AUNT SUSAN ARRIVES
The next morning there came a letter of acceptance from Aunt Susan. She
would arrive on Friday. This was Thursday. Grandmother Hollister hummed
a little song as she went up stairs.
"It will do Mother lots of good," ejaculated Mr. Hollister. "It was kind
of you, Bella, to think of that."
Mrs. Hollister blushed. Ethel watched her as she slowly sipped her
coffee. Mrs. Hollister was a peculiar woman. She was truthful and frank
when she wished to be. Now she realized that her husband trusted and had
faith in her and that Ethel was furtively watching her, so she said:
"Well, Archie, perhaps I was a little selfish in asking Aunt Susan.
Perhaps I did it to help Ethel a bit as well as to please Mother. Aunt
Susan is wealthy. Now why shouldn't Ethel come in for some of her money
as well as that adopted boy?"
"Why, Bella," said her husband, "is it possible that you had only that
idea in your head when you invited my aunt here?"
"No, not entirely. I knew that it would please your mother, and I could
kill two birds with one stone. That's why."
Ethel saw a peculiar look come upon her father's face. She had noticed
it when he brought home his disreputable looking friends to dine and
when her mother objected. He turned to his daughter.
"Ethel," he said, "I wish you to help and make your Aunt Susan's visit
very pleasant. I would like you to take her out and show her everything,
and Grandmother must go along also. You will be doing me a great favor
if you will."
"Papa, I'll do my best to make it pleasant," replied the girl, kissing
him.
Then, without looking at his wife, Mr. Hollister left the room, followed
by his daughter.
"So that was her object!" he exclaimed, as Ethel helped him on with his
coat. "What would Aunt Susan think were she to know? Your mother wishes
you to ingratiate yourself with my aunt so that she'll leave you the
lion's share of her money. Why, she'd probably leave my brother John and
me a remembrance anyway, and you and Kate would benefit by it. Well,
this is a strange world, my child. I wish your mother was less politic,
but I presume it is done for you, Ethel, so we mustn't be too hard on
her. She's a good mother to you, my dear, and has great ambition for
you. I only hope that you'll be happy. Never marry for money
alone--that's a sin--remember."
"I will, Papa," said the girl blushing. "I may never marry, and then you
and I can live together. Wouldn't we have fun?"
Aunt Susan arrived. Ethel gazed at her spellbound. She had the kindest
face she had ever seen, but oh! how old fashioned she looked. Her grey
hair was drawn tightly back into a cracker knot. In front she wore a
bunch of tight frizzes under a little flat velvet hat with strings,
something of the style of 1879. Her gown was of black made with a full
skirt trimmed with black satin bands. She wore an old-fashioned plush
dolman heavily beaded and covered with fringe. Her shoes were thick like
a man's, and to crown all she carried a fish-net bag. She didn't seem to
realize that she looked behind the times.
Ethel thought that her teeth and eyes were the loveliest that she had
ever seen on a woman of her age, for she was grandmother's senior. She
and Mrs. Hollister looked enough alike to be twins. They fell upon each
other's neck and wept. Ethel was mentally hoping that Aunt Susan would
purchase some modern clothes or that none of her fashionable friends
would meet her, for among them were some who would laugh at the old
lady, and the girl felt that she'd die of mortification and anger,--not
the girls with whom she was intimate and who came to see her daily, but
the girls who belonged to the exclusive set, and with whom Ethel and her
friends seldom went as they were much younger.
The day following Mrs. Hollister phoned for a taxi, and to Ethel's
horror she ordered an open one. Ethel was to take Aunt Susan and
Grandmother for a drive. She dared not demur. Had she not promised her
father to do everything for Aunt Susan? Could she hurt her dear
grandmother's feelings? And last of all, she would not admit to her
mother the fact that she was ashamed of Aunt Susan's appearance. No, so
she went.
As it was early in April and cool, upon this occasion Aunt Susan wore
ear tabs, over which she tied a thick, green veil, when it grew warmer
in the sunshine she removed the veil. They drove up Riverside to Grant's
Tomb, where Aunt Susan insisted upon getting out. Fortunately Ethel
encountered no one whom she knew, but as they were driving up Lafayette
Boulevard they passed Estelle Mason, one of her swell friends. The
chills ran up and down Ethel's spine, while she sat with her lips
compressed. The girl bowed and deliberately giggled. Even grandmother,
who looked lovely, grew red. But Aunt Susan seemed not to notice it.
"I am a snob just like mother," thought the girl. "I ought to be ashamed
of myself. I'll never speak to Estelle again, the rude upstart! They
say she prides herself on her family, but I can't see that her good
blood has made a lady of her," and into Ethel's eyes came tears.
"Ethel, my dear," said Aunt Susan, "you're looking badly. Your cheeks
are flushed. Do you feel ill?"
"No, Aunt Susan," she replied. "I always grow red when riding in the
wind."
Grandmother had seen it all and pitied the girl.
"Deafness comes early in the Carpenter family," persisted Aunt Susan.
"Here, take this veil, dear, do, and tie it over your ears."
But Ethel declined, and to her joy the ride was soon over.
In the privacy of her room Grandmother Hollister confided to Ethel that
really Aunt Susan ought to dress differently.
"I understand how you felt, dear," she continued, "when you met that
rude Mason girl and she laughed, but there's bad blood there. I know all
about her and her grandparents. My dear child, her grandmother used to
be a waitress way out West where her grandfather owned mines, and he
boarded at the house where she worked, fell in love and married her.
Probably there's where she gets her rudeness."
"Why, Grandmother, how did you know that?" asked Ethel.
"There's little I don't know about the fine old New York families, my
dear. Remember I married into one and I heard a great deal."
After that Ethel felt comforted.