AUNT WILBER'S MISTAKE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1928, 2 November 1888, Page 33

AUNT WILBER'S MISTAKE.

It was a cheerful kitchen, full of ruddy fire-shine, and frescoed with the soft smoke tints that had curled around the ceiling from blazes innumerable — a kitchen where every vein in the floor boards was outlined against the ivory-white surface. The afternoon sunshine came glinting in among the brjght green leaves of Nellie Hay's geraniums that filled the low window seat. Nellie herself stood at the table picking over raisins for a plum pudding, with fingers which could not have been whiter or more delicate if they had been straying over the keys^of a piano or embroidering on velvet.

She was as much out of place in that little farmhouse kitchen as a Hashing diamond among the pebbles of a river bottom, or a royal pomegranate rearing its chalice of flame in a field of wild daisies—a tall, faultlessly shaped girl, with burnished braids of golden hair, and eyes as blue as if heaven's own dazzling azure had lost itself among the glimmering network of her long, curved lashes. And then she had a damask rose complexion and a mouth like cut coral, and shy dimples fluttered ever and anon around her cheeks ; and altogether Nellie Hay was born, to be a queen of hearts, and rule her subjects with a smile for a sceptre.

She started a little and turned her head as a brisk step came trotting across the kitchen floor.

"Dear, me, Nellie I"' said Aunt Wilber, a tall, thin woman, with autumnal curls clustering around her lace cap border and gold spectacles. "What's this book on the shelf?"

" It's a volume of poems, aunt, that MiGray left here last night," said Nellie, looking very earnestly at the bloomy' raisin clusters on the table, and growing porhaps a shade rosier.

"Do tell !" said the "widow. " Well, now, it's very kind of Mr Gray. I calculate he knows how very fond I always was of verses. But how do you suppose he found out yesterday was ray birthday?" • " Really, aunt, I don't know."

"He's a very nice man, is Squire Gray," said thewidow, simpering over the volume of poems. "I always kind o' fancied him, Nellie, but I do wish fojks wouldn't 1 talk about me and him ,go much. Yes, you may well blush — it's awfurembarrassing I Don't you ; think it's high time he declared what his intentions was ? But I s'pose' he's kind of bashful, and thinks maybe I wouldn't hear to himi3ecause I'm ten year or so the oldest I Good land, that wouldn't make no difference, for' although I always . declared nothing should induce me to marry again "

'The stewpan of dried peaches on the stove babbled over with a great noise at this stage, of the .widow's remarks, and she rushed precipitately to take it off. And Nellie, taking advantage of the general confusion, slipped out of the room, cutting short by this retreat the confidence of her aunt, which would otherwise have extended over half' the afternoon.

The widow, left to herself, adjusted the yellow 'rfb^ops of' be? cap, and sm&djaa.

