The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-05-16

allow no inexperienced fingers to inter
meddle with her washing, and lame
Aunt Becky, who always would stay
where Polly was, were in the kitchen
adjoining. No ordinary kitchen was
this, steaming, soapy and disconsolate,
but large, pleasant, tidy room, where
Aunt Becky could enjoy her armchair
and her knitting together with Aunt
Polly's Discourse. The latter lady was
unusually talkative on wash-day. Pos
sibly being surrounded by tubs and
piles of linen suggested, vaguely, pull
pit or speakers stand, perhaps having
had all Sunday to think in, her opinions
needed shaking out and smoothing be-
fore they were laid away for the week.
At any rate, Miss Polly had a way of
doing up the world aud her washing to-
gether.
''Most through, Polly ?" questioned
Miss Becky, as she always did every
half-hour.
Z" Can't say I am" responded Miss
Polly with snap that shook out pair
of wet hose and her words at the same
time; "not unless I view my washin'
the same way these new style poets do
the robe of righteousness, and think a
mighty little is the whole ont. One
clean stockin' is enough 'cordin' to
them. No matter how much mud a
body has gone into, so he's managed to
keep one foot out don't b'lieve no
such p
&c Why, of course to be sure 7" ad-
mitted Miss Becky, with mild Indefinite
ness.
"Curious what kinds of folks this
world does hold, anyhow p pursued
Miss Polly, gazing meditatively into
the depths of her tub "There's them
that has health on the brain, now-not
that their brains is so particular healthy
neither, that know of but they're al
ways talI1in' about it. You must do
this, and you mustn't do t'other, for
fear you'll spiIe your constitution and
all your bylaws. Some of 'em says
it's sin to be sick. Pears to me, if
that's so, the siclzer you get the wicked
er you must be, and dyin' would seem
filter to send folks to the penitentiary
than to Heaven. It makes things look
considerably mixed. y
"There's the railroad smash-ups,
Polly" suggested Miss Becky, alleyiat-
ingly.
" Humph Well, I should think
there was. But everybody can't expect
to get killed that way, though the com
panies offer great inducements, NUT
tered Miss Polly.
"Say, Aunt Polly, can't I sail ships
in you tub?' fnterposed small voice
and a pair of blue eyes and head of
tangled yellow curls appeared in the
doorway.
But Miss Polly was too busy to no
tice, even when the little navigator took
silence for consent, and plunged into
her rinse-water with his treasures. In
this general traightening-up of her
mental pantry, she had just found an
other article to be labeled and put away.
"AII sorts to make a world should
think so ! There's them reformin' wo-
men what go about lecturin' and wantin'
laws fixed, and men to give 'em their
rights. Land sakes! why don't they
jest take their rights ? If there's any
thing they want to do, and can do, why
don't they stop taIlzin' and do it q? Who's
goin' to hinder 'em? They're just like
Mrs. Jones when she wants to cross
the field where the COWS are. She'll
stand on the fence and shoo, and
swing her work-bag, and flap her para
sol, and cry, Get out there = when the
creatures are so busy eatin' grass that
they never notice her no way, and she
might cross a dozen times if she'd a
mind to-"
"And me, too; yes, think so, ,"
observed Miss Becky, counting her
stitches.
"But then I don't say some folks
haven't as good a right to vote as any
body, and more too, for all know, If
they be women, pursued Miss Polly,
frisking around to the other side of her
tub, and surveying the suds from that
point. ''Puts me clear out of patience
to hear all this talk about it's spilin'
women,-'sif we. was a lot of eggs that
must be kept cool and not shook up
much, and calm us 'ministerin'
angels all the time Do 1 look much
like On angel, Becky Murry ?"
The resemblance was not very strik-
ing as she stood there with her sleeves
rolled up, her bare arms akimbo, a wet
check apron pinned about her, and her
nose decorated with streak of blueing.
Conscientious Miss Becky surveyed the
stout form rather doubtfulIy.
"Well-to be sure That is, you're
as good as the most, PoIly-better'n
most, Polly; but then, there's the
wings and things they'd make-welI, I
must say fort, considerable difference,
do s'pose she admitted, hesitatingIy.
Guess you'll get wings some time,
Aunt Polly. Wish 1 had some now, ="
reflected Billy, with splashing of his
hands in the water thatat once recalled
Miss Polly to matters terrestrial.
Mercy what is the young one up
to now? Got my best spice-box for a
boat, and punched a hole clear through
the bottom of it to stick a mast in, as
sure as I am alivel'
'Well, Maggie wouldn't tell me
stories, an my tops broke, an 1 didn't
know nothin' else to do, =" affirmed Billy,
defensively.