Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1870-07-22
AUNT NABPY DOXON.
BY SOPHIE NAY.

BY SOPHIE NAY.
A Bismarck brown house; Metternich-
green hop vines fame colored nastur-
tiums ; chrome-yellow asters. 1t made a
gay picture when the climbing rose lin
gered late enough to add its mite of Sol
terino red. 1t was happy home. There
was as much light and color within as
without, and in the whole house only one
skeleton. This was not confined to q
closet; it walked abroad, wore snuff
brown dresses, rusty black bonnet and q
mud-colored veil.
1t was named "Aunt Nabby." for no
other reason, apparently, than that it had
never owned a niece or nephew in all the
days of its life; and as no body's business
is everyhody's every body called the
skeleton Aunt Nabby. She was very
good woman in her way, but her way was
not agreeable. She was as melancholy as
an east wind i'm the fall of the year, and
seemed to be always meditatfng upon the
severe cases of sickness she had known,
more particularly those she had suffered
herself; for she was decidedly cracked
harp, with at least nine hundred and
ninety-nine strings out of tune. Her
conversation was about as entertaining as
hospital report. and sensitive people
avoided her, for she seemed to drag all
their diseases TO light as a magnet calls up
hidden pieces of steel. They said it was
nc. wonder her husband died, for he had
latent tendency to cough, SO latent and
so faint that his own mother had never
observed it, but Mrs. Nabby searched it
out, and famed II to flame till the poor
man died of consumption.
Children did not like her; for, in addi-
tion to the doses of rhubarb and SIENNA
which seemed to follow in her wake, there
was plain -heartedness about the good
widow which gave no peace to their
faults. She visited a great deal, because
variety in cooking was as necessary to her
health as change of air /; and woe to the
poor mortals who were forgetful about
shutting doors, who pitched their voices
too high or too low, or didn't want to run
up stairs to " fetch her cap;" they never
heard the last oft from Aunt Tabby.
You're the child that screamed so
loud you almost split my head open the
last time l was here. | heard you had
gone to your grandfather's, or 1 don't
know as I'd dared to come"
Or, Here is the lazy girl that can't go
upstairs for her mothers company when
they're most laid up with rheumatism
Now it happened that Mrs. Prosser,
who lived in the Bismack cottage afore-
said, had the misfortune to be second
cousin to Aunt Nabby. 1t was Mrs.
Prosser's misfortune, not her fault; but
she had to suffer for it just as much as if
it had been willful sin. Aunt Nabby
came to live with her and make it her
home" in the buff and blue chamber.
- 1t was very hard for all the family, but
master Paul, the Oldest boy, thought the
heaviest part of the burden fell on him.
"She's an invalid of the first water"
groaned he. "To think of her pitching
upon me to supply her with medicines,
and run for the doctor p
"There might be worse things" said
his gentle mother, trying to smile. "The
money she pays for her board is very
useful in buying your clothes"
81 know we are poor," returned Paul,
q little less savagely; "but, mother, ifyou
had to run of errands for her, guess you
wouldn't be quite so tender hearted"
"Ah! WELL know it's a trial, Paul but
let us be patient with the poor soul. She
has her pecularities, but they are natural
to her-and she is old. A leopard can't
change his spots, my sonPlII Sc
"No, but he can make other people
change their spots or Aunt Nabby can.
don't stay in one spot long if she knows
it, now you'd better believe"
bIrs.Prosser laughed and begged PaHl
TO do his duty cheerfully, for she had no
doubt good would come even of such d
trial as Aunt Nabby. "
One evening the poor old lady appear
ed at the tea table, her head tied up in a
black scarf
GIVE caught an awful cold," said she,
sneezing by way of illustration. No,
Cousin Caro-, l don't care for any mullins
or any dry toast either; aud probably
shall never eat another meal with the
family as long as l live"
After which enliveniDg remark she left
the table, and walked out of the room as
slowly as if she were following herself to
the grave. " Fsgs@
Walks almost as gracefully as an
inch worm," remarked Paul; whereupon
his sister Uttered, and mamma held up a
reproving finger.
About ten O'Clock, as Master Paul was
toasting his slippered feet, preparatory to
going to bed, there was hoarse cry from
the head of the stairs.
"Harkp said Paul, 81 thought at first
it was the crash of broken crockery /; but
it isn't; it's Aunt Nabby calling mel de-
clare / won't go up"
But he went, of course, for Paul was
the kindest boy alive.
"Bad luck bad luck !" said he, coming
down again with awry face" Aunt Nab
by is dying. She wants me to go for the
doctor, but I'm not going one step!'
All The while he talked he was put
ting on his boots and looking up his over
coat.
1t was cold, still night in April, and
DR.. Styles was decidedly crosser than
Jo,.l ix.~lxay, 1, a hoard tha summons tn U0 tn
Aunt Nabby.
"Why, what's the matter with her
now?" said he, pariDg a Baldwin, and
scowli1g at the quarter he held to his
mouth.
"Nothirg very serious, sir, replied
Paul; ~ believe she is only dying"