Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-09-30
The Cloak Cubby and the BIue-Room
HOW WE LOST AUNT FANNY.
(FrOm ScTIbRer's Aonthly.I

lFr0m ScTIbReT'S AoRthy.l
The 90 General Association" was to hold its
annual meeting at our church in A. and l. a
hero-worshlPeT OF nineteen years, was drawn to
Its first session by the announcement that Prof.
n; would preach the opening sermon.
TWAS hot June day, and as our house was
more than two miles out Of town, L was not a
little disnlayed when came ont of church. after
service and little supplemental gossip with
hlttle Winter, our minister's daughter, TO find
that my tCrgetful father, who had CALAMITY con-
yeyed me thither, had thOughtlessly driven
home without me. This was not at all an I'M
preeedented occurrence, as was apt 10 linger,
knew that he would remember his off-sprinr
some time about midnight, and come to me
forthwith for absOlution, spelling nv scanty
sleep with his untimely remOrse; but, meantime
must walk home.
So it happened that when at last 1 arrived.
thoroughly heated, and dusty, and cross L in
stinctiyely turned my steps toward Aunt
Fanny's room,-a sort of cave Adullam where
every one that was in distress, and every one
was discontinued gathered themselves for aid
and comfort, as did the unhappy Israelites to
Dayid's rocky den. But when / found the re-
rug vacant OF MS comforting genius, my present
while memory bestirred herself 10 heap on one
by one, every bit OF awkwardness and distress
which my poor, busy fathers special weakness
had inflicted on me in the past, until, under the
accumulated weight, my heart was becoming
hardened like milestone toward any probable
exhibition of pateTnal Penitence.
Fortunately, Aunt Fanny's gentle step was
heard just then, and when her sweet face
smiled upon me, my implacability was as frost
before an April sun.
But suppose you would like TO know who
d Aunt Fanny is.
Aunt Fanny had been grandpapa's baby and
was his JOY and pride till he died in her arms,
hye years ago. Then she came to us, to abide
with Us forever, as We fOndy believed. The
ground OF this reliance was a certain E'fatal IA
cillty she had acquired in early life for parry
ing matrimonial assaults; and then, too, was she
not now fOTty-eighryears Old?-So she said, and
grandpaPa's big Bible confirmed the saying.
Yet her brow was smoother than mine, and
her limpid eyes with their fathomless depths of
blue, were bOTdered with soft brown hair far
more ehildiike than mine. Now. as she come
In, with her cheeks ('yelvet-cheek' was one of
NV thousand pet names for her) tinged by the
hdent sun, and her limp white sun-bonnet
yielding in soft curves to the outline of her face
she seemed too lovely for anything, unless il
were an incarnation OF Raphael's AadOnHG del
1 assaulted this gracious creature with :. You
dear old darlingl how exssperatingly pretty and
50 red?f
Strawberries, Pusskins.''
"StIaw berries?7 / said.
es; have been putting the Blue-rOOm in
order for any minister whom your father might
happen TO bring home with him from town, and
went into the garden for few roses as a finish
ing touch. / wanted some of the blessed old
cinnamOns, which you know, dearie, / love best
OF all, 50 / ran down into the yegetable-garden
whittier Tom has banished them, and as passed
fast So just came in and divided nv roses
between the Blue-rOOm and my own. and then
went back to the strawberries an1picked fully a
quart"
But, Auntie, you never should have done it
yourself in this heat"
'.Oh, 1 don't mind extremes as you do, dear;
and then you know have a special tenderness
for this fruit, and fancy that it likes to be
gathered by lady's fingers. L certainly
couldn't have trusted Tom or Jane to coax from
the vines the coy hrst-fruits Of the season.
shall be fresh the berries hath
But, Puss, how flushed and tired you look!'
"Well may, Auntie. Father forgot me, as
came back TO mind; ''and 1 had TO walk all the
way home in this vile dust; just look at my
pretty new suit"
" Poor child But can brush it nicely for
you. while you put on this dressing-sack and lie
on my lounge until tea-time."
80 Ii is incOnvenient at times q should think
TIM IS; but how thankful we ought to be that he
mas nev,r by any chance forgotten a client or
any business o. Importance"
q don't know wha. YOU can eall important
business, Aunt Fanny SAID .'r.y' iof mad
come to bury Cesar, not to praise HIN, and my
disrelish for this unreasonable magnanilnity
was Just then stimulated by the cloud OF dust
which rose from my dress as threw it OF.
"Just look at that horrible DUST should
think taking decent care Of his only child might
wen come under the head OF cuisines Of i'm
My "Dayidv shook-not me, as she ought 10
have done, but one Of her finest hankkerchiefs
out Of its soft folds, moistened it with her
choicest eau dc Cologne, and with gentle touch
subdued the rash choier which my fathers for
gedulness had raised within me, as she cooled
my half grilled face and neck.
Don't lie there, Puss," demonstrated Aunt
Fanny, az, after giving her penitentially CRATE
full kiss, threw myself on her lounge. " You
are directly in the draught. 1 have opened the
doors through the closet Into the Blue-room, you
see, and that gives us this delicious breeze. But
yod mustn't lie m fun range Of 10. Keep still
and viii trundle your back against the wall.
There now shut your eyes and say your multi
INTERCHANGEABLE till come back
she then disappeared through her dressing
room, door, which opened on the opposite side Of
fhe room from the breezy closet After q long
sbs.nre she peeped in with my suit on her Arm,
both he and IL looking as fresh as she had prom
ised SO you are not asleep? Then III brush
my hair an here and have a little gossip. You
haven't told me a word about the meeting.
suppose your father brought home no one with
him, for met him alone In tho garden, and he
talked Of nothing but s,rawLeTries."
"was Professor n. a. grand as ever? Tell me
All about IT,"
Professor x. didn't preach, after ALL" said
I, rather sleePily.
Won: IL Is no wonder you came home so discon-
solafe, N you had TO listen 70 q duh substitute
this hot day."
aBut he wasn't duh at all, Auntie," said I,
yousirg a little. "My horrid tramp home had
almoaf driven 10 out OF my head, but IL really
va splendid, and be had such q magnificent