Year: 1871

regular guffaw.


THE cats out of the bag by this time
Melindy," said he, when he could manage
to speak. And won't the old lady steam?
/ should like to see her.


Il am afraid we have carried the thing
too far returned Mrs. Babbett. 'She
won't get over it easy


Meanwhile Aunt Prissy had traversed
the pleasant, shady door yard of the Jerome
place, and mounted the front steps. The
from t door was standing wide open. She
walked in with a neighborly freedom, and
tapped at the parlor door which was slightly
ajar. A low murmurOus, humming, buz-
zing, cooling sound appeared to issue from
the apartment; but still no voice said
walk in, " The old lady impatience grew
apace and at last she gave the door push
and entered the room unbidden. Good
gracious! what sight met her eyes There
sat Harry Andrews 'snuggled" as she af-
terwards expressed it, close up to Tilly Jer-
ONE with his arm tucked costly round her
waist; while the young lady herself looked
hustered and rosy, with the obnoxious rag
bag somewhat discomposed


''Ain't you ashamed of yourself, Matiidy
jerome" " cried Aunt Prissy, pointing her
long finger, with righteous Indignation ex-
pressed on every feature, ''to be sparkling
with that young man right IN open day
hght?"


And why shouldn't we be sparkling ?"
cried Harry Andrews, as bold as brass, hold
ing Tilly little tighter, when we mean to
be married to morrow ?''


Aunt Prissy was stunned, and dazed. She
felt as if she had been suddenly taken with
the blind staggers. Without another word,
she walked out of the room as straight as
candle. Her ideas were so completely OBJ
fusticated that, instead of going out of the
front door, she proceeded down a little pas
sage way and on to a porch that led into the
vegetable garden. Behind a screen of lilac
and SNOWFALL bushes voices were Issuing and
merry laughter.


Those were the tones Of Asa Babbett, her
favorite nephew. Aunt Prissy's heart stood
still, and then it gave great jump.


''The old lady don't suspect q thing,
said he. There never was such sell.
Won't she be knocked up when l introduce
you as her niece p


I'm almost sorry you played such
prank for | want her to learn to like me. .
1t was Sophy Jeromes voice that uttered
these words.


Aunt Prissy waited to hear no more. In
towering rage she few down the steps and
presented herself to the astonished pair, who
naturally changed their position in haste
and turned variety of bright colors.


you amt fooled the old woman quite so
bad as you thought to - she cried with her
eyes flashing and the specs just ready to
tumble off the tip of her nose.


Asa saw he must face the music; so he
tried to laugh it off, Don't make too Sc.
rious a thing of it, Auntie," said he, in
coaxing tone, ''Sophy AIM bit to blame.
I did it all for a joke, and meant to confess
and beg pardon before went to bed to
night"


Il didn't think you d do such thing,
Asa Babbett,' and series of dry twitches
began to convulse the old lady's mouth and
chin. Il could stand 'mcst any kind OF
hectoring, and never minded your putting
bee in my cap, when you was shaver, and
making me an apple pie bed ) but to think
of your getting promised to one OF the Jer-
ome gals. and making a fool of your old
Aunt into the bargain!" And Aunt Prissy
broke down into a series of hysterical sobs.


Nothing that Asa or Sophy could do or
say suffced to p,cify her She crept back
over home much crestfalen, and opened the
sitting room door where Mrs. Babbett was
at work


The next morning, which was bright and
breezy, a great hustle arose early IN the
house and she knew that all hands were
getting ready to go to Asa : wedding. She
could hear Asa himself tramping about
overhead and putting on those new clothes;
and although he was immensely happy and
busy. he did find time to come and execute
one last series OF thumps on the old lady 5
door.


Come Aunty, don't hold grudge
against 4 lCiOW, ne COdAeu- bO CoihC
over to the wedding. You always said you
would dance at my wedding, and now you re
going TO give me the cold shoulder. It's
too confounded bad. "


Not a1word did she answer, although her
heart thumped hard and fast. BY and by
Mrs. Babbett was dressed in her black silk,
and a tasteful cap, trimmed with pink bows;
and Uncle Ben had shaved and Gonned a
clean dickey, and poked his hair up very
high in front, and then they all went off,
and left the house solitary and alone. Aunt
Prissy began to feel very forlorn and more
aggrieved than ever. She got up, pushed
the bureau away, and stole out into the sit
ting room in her double gown and list shoes,
and peeped forth from the little eornering
window. There was music playing, and
the neighbors girls were dotting the green
dooryard with their light dresses. She
thought with a kind Of dumb swelling of
the heart that her boy was being married
over there, and she, his old doting, fond
.,nt ,yas STAYING away in fit of the sulks