The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-12-05
AUNT JEM'S BONNET.

Ia deep medltatlor upon some subject
hrongh all its restless hurrye Well, very
wuch after that same fashion, Miss Jemi-
ma Vaer went fliftiug about In the little
drab house under the hill, one bright
spring morning She shook out the white
muslin curtains with tender respect for
their old age, and arranged them 40 thai
the darns should not show, placed q cush-
i"n carefully over damages wrought by
little feet n the seat Of The old-faShioped
recking-chAir, aad busted the tall clock
in the corner rs faithfully as f its long
hand were Dos missing. In truth, that
room was = sort Of tospi-al tor disabled
furniture; but then, the inval de all had
such coy, we'll carea-fnr look, that on
never thought oF poticing their de6cien-
cies aud the little bFown-eyed, brown
haired woMSn, VIA ed about among
them, was 40 bright and CHEEKY AS need
be. But thls day there was al ansolved
problem looking out from che eyes, and
now and then, Mss JemlTS would come
to momentary pause In her occupations,
and strike an interrOgatl In-p int attitude
at the end ri some mental question. At
last she stopped bv me 1T the windows
and drew Frna her pocket somewhat
faded, green aud silver purse-a lean dys-
peptic looking purse, that f1rppcd about
Ii dnwncast way, ~ # aware that it
would be called up>n'to deliver up what
itsnad not got. Miss Veer's thorough
fingers searched its utmnst depth, then
turned it wrong side up and shock II, that
40 Sinking penny IN gin he hidden away
in its corners. The rinoIHt IN her hand
was small enough when all was done. She
counted it forward and backward, but it
didn't grow any either way; so that she
closed her fingers over 1t, with the fam est
breath Of sigh, and said, with decided
shake of the head:
III can't do it. Teddy wants new shoes,
Rob must have jacket, Aud IA bornet isn't
to be Thought of.
Which didn't foil w at all; for she
thought If il more vigorously than ever,
after having ascerrained beyond u doubt
that there was no money to buy a new
me. She did not II ed 10 look Al the one
she had worn al winter, tn See how shah
by 1t was; she could Ell that, even with
it away up staiIs in the bpndbux. 1t h d
been twisted and turned; made and re-
made, from year to year, until il was 'poor
bur respectable" no longer, be ides being
ali out ri season; and 20 her head bereft
Of It's ancen shelter, went seeking u new
covering. When The house was all in
order. and Rob and Teidy lauiAbly EN-
DlOyed in trying tn pillow up the back yard
with the four scoop, she went up stairs,
and from among the cast off treasures of
Ger ain old red chest in the attic, fish II
up straw bonnet-immense in size, yell
'cw in color, and of shape indescribable
She laughed at the effect AS .he tried it
on before her tinny mirror; but after all, it
was not laughing matter; indeed it
seemed more like a crying one AS she
turned the antique atf.ir on her hand, and
wondered sober.y what it would be pessl-
BILE tO make of il.
Upon her meditations there suddenly
broke the slight rustic Of q stiff dress,aud
the sound o tnotStep that spoke OF Dig
nifty and one hundred and fifty pounds,
and announced the coming Of Aunt Hes
ter. It was the only announcement that
lady thought it necessary to make; for
she entered without the formaIity Of a
knOck, seated herself in a rock ng-chair,
or attempted to do so, but Immediately
resumed her feet again.
"Hum advise you to put that chair
out of the way, Jemima. One can't be al
ways remem bering that the bottom is
broken out," she remarked, severely; sun
less, indeed, you intend it as trap to
catch your friends in"
"If that were the object, Id set it just
outside the gaze. and try to catch them
before they got in" Mss Jrmima whis-
pared, rebelliously to herself, as she arose
to bring f0rwarn another chair-a sound
substsnt ial, wooden one.
Aunt Hester surveyed it doubtfully, as
if she suspected some deception, but final
y settled herself In it, shook her black
al paca into folds. and said
81 thought would call to see how you
were getting on"
1t did net occur to Jemlma that if she
had known of her coming.she would have
got so far on az to be out of sight; but she
only answered quietly:
about as usual we are. thank you,
Aunt Hester"
Aunt Jem Aunt Jem !" cried Rob
and Teddy, making rush from tho yard,
getting terribly mixed up in the DOR way,
and each trying to explain the others re-
marks before IA, hal made any. Deed.
Aunt Jem, we won't hart it any-a rum
breller to build barn With; cause we
can't put our horses nowhere; and we
want it top o the chicken-coop. Say,
may WEI"
eyes, dear, yes; but don't be so noisy,
boys Don't you see Aunt Hester is hcre?"
answered Aunt Jem, indulgent but dis
tressed.
Yes that's what we don't want tn
come in for" answered Teddy with re-
freshlng trankuess. Wont you please
to hand the rumbreller out, Aunt Jem?'
Aunt Jem produced the umbrella, in
full Cnnacinnsnass that her uisltnr wAs