The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-06-17
WHAT THoU DoEsT DO QUICKLY.
BY NJ. sTRATToN BEERS.

''Minnie, dear, put some wood in,
will you? think the fire is low"
Elm a minute, auntie, just one. "
''Auntie" turned over toward the wall
with sigh. Minnie heard the sigh and
thought it because her nuntie had such
headache that she sighed.
Does your head ache so hard,
auntie p she softly inquired.
IT aches badly, deariel -
Gan do anything for you, auntie p
Nothing, only the favor I asked OF
you a bit ago"
'oh, yes the fire. had almost for
gotten it, declare was so enter
tanned by this book-it is lust splendidIo
She carefully placed a mark in the
book and quietly replenished the fire.
being particular not to make any noise
that should disturb her auntie, for she
knew how dreadfully she suffered when
her headaches came on, and how much
noise aggravated the pain; then she
took the napkin from her auntie's head
ana dipped 1t In the cold ice-water that
stood IN the bowl by the side of the sofa,
and, laying it on the aching head again,
bent over and kissed the lips that were
so pale and compressed from the suffer-
ing her auntie was so patiently enduring.
My poor auntie I wish your head
was well"
A faint smile on the pale lips rewarded
her for this expression of sympathy.
and she impulsiyely kissed them again,
then sat down to her reading.
NOW Minnie was really a good girl,
rather an unusually good girl; but she
had one or two exceedingly bad habits
that annoyed every one about the house
very much, and especially troubled the
NDUImnF nnnkla nh a.
tiVate IN her little niece habits of
promptness and order. Her greatest
fault was inattention, and the forRetful-
ness sure to grow out of this=-po matter
what it was she had to do, she always
wanted TO put it Off 'iust one minute. I"
her aunt1e had talked to her kindly
many times she prayed with her and
Tor her she had several times inflicted
upon her some slight punishment or
others hoping by some of these means
10 cure her, but up to the morning of
which write there had been no an
parent change for the better, and Mrs.
Wheldon, lying there suffering with the
pain IN her head, suffered no less from
the pain at her heart, for she loved the
little orphan niece quite as well as she
had loved her own sweet daughters
while they remained to gladden. the
nome with their presence; but that had
only been a few years, and then they
sickened and died, and Minnie, coming
Just then to claim her auntie's love, had
received that which could be second
only TO the dead mothers, if even that.
There came low tap at the door.
Minnie opened it, and Rilda, the house
servant, whispered in voice intended
to have been low, but which reached
Mrs. Wheldon's ears quite as distinctly
as II 1t had been intended for her
special benefit
Minnie, that Rop boy has come foI
that basket he says your aunt promised
to send last night"
oh, my goodness what will l do p
Minnie was too much astonished and
alarmed to think to speak low.
Mrs. Wheldon turned over and looked
mp inquiringly. ''What is it. dearie p
'Oh, auntiel don't see really how
you ever will forgive me, but II did
really forget to take that basket, and ]
never thought of it until this minute. ,
Minnie Rice ! is it possible?"
Yes, auntie T. aud Minnie stood ex
pecting she knew not what, but feeling
as If nothing was too dreadful for hel
TO bear now.
Mrs. Wheldon sat up. ''Send the
boy up here, Rilda |"
Rilda went out and down mutterinp
TO herself 81 do hope she viii thrash
her good this time she's the forget
fullest thing 1 ever seen, and never
starts to do nothing until she's told
twenty times, If she can put it off; but
la forgit myself to do things, and
she's poor, motherless thing. reckon
she will outgrow it in time"
Minnie did not dare 10 look at her
auntie, she was so filed with shame and
remorse. The day before her aunt had
told her to carry the basket in question
to Mrs. Rop, woman who washed for
them sometimes, and who, Minnie knew,
had been rather miserable for some
weeks. Minnie had Immediately begged
permission to spend the remainder of
the afternoon and night with a little
friend who lived about two-thirds of the
way to Mrs. Reps, promising 70 come
home early in the morning. Her favor
being granted, she had nearly flown to
her room to get her cloak and hat, and
her aunt being engaged with a caller,
when she was ready TO go she had gone
without the usual good-by, and, as it
now proved, without the basket also.
which her aunt had placed on the din
ing-room table, telling Minnie to be
careful and not forget it. Rilda had
known nothing of the intended destina-
ton of the basket, and wishing TO set
the table for tea had transferred the
basket to the closet, and thus it had es-
capped observation by Mrs. Wheldon.
Minnie, with characteristic thought
lessneBs, had gone to her friends and
made her visit, even remembering to
come home early in the morning (which
she would not likely have done only
from a slight Misunderstanding that had
some way sprung up between herself
and friend as to the relative beauties Of
their respective Sunday hats, each think
ing her own tho Handsomely, but never
once remembering the basket which she
was TO have carried. Now this con-
tanned medicine, and some tea, and
some matches, and couple of candles,
beside bread and meat, intended for the
ehildren's suPpers, all of which Mrs
Wheldon had discovered thew stood
very much in need of and which she had
promised 70 send over before dark.
The little " Rop boy" came MP, look
ing very much ashamed of his ragged
pants, and still raggeder" shoes.
Good morning, Willie !" Mrs. WHEEL
don said. " am sorry you did not get
those things last night it was q sad
mistake upon the part OF Minnie. How
is your mother2 ?"
"She said would you be so kind as to
come over bit. She feels queer like
more than yesterday"
Mrs. Weldon promised to 20 and set
about getting ready, Notwithstanding
her aching head.
- Please, auntie, don't go your head
aches, you know"
Her aunt looked at her with such a
sad look she could not say any more.
Had you any supper, Willie ?" she