Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-08-14
with hassock for each to rest their tired

ooh, auntie! you always think of
everything"
Well, dear, by the time you are as oil d
as l, you'll have pretty good thinking
cap of your own to wear. Don't forget to
bring lunch, for you won't find much
in grandma's cupboard to eat, / assure
you"
Then Aunt Kezzy started homeward. &C
companied by the children, who talked
and laughed over their own nonsense, un-
til they left the dear old lady at the door
of her cottage, each promising to be on
hand the next Saturday morning as soon
as the old folks were gone.
Keziah Thompson was an old maid
one of those dear, blessed old maids that
make sunshine and joy for every living
creature they meet. She was the one to
whom tired mothers went for help and
comfort in time of need; who was an
angel of mercy by the bedside of the sick
and dying; who hushed the wailing cry
of the new born babes, and closed their
eyes in the hour of death. There was not
a man, woman, or child in the village
but loved and respected her next to the
minister. No sooner was one little kind
ness planned and carried out, before the
busy woman was on the alert for some
thing else to do. And the best part of it
was, she managed to interest others so
much in these things that they always had
the comfort Of thinking they had done it
all. which suited her exactly.
Friday afternoon Farmer Jones called
on Grandpa and Grandma Brown and told
them he was coming for them bright and
early the next morning to take them out
to his house for a good long visit. 1t
pleased them greatly. They assured him
they would be ready in good time.
Never was there brighter morn
ing than dawned on that eventful day.
The young people were up betimes, with
everything ready, so they could start as
soon as Farmer Jones drove away from
the door of the little old house AT last
the moment came, and they soon gathered
there with their pals Of paste, paint,
whitewash, soap and sand. Farmer
Jones, who was in the secret, hurried the
old people off, so they forgot to lock the
doors (but it is very doubtful whether they
ever did such thing, so there was moth
ing to hinder them from taking posses
sion, and they commenced work at once.
A huge fire was built in the rusty stove,
the boiler and kettles of water put over to
ceeded to take up the rag carpet and clear
the sitting room Of what few articles of
furniture it contained. After thorough
sweeping and busting, Joe Allen white
washed the black, smoky ceiling over and
over again, until at last it was pronounced
really phite Then the girls stripped off
the remains of soiled, torn hangings from
the walls, while auntie measured, cut, and
no
brought. The room was wainscoted, so it
was not hard task, and before noon it
was finished, and the woodwork, windows,
and floor nicely cleaned. Auntic's eyes
were everywhere, even while she was
about this work, guiding, directing and
controlling the score of busy boys and
girls. With the help of a good washing
machine and a stout boy to run it, the
! Widow Malone had made good progress
with the washing. There was scarcely a
| thing in the house. from the best blue and
| white ed-spread down to the dish-cloth,
but was put through that washing ma
chine and tub, and speedily transferred to
the lines to dry. Two of the oldest boys
were at work upon the outside of the
house, mailing on the loose clapboards and
| shingles, and transforming its weather
| beaten sides by coat of light brown
| paint, with darker shade of color upon
| the cornice and castings, which improved
its appearance wonderfully. BY noon they
| were all very willing to rest awhile, and
| refresh themselves with the contents OF
| their lunch baskets and a generous supply
| of lemonade which the boys had provi-
| ded for the occasion.
Then, giving orders to remember ex-
actly where everything in the bedroom
and pantry was kept, so that each article
might be left as they had found it, they
| proceeded with the work. 1t wasn't a
| pleasant task. doubt whether they could
have persevered to the end without Aunt
| Kezzy's encouraging words and smiles.
But she kept them all SO happy with her
| funny little stories and droll remarks, and
pictured so wildly the surprise and de-
| light of the old couple when they return.
! ed from their visit, they took heart and
went into the thickest Of the fight bravely.
The old rag carpet was thoroughly whip
| ped, mended, and nailed down again in
| its place. Then followed the pleasantest
part of the work. Aunt Kezzy stuffed the
| old wooden rocking chairs, and covered
| them with crimson merino dress-skirt,
while the girls put up the fresh white
| muslin curtains, and tied them back with
| bright ribbons, and arranged the scanty
furniture to the best possible advantage.
Each one had brought something's little
homemade bracket, or picture framed
| with moss or cones-and it was delightful
| to see how pretty the room was when at
last everything was done-the crimson
| chairs, with their white tides in their ac-
customed places, pictures and brackets
| upon the neat wall, and a vase of fresh
| flowers upon the little oldfashioned stand.
They called all the others in to enjoy it
with them, then proceeded with fresh
courage to the unpleasant things which
still remained to be done The widow
had finished her washing, and was ironing
and summing the clothes as fast as they
dried. The dishes were all washed, and
put back on the clean shelves covered
with neatly .bordcred papers. The poor old
feather-bed received terrible shaking, and
summed itself for hours on pile of brush
| in the back yard. The straw was emptied
out, the tick washed and dried and filled
| with fresh, clean straw again. Aunt
| Kezzy took the bedstead in charge, peer
| ing carefully at every crack and crevice,
scalding and securing and sailing it, until
she was satisfied that from henceforth the