Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-07-11
Aunt Tabby's Mistake.

As Aunt Tabby's shrill voice pierced
my ears like knife, I got up with
jerk from my bed, where I had been
weeping tempest of angry tears, and
prepared to obey.
The plain truth was, Aunt Tabby and
I did not agree; I was petulent, thought
less, trying sometimes, but not the idle,
frivolous girl she always called me.
And sheP There was no doubt in my
mind, as went grumblingly' down to
the kitchen, that of all the odious,
grasping, vinegar-faced, mean, shrew-
ish women that ever tormented ones
life out, Aunt Tabby was the worst.
If the reader will follow me into the
kitchen, he may Judge for himself of
the goddess who reigned there; of
the kitchen itself I can sing nothing
but praises.
Coming, as I had, q few months be-
fore, from the close, dingy rooms in
the neighboring manufacturing town
where my mother was wearing out her
life trying to rear and support six 9TH
er girls besides myself, the spacious,
CHEEKY kitchen at Calvola had won my
heart completely.
The red-brick floor cleaned with
cleanliness; the scrubbed tables
were snowy white; FURNISHED pewter,
dear to the heart of every New Eng
land housewife, garnished the walls
and four generous windows poured a
flood of sunshine and sweet-scented
air over everything.
Aunt Tabby herself would, by any
other than myself 1 suppose, have
been called comely Her face was
ruddy, her eyes black, and her figure
still youthful, for she was not more
than tive-and-thirty; she was bustling,
active" real smart" in fact; and,
moreover, undisputed mistress of the
substantial old farmhouse, and twenty
rich acres.
She was we'll aware of her many at
fractions, among which she did not
omit to count the house and farm
and of her admirers, Stephen Boorman
was especially favored.
He was leaning against one of the
windows, talking to Aunt Tabby, when
l blurted stormily into the room, my
hair all tossed and tumbled, my cheeks
scarlet, and my eyes still red in conse-
quence of that previous indulgence in
my angry passions.
Aunt Tabby looked not ill-pleased at
my uncouth appearance; in fact, I have
always believed that she called me
down for no other purpose than to con-
trast my untidiness with her own neat
looks; as for me, felt like putting my
finger in my mouth, and running away,
Us caught sight of Stephens bright
eyes bent upon me with a queer,
amused look; but stood my ground,
and said, though with an ill-grace:
What do you want me for, Aunt
Tabby?"
"La, child" she answered, "what a
figure you are, to be sure! If had at
tended to your bringing up things
would have been different--''
"Thank goodness you didn'tw I
muttered, impatiently,
" What's that you're saying? Oh,
Cynthy, you've temper and no mis-
take! but take that basket and go
down cellar, and bring me up some Of
them best Fall pippins; no specked
ones, mind; and, while you're about it,
just look over them dozen barrels, and
bring up what specked ones is on the
top, for I'm going to bake batch of
pies.
1 took up the basket, and plunged
with it into the cellar, feeling more
miserable than ever.
How uDfo,r <b;,uc ,roua :. 1f
Why should 1 be forced to rummage
about an old cellar that lovely Autumn
afternoon, and leave Aunt Tabby,
vicious old thing, up in the sunshine,
with nothing to do but listen to Ste
phen Boorman's jokes, and-ah! there
he was saying good-by; what must he
have thought of my touseled looks :?
And, filed with modification and an.
ger at myself and every one else, I
tossed the pippins pellmell into the
basket, and was struggling to lift it,
when kind voice said at my elbow:
Let me try; It's too heavy for you,
"Oh, dear!" I burst out, breaking
down at the sympathetic tone. and try,
ing to hide my tears with my fingers.
p" Too bad!' muttered my consider.
somewhat hoarsely. See here, Miss
Cynthia, don't take on sol" and he
stood looking helplessly at me.
"I'm ashamed" I gasped, making
herculean efforts at self control, "that
you should see me looking so, and see
me crying; but if you knew what a."
I" An! he said, in queer tone which
recalled me to myself. Was fool.
to abuse Aunt Tabby before her lover!
The burning blush at my own awk-
wardness dried the tears on my cheeks,
and I made motion to seize the bas-
ket and run away; but Stephen said
in comical voice: You will have to
put on spectacles, Miss Cynthia, if YOU
can't see better. Scarce one of these
pippins but is badly spekecd;" and
with that he proceeded to pick and
choose, keeping his back turned to me.