guishingly at her own likeness in the .little looking-glass between the windows. " I see how it is, poor fellow," murmured Mrs Wilber, apparently addressing the geraniums in the window seat. " He's bashful, and like as not he'll go on to the end of his days a' solitary bachelor, when he needs a wife so much. He's got a nice farm, and a good deal of property besides, and half the gals in town is settin' their caps for him. It would be a great shame for such a likely man not to get a likely wife— it would." The widow nodded emphatically to the geraniums. " I have it 1" she pronounced; giving- her ribbons a triumphant* toss. " He'll never muster up courage to ask me — I'll ask him I Dear me, what a strange sensation it gives a ' body 1 Poor dear Mr Wilber must ha' had just the same queer feeling the night afore i~he popped the questiou to me. Poor ( dear , | fellpw ! If he could only ,know what a capital second marriage I'm going to make 1" , ■ The sunset glowed in scarlet waves of cloud above the hills, where the wooded crests seemed to lean against the horizon, and the little farmhouse in the valley below was veiled 1 in soft opal shadows, deepening into darkness where the heavy cedars threw their canopy of blue-green shade over the porch. From the window a pleasant Hue of light streamed out across the leafless currant bushes in the garden. Aunt Wilbev was dressed iv plum-coloured silk, wirh a new lace cap gorgeously trimmed with pink ribbon bows and artificial butterflies, and had no idea of hiding her splendour in the dim softness of twilight. " There I" said- the widow, starting up and nervously arranging her curls. " That's him ; I knowed he'd come." Her quick ear had caught the low click of the gate latch, and the next moment there was a knock at the door. * " Come iri !" she faltered. And there entered a handsome, dark-com-plexioned man of about 35 years, whose bright black eyes and arch mouth bespoke a sunny- temper, and a disposition where the mirthful strongly predominated. John Gray —Squire Gray, as the neighbours generally called him — was a bachelor to be sure, but he had made up his mind to continue in that state of exile no longer than was absolutely necessary ; and it was on this very mission that he had come to the farmhouse this March evening. If the widow could have known it. " Sit down, Squire," said the lady, hospitably. "Nice evening, ain't it? Things begin to look quite spring like. No, Nellie isn't home this evenin' — she's gone up to the minister's ; they've got a sick baby there. Awful sickly the neighborhood is, to be sure," Mr Gray did not answer. He sat looking at the fire in a sort of reverie. At length, however, he raised his eyes. " Mrs Wilber — " and then he paused. " I knowed it ! ' palpitated the widow. " He can't get out the sentence to save his blessed lips. I'll help him on with it." '" Mr Gray," she faltered, playing with her cap-strings, " there is no need of you bein' embarrassed. I know what you're going to pay."- , "Do you ?" he exclaimed, his whole face lighting up with surprise and pleasure. " Then—" " I've been sensible these six months," went on the widow, " that you was sort o' , partial to me, but, dear me, these things ought to be understood between both parties ! It's a delicate thing for a woman to say," smiled the widow, " but it's got to be said. Will you hey me, John Gray? Yes or no ?" And the widow sank back, all tremor and blushes, into her^morcen -cushioned rockingchair. For a moment John Gray's senses seemed totally bewildered by this unexpected declaration of affection, but it was not long before he recovered his presence of mind. '! I cannot but feel under great obligation for your flattering esteem, Mrs Wilber," he baid, with tho most perfect self-possession, " but being already engaged, I cannot accept your generous vfifer." " Engaged I" shrieked the widow. " To your niece, Nellie Hay, and it was to obtain your sanction to our marriage that I came hereto-night."' " Walk out o' this house ! " ejaculated the widow, rising to her feet in stony indignation. " And don't let me ever see your face again, John Gray ! I'll give Nellie a piece of my mind!" The widow was tall and strongly built ; moreover, she was belligerently inclined, and the very butterflies on her cap vibrated with wrathful motion, and John Gray, wisely deeming discretion the better part of valour, withdrew from her infuriated presence. " Why, John ! You here ? " For he had met the graceful, grey-mantled figure in the twilight road, just beyond the wood. "I wanted to meet you, Nellie," he said, drawing her arm into his. "My darling, will you turn back to the clergyman's with me?" " What for ? " she asked, wonderingly. " To arrange to be married." And then he tolc 1 her the scene that had just transpired in the dwelling o£ Mrs Wilber. ! " Considering her very unamiable turn of mind," he said, half vexed, half, laughing, "I hardly think it would be best fpr you to brave the impending scorm, Nellie; you must never return to Mrs Wilbet's home and guardianship. Give me the right to shelter and pro? tect you — to offer you my home henceforward. Become my wife, dearest, and bestow on me the priceless gift of this little fluttering hand now, instead of three months hence." , And Nellie said, "Certainly not/!" and " What would people think V and finallyconsented. So the oldgrey mansion is brightened with the loveliest mistress whose footsteps have ever waked the echoes of its wide halls, and Mrs Wilber has resolved " never to speak to that ungrat€fui;minx Nellie again ! n