Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1922-01-12
AUNTIE'S ROMANCE
-
BY LYNDA w. BOLES.

What u wonderful field for the ma
carnations of fate is the old canvas
mail bag, unesthetic and unromantic
TO look upon, but containing the glad
ness and sorrow, diSappointments and
surprises which so often make the
turning point in the lives of it's many
slaves.
None of the many elements OF the
seasons Is too fearSome to struggle
with on our road TO the village post
office, wherefrOm the unrelenting
hand of fate, reaches forth ana lays its
mark upon all who wait upon il.
In small town general store and
post office | stood one day watching
the strange mixture of human emo
| tons depicted upon the face of the
village people as they gathered to
await Fate'S shuffling Of the cards.
How quickly can the eagerness be
wiped from a face by that unfeeling,
Nothing tonight, Mrs s."
A little old woman in rusty black
timidly approached the window, her
tremulouS, did my letter come to-
night Mr.. MorSe?' revealing The
anxiety of her mind
BreathleSsly she waited, as did |.
the result of his search through pile
of letters and when at last one was
handed TO ner | experienced sense Of
satisfaction in fate's kindness to this
tiny bit of humanity
With smile of gratitude she clasped
the precious bit of paper close to her
old black shawl and hurried through
the door.
There, do declare. Aunt Lizzy has
got her letter. exclaimed someone be-
hind me, and. turning, | recognized the
speaker from whom | very easily drew
a pathetic little story.
1t seemed that the letter was from
'Faithy," niece whom the old lady
had mothered from bGbyhood--a trust
which had demanded many sacrifices,
but in return had brought a great deal
Of happiness to the lonely old woman.
Then, through a strange twist OF
fate, again masquerading in the old
eanvis mail bag, Faithy had gone to
the far West to meet and marry the
man with whom she had become ac-
quainted through the exchange of n
few letters while he was In service In
France.
They had been married now almost
a year, a year full of happiness and
nj OF httt fa,
luxuries, and oftimes | gathered, not
enough necessaries.
AS each letter was received the little
old lady would breathe in the atmo-
sphere Of young love and unshattered
IDEALS her old cheeks flushing and
eyes glowing as she read the young
girls praises of the man who had
come to fulfill all the hopes and
dIeams of her girlhood.
NAnd so the little old lady with the
youthful eyes lived her second hand
, romance.
Two weeks later as | was waiting for
my train TO be bulletlned in the ter
minal of one of our large Eastern rail-
TOhus, lcll u iEht toutu uu my aim
Looking down, | gazed into the uplift-
ed face Of the youthful old lady of the
post office episode.
"Will you tell me-" she asked In a
confidential tone, III that train goes
to ChicagoY
That's the train, sure enough" /
answered pointing to the track.
Il suppose you are on your way to
see Faithyf" questioned with a smile,
for ! know she did not recognize me
and had no reason to believe that
knew anything of her affairs. But my
little joke was lost Aunt Lizzy seemed
TO take it for granted that the realiza-
tion of her dreams should be an estab-
lished fact.
Yes, ! am Oh my way now. She
really needs me. It's not just that she
wants to take care Of me. Up to now
she had only her husband TO look
after. But baby Is a different thing.
There's a knack to raising them"
1T win be lucky baby to have
you to care for it," | answered, as
found her chair in the car she was to
ride in "Now / will see you again
before the train leaves, but ! have an
errand to do now"
Land sakes, you don't dare to go
away now, do you, with the train all
here? ] wouldn't leave this seat for
anything" she said, with happy
laugh.
With the aid Of a taxicab ! made
dash for the nearest department store
and there ! turned my case over TO a
floor walker, telling him | wanted an
outfit for a very young man. ON be-
ing questioned more fully | admitted
that measurements hadn't been deliy-
cred yet but / wanted everything that
couldn't be bought In a small west
ern town for a baby.
reached the station with ten min
utes to spare, found my little lady and
dropped the package IN her lap, whis-
pering, "For him.
About dinner time ! decided 10 stroll
back to her car and see what Aunt
Lizzy was going to do about dinner. !
found her asleep and In her lap lay
tiny cashmere garment its dainty pink
sAE lining matching the flush upon the
| Shoppers cheeks