The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-04-16
went to the window to take a peep at

( packing up the W0OQ tnaI naQ D6en
thrown under the shed.
"Beats all" said Aunt Rusha, " and
I he fixed the step, too. I shall give
him a good cup of coffee coffee's bad
/ for children. but it won't hurt him
once in way. He don't look as if
he'd been stuffed with Yictuals."
By the time they had finished their
breakfast the wood was half piled up,
and Aunt Nina drew out her eyer
lasting knitting-work, and watched
the boy as he washed himself at the
pump, laid aside his big hat, gave his
sleeves an extra roll, and came in to
his breakfast He was as quiet as
need be in his behavior; but Aunt
Rnsha's keen eyes saw the hungry
ravenous expression OF his face, as he
began to eat, and she added to tho
supply a plate of doughnuts and 3
piece of apple pie. es-
"Just you eat your fill," she said,
when the boy hesitated t'I'll be bound
you didn't get much yesterday"
81 had some turnips, said the boy !;
''they was frosted little, but was
powerful sorry afterwards that did
not get some more.
"RaW turnips! Massey sakes, don't
never eat such unhealthy things" ex-
claimed Aunt Rusha; but Aunt Nina
looked out of the window and wiped
her eyes on her blue knitting work.
The boy finished his breakfast and
looked at the dishes Aunt Russia was
rapidly transferring to the sink, and
asked with r nod,
"Want me to wash 'em up? / can
do it slick" fa@
ssSakes, no" said Aunt Rusha, with
little shudder at the very thought !;
I'd as soon set the old cat to lap 'em."
Aunt Nina thought she saw,a flush
on the salIew cheek and she said
quickly, FSee here, Rusha, let him fin
ish up that wood, and I'll fix his coat
sleeves, SOS he'll look more like q
Christian"
Off came the coat. showing a very
clean shirt, though it was cearse, and
the evident cleanliness went a long
way toward settling Aunt Mima's
opinion of the wearer. When the
coat was fixed Aunt Russia hunted up
from the old rubbish in the attic hat
that had belonged to some dear boy of
a past generation, when hats were
made to wear and not to sell and
with new band and a substantial
black binding, it looked decidedly
better than new.
"There's the chips, Rusha," said
Aunt Nina, seeing the last stick upon
the pile. "Why not let him take the
wheel-barrow and get 'em under COW
er? Seems pity TO have 'em buried
up when the snow comes.'
/" WE'LL" said Rusha, and gave out
the new job, with charge not to go
cutting up shines, and break the wheel
barrow. Gi
Before the chips were finished, the
boy had fastened the loose leg of the
wheel-barrow, and wedged the head
of the rake, which had chronic hab-
it of dropping off. He had whitfield
a new button for the gate, and mended
the broken hinge with a piece of an
old boot top, raked up from among
the chips.
80 Beats all" said Aunt Russia, ad-
miringly.
"Men folks are kind of handy for
some things" said Aunt Nina, "if
you could only keep them out DOORS"
1t was almost dinner time when the
old boy stood on the door step, very
much improved by the changes in his
garments, eating doughnut and lis
tening to the clock, that licked in q
curious, jerky fashion.
F'She limps," he said, with nod of
his head toward the clock, edo you
want me to fix her?"
Aunt Rusha's respect for his talents
was very much increased but this was
a little too much.
Fix the clock Did l ever! /
wouldn't trust the minister himself to
fix that clock. though it does pester
me terribly 10 hear it ticking so kind
o. limpy. It's licked that way ever
since 1 cleaned house in the spring"
81 can fix her, said the boy conf
IDENTIFY. 81 won't open her neither,
nor touch the gearin'."
Aunt Rusha put a board on the
Kitchen table, and watched euriously
while the boy took a piece of paper
from his pocket and folded it into
good many thicknesses. Then, after
listening and squirting, he tucked the
paper wedge carefully under one corr
ner of the clock and stepped down,
smiling and nodding.
t.True's your alive" said Aunt Mi
ma, sit does sound natural again"
ssDidn't set level" explained the boy
in very matter-of-fact way. -"
guess I'll be movin' along now"
Aunt Rusha looked at Nina -
''There's the chamber where Sarah's
J Johnny used to Sleep"
"Aud some clothes of Johnny's I
could make over like new" said
Nina. 5iFi
'tAnd many's the time l feel wicked
throwing away good victuals that
amt eat in time to keep it from spoil
ing-your so uncertain with your ap-
petite, Nina" and Aunt Rusha gave
her sister reproachful look.
Il shall feel so much easier in my
mind if you don't have to go out in
sloppy weather TO milk the COW aud
see to things" said Nina"
"Of course we shan't be compelled
to keep him if we amt suited" said
Rusha, who was beginning to wonder
how she ever lived without boy, "an't
maybe it's leading of Providence
sending him to us. See here, 'Lias
Barnet, this nail is for you to hang
your hat on, and don't you ever lay it
on a chair. You eau stay here spell
anyway, and make yourself useful,
and We'll do whatever's right by ve."
''Thank you ma'am," sail the boy,
gravely. "PIl do the same by you, as
far as L know"
He went to work at once to fill up
the wood box with chips; but Aunt
Nina noticed that he wiped his eyes
on his sleeve as he left the house.
He's no common boy, 1 can tell
you," said Aunt Rusha, ITO think of
his noticing that | was burning chips
instead of split wood"
1t would be too much to say that
Aunt Rusha never repented of her
bargain. There were times when her
heart failed her, for it made quite
break in her quiet ways; but she was
once heard to say she would a sight
rather get along alone, than have a
boy to poster her, only Nina was
hinder set on 'Lias, and she couldn't
find it in her heart to cross her. Mi
mad been unfort'nt, and she al
ways was great on cossetin' some
thing or other"