as he reat
he realized just what a "brick" Aunt
Flo was, to keep smiling. He did moi
speak for some moments, for he found
that tears, after all, were not solely
monopolized by women.
isn't their case like ours?" he ven
tured, when he thought Nora was ready
for it.
~"All but the dying part" she smiled
through her tears.
'That might happen"
"Oh, no! will get married as soor
| as you like, Leslie"
'@Then let's make it today. There 1.
the dearest little vine-covered church
In the village"
| Production Of Pearls,
The fisheries of Lower California
- IL