Families -- Fiction; Humorous stories; Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Older people -- Fiction
“I don’t know about lookin’ sillier,” said Aunt Mary. “Strikes me a
woman can’t look more foolish than she does without a bonnet. However,
I don’t feel like makin’ a fuss over anythin’ to-day. I’ve had a good
rest and I feel fine. I’ll dress and go out with Jack, an’ I know one
thing, I’ll enjoy every minute I can, for this week is goin’ like
lightnin’ and when it’s over—well, you never saw Lucinda, so it’s no
use tryin’ to make you understand, but—” she drew a long breath and
shook her head meaningly.
Janice did not reply. She busied herself with the cares of the toilet
of her mistress, and when that was complete the carriage was summoned
for the shopping tour.
Jack saw that the bonnet was attended to first of all and then they
went to another store and purchased a scarf pin for Joshua and a
workbox for Lucinda. After that Aunt Mary decided that she wanted her
four friends each to have a souvenir of her visit, so she insisted upon
being conducted to that gorgeous establishment which is lighted with
diamonds instead of electricity and ordered four dressing-cases to be
constructed, everything with gold tops, to be engraved with the proper
initials and also the inscription, “from M.W. in memory of N.Y.” Jack
rather protested at this, asking her if she realized what the engraving
would come to.
“I don’t know,” said Aunt Mary recklessly and lavishly. “I don’t care
what it comes to either. It’s comin’ to me, anyhow, ain’t it? I rather
think so. Seems likely.”
The clerk took down the order, and then as he was ushering them
door-wards he fell by the wayside and craved permission to show some
tiaras of emeralds and some pearl dog-collars. Jack rebelled.
“You don’t want any of those,” he exclaimed, trying to propel her by.
“I ain’t so sure,” said Aunt Mary. “I might have a dog some day.”
But her nephew got her back into their conveyance, and they drove away.
It was so late that they could not consider the park and so had to make
a tour of Fifth Avenue to use up the time left before dinner. Then when
they headed toward the café they were delighted to observe Mitchell
awaiting them just where he was to have been.
“I see him,” said Aunt Mary. “My! I’d know him as far off as I’d know
anybody.” But then she sighed. “I wish the others were there, too,” she
said sadly; “seems awful—just three of us.”
The dinner which followed echoed her sentiment. It was a very nice
dinner, but painfully quiet, and Aunt Mary grew very restless.
“Seems like wastin’ time, anyhow,” she said uneasily. “I don’t see why
the others didn’t come. Well, can’t we go to Coney Island or the Statue
of Liberty or somewhere when we’re through?”
Mitchell looked at Jack.
“Why, you see, Aunt Mary,” the latter promptly shrieked, “we thought
we’d be good and go home early and sort of rest up to-night so as to
have a high old time to-morrow.”
Aunt Mary’s face, which had fallen during the first part of their
speech, brightened up at the last words.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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