The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-01-14
AUNT JERUSHA'S CAT.
A New Years Story.

Little Bessie Atwood had neither
father, mother, sister nor brother. She
was all alcne in the world, and was about
as miserable as any little girl could be.
To be sure, she was well and strong, and
in full possession of her five senses; but
Bessie was twelve years old, and realized
fully the unpleasantness of her position.
Mrs. Murdoch had offered her home
for the chores she could do, and Bessie
soon found that she was expected to
work hard from early in the morning
until the children were all snug in bed
Mt night. The chief cause of Bessie s
trouble was not so much the work, for
Bessie was an industrious child; but
that she was not allowed to go to school.
Mrs. Atwood had taught her daughter
to read and write little, and Bessie
could do sums in long division and parse
easy sentences in her reader. She knew
something of geography, too, and had
stored away in her little head a clearer
knowledge of historical events than is
usually possessed by young ladies double
her age; but when she came to live at
Mrs. Murdock's all these pleasures of
study were forbidden her.
"I have no objections to your reading
and writing, Bessie" said the mistress,
one day, in answer to the child's earnest
appeal to be allowed some time to i'm
prove herself, "after your work is done.
OF course, you know that [ only took
you in out of charity. L didn't like the
idea of n girl as capable as you being
sent to the asylum; but Mr.. Murdock
isn't rich, by any manner of means, and
you will have to earn what you eat and
the clothes you wear"
"Oh! Mrs. Murdock," continued
Bessie, pleadingly, eff you only would
let me go to school part of the day 1
would be willing to work half the night
TO pay for it. am losing all my dear
mother taught me, and L shall grow up
nothing but poor, ignorant servant"
"Well, 1 declare !" burst in Mrs.
Murdoch, with flashing eyes and very
red face. eff ever 1 heard such impu-
dence! If not servant, what do you
expect to be, Bessie Atwood"
Mrs. Murdock's tones were intensely
irritating, but Bessie replied, quietly,
checking the inclination to cry:
81 hoped to be able to fit myself for
a teacher, Mrs. Murdoch. This is the
work my mother commenced"
"Your mother was always too big
for her Clothes" replied the mistress,
coarsely.
For a moment Bessie's eyes flashed
with temper To hear her darling
mother thus insultingly spoken of was
rather more than she could bear. It was
on her lips to say "My mother was a
lady; but you don't know what the word
MEANS" But she controlