The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-08-05
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SELECTED STORY.
AUNT PATTY'S BOY.

AuN L fAI I d DU L,
"You know he is just like my own" sald
Aunt Patty, rolling away vigorously at the
p,e-crust which was destined to cover the
blue-edged plate before her. ''Mebbe you'll
be disappointed when you see him, iof ne
amt handsome. Some folks might even
think him humby; but he's good boy. o ,ai'
day, | recollec, when Hubert Was niue lei.
low, Betty Wright asked her mother W.
God made ba folks. Don't you know, g.,
der brother Elhu, speaking up|he wiz sissy
ways a queer chick-'Don't you khoMh' Sn,no
He takes great deal more pam, tool him
iolks than he does With others. ~ vo h,,t ha
a long while to make Hubert RANSOM out ne
made me in a jiff. Hubert Wouiuh i'he W
81 think IFS beautiful, You love him so dear
ly.n said Miss Annette, lifting her gentle head;
"and it speaks volumes Tor nm"
"You are good to say So" replied the old
lady, with pleased look. You see re-
member Just as well as il he hadn't been away
day what dishes the boy likes. He's great
hand for apple pies, and likes the real old
fashioned kind, with the apples sliced thin,
and the top crust took off piping hot and but
tered and sugared. Now l'll Just run out
and pick up an aproniul OF harvest apples, for
L see L shan't have enough for six pies; and
there amt no use in making a smaller batch
ii Hubert is coming home TO day."
Let me go and gather them for yol," said
MISS Annette, getting up from her low stool,
and putting aside some dainty rose-colored
and white crochet work. 81 should like TO
take a run in the orchard. You don't give
me half enough to do, Aunt Patty. If you
made me work, should be a deal stronger"
Law, child, you look as if good wlnd
would blow YOU away like one of them white
dandelion tops. | should as soon think OF
giving a hummin'-bird a stent. When your
father came out here TO get you boarded,
told him | never had taken folks because l
should fret and stew over the cooking; but,
OF course, I'd take you, because he and used
TO be friends in our younger days. Pm most
afraid sometimes my victuals don't suit you,
you're such small eater. You must pick up,
or when your father comes in the fall he'll
think l hain't treated you WE'LL"
"Oh, Aunt Patty, you couldn't be kinder to
me if you were my mother l am great
deal stronger than when came. was only
a little run down, you know. You mustn't
coddle me like an invalid"
"Wel, my child, / sometimes have mis-
trusted there was young man in the case"
mo indeed, there isn't" returned Annette I;
but she blushed and laughed a little as she
took her garden-hat by the string, and went
tripping away down the orchard path that
brought its shade and thick turf up to Aunt
Patty's back stoop. The old lady left her
baking, and went to the window to watch
Annotte's light step, as the sunshine came
through the boughs and spotted her buff
morning dress, and the breeze lifted the
feathery little culls on her fair neck.
"She's sweet, pretty creature" thought
Aunt Patty; ''if L didn't have Hubert
should begin to dote on her, and to fret about
her going away. Pm foolish old woman to
be setting my heart on folks the way do"
Aunt Patty's house was a shady old place
with stores of comfortable things in drawers
and presses. She had nursed her aged father
through his last sickness, and had then fallen
to the homestead, the snug garden, and few
outlying fields, where her sleek brindle COW
and old gray mare roamed at will. The
Shaeckaway hills rose blue and soft in the
distance, and the fresh breezes that blew from
their ferny glens made Aunt Pattys house a
healthtul resort for the young boarder-- a slit
tie weakly" as the old lady said-who had
come to pass the summer. Hubert was the
son of Aunt Pattys only sister, who, dying
young, had LETT him to her kind care. For
three years he had been settled ia business in
distant city, and his summer holidays were
always spent at the old homestead.
Dear SusP thought the old lady, give for.
forgot TO put water in Huberts room. He
wouldn't mind helping himself Tor he hain't
grown pertickeler mite" She trCtted into
the corner little bedroom, where the boughs
Oh an ola sugar pear-tree made shady place
at the WINDOW. 1t was Just as he had silent
III 1t last. The quaint bed was covered with
Aunt Patty's pink and white star quilt. and
there were the shelves Hubert had made for
his books he had a Yankee boys inventive
faculty-and over the door were his fishing
rods. Huddy, the "help," was up chamber.
and the smell OF something scorchng came
to Aunt Patty's nose. She remembered that
she had left raisin cake in the oven and
hurried back to the kitchen.
Annette had gone past the well with its
curved sweep and messy brink, and past the
open barn door. brood Of downy chickens
she had been accustomed to feed ran out of
the bushes, and a frisky black and white kit.
ten jumped down from the limb of tree and
joined her train. The fcathered tribe kep
close behind until she reached the apple-tret
"a wide-spreading, clumsy old veteran of tn,
orchard. Annette seated herself to rest ;
moment by its trunk, where, through til,
boushs, she could see the sky curdled will
white clouds. The kitten, dappled all owe
with Sunshine, was playing with its tail. An
nette had just taken up little fluffy ellov
and white thing in her hand, and was cooine
to it softly, when somebody who had rider
along the near highway unnoticed, tied hi.
morse 10 the fence and sprang over into the
orchard.
Miss King, this is truly ruralv
Annette rose to her feet and dropped he,
little playmate back into the grass. A fain
blush OF surprise or pleasure Overspread he
cheek.
"What an unexpected pleasure, Mr.. Muir
dOckP murmured she.
Il hope it is pleasure" he returned. as h,
extended his hand and looked at her with un
disguised admiration. lie was tall, slender
m RI
slight moustache that yelled, without who'll,
concealIng, the somewhat supercilious ex-
preston OF his mouth; and he had what
Aunt Fatty called "city fled" air.
Il was obliged TO come as far as Bardstown
on business" he said, in explanation of his
appearance, $50 thought would take horse
ana flde over to your retreat. l knew your
latnef would be glad to receive my report,
and-Well-l won't say anything about my
SELL sell Mhat ara queer ola place this is, to be
sure-so one side of everything! l should
mink you would get little bored with the
dullness."
Il like it very much indeed returned An
nette, simply. "Aunt Patty-she's the lady l
live with-is very good to me, and Pm getting
attached to the old place."
what pity to waste your affections" re-
turned Mr.. Murdoch, looking more than he
said. They were walking toward the house
now, through the grass and daisies. and The
young man was carrying the basket OF apples.
and switching the cover-heads with his rid,
lng-whip. Don't you long to get back to
Dover street, or to see something of the CAV
world at watering placer"
No, indeed" replied Annette, shaking her
curls. $! often think, if father we're win me.
should like to live always in the country.
linen your friends in town would be in
consolidate. L am getting jealous of Aunt
fatty and the ducks and chickens already.~
annette laughed and that was all. They
were on the quaint little porch. shaded NV :,
luAuflant trumpet-creeper, and set out with
an army OF splint-bottomed chairs.
VIII you rest here, or walk into the front
room roo a;'; inquired Annette, opening the door
anu snang glimpse OF pleasant, antique
and spider-legged chairs and tables.
III stay here in the open air, thank YOU.
haven't much fancy for these old rookeries
They're apt to be musty.n ''N''
"EVprvthinU ahonf A,o4