The Van Buren press., 1876-08-01
Grannies Quilted Pctticoat.
By MARY X. DALLiS.

my uouSeheepei Ia Souet Salu Mrs
Cameron, land actually do not know
how to fill her place. The idiot has mar.
ried an old bachelor. He was the baker
around the corner, and never guessed
when she was so obliging about choos.
ing all the pastry herself, what was go.
ing on. l let her have her little gill with
her, too. and l paid her high wages bu,
there , no depending on widows. They
are always wild to marry again. o, deal
mel"
My dear" said Mrs. Bonnycastle, 81
can help you OUT your dilemma
There's Margaret Mum. 5.f you dom,
mind child you won't mind an old wo.
man of ninety, and Margaret thinks more
Of good home than wages. I'll send
her over. She's the best housekeeper !
ever knew declare, believe she ish't
comfortable If she cant see her face in
everything that can be polished. And
she and Grandma Mum eat like couple
of canaries, and grannie never leaves her
chair, or scarcely; and Margaret will
keep her in her own room, and as clean
as an old wax doll. Now do try Marga.
ret She will suit you to perfection.
And the result of the conversation was
that Mrs. Cameron did see Margaret
Mum, and finding her a nice. tidy young
woman, with an obliging manner and an
aptitude for housekeeping, engaged her
at onco in the place Of the recreant wild.
ow who had betrayed her confidence by
marrying a baker.
Margaret Mum took her place in Mrs
Cameron's house one Monday morning
She brought grannie with her, and ten
minutes after Mrs. Cameron found the
old lady bolt upright in an arm chair in
the housekeeper's room, with her knit
ting, a gray worsted stocking, in bel
hand.
She had a cap with fluted ruliles on hel
head and an apron with 6uted rufile abou,
her wrists, and cape, with futed rufile
about it, on her shouldes.
She rose when Mrs. Cameron came in
and said, " My duty to you ma'am," and
like machine that had been wound W
for speech and was run down again.
Ceramic won't be any trouble to any
one said Margaret, not lowering hel
voice at all, for grannie was as deaf as q
post. "She always does exactly as tel
her-all but one thing She's 80. and
don't like to be harsh with her; so thai
thing is little anxiety tor me. She's my
great. grandmother, ma am, and she wal
a beauty in her day, they tell me. She's
not so very ugly now"
The very prettiest old lady eve,
saw" said Mrs. Cameron. "Such mic.
white hair and baby blue ayes. But wha
is the thing that troubles you. Margaret p
"If you please, ma'am, I'd better no
speak of it just now, perhaps said Mar
garet. "lts only matter Of dress
ma am"
oh" said Mrs. Cameron, " she look,
like apicture now"
And then the talk about pantries and
store closets, pickle jars and potato bar
rels, and the last housekeeper s ways ant
rules began.
~ don't want to be bothered about
anything" said Mrs. Cameron, after this
was over. :" am not strong, and 60
great deal into society. and have suct
a dislike to havnga lady's maid abou
me that never keep one. do all my
own dressing and that sort of thing, and
Mr.. Cameron likes me to do him credit
So | am very busy. You see / mus
have some one that / can trust implic
lily"
"Yes. ma am said Margaret, :" and
hope | shall suit you. I'll try my best.
I'm sure you will," said Mrs. Came
ron, and went away well satisfied will
her bousekeeper.
In the course of her afternoon call sht
\ met Mrs. Bonnycsstle, and told her wha
Margaret had said about Grannic.
I" Oh, l know all about that" said Mrs
Bonpycastle. Margaret used to be my
I seamstress once, before we broke NJ
1 housekeeping She told me all. It..
4 Grannies quilted petticoat.
Grannie's quilted petticoat!" repeat
cd Mrs Cameron.
"Yes," said Mrs. Bonnycastle. "Yor
know, or will know soon that Margare
! is painfully neat. All the better for 8
| hired housekceper, of course, and Gran
MES 1nder garments and her own, lool
just as white rs their aprons do, m,rve
ous!y white just think Of the trouble
1t must be to Margaret, then, that Gran.
ME will wear her quilted petticoat, ter
years old this month, without allowing
il to be changed It's been worn out tel
times over, but she always patches it anc
puts it on again. It's mass of patche.
Of all colors and the old soul will no,
part with it. When Margaret tries te
steal it away, she cries aloud like baby
She says she will never give it up. i
is funny object. Margaret coaxed he
to show it to inc one day. She held ur
her gown little way and said:
ITS not so old and worn as Maggi,
thinks, keep it mended neat, ma am
and think deal of it, l do. Let Mag
gle wear the new one herself; this will
last me OUT
But Margaret takes it so to hear
that she cried over it,
Mrs Cameron laughed over the story
Grannie's quilt would never trouble her
as Margaret said. 1t mas nothing bu
joke to any one but Margaret.
Time passed on. Weeks, days. .lmonth:
three of them. Margaret still remain
ed housekeeper at Mrs, Cameron's
Grannie still sat knitting endless relays
of blue socks at the housekeeper's fire
side, and the house was a model of neat
ness. Never had the door-bell and plat.
pljstened, or the stair. rods shimmered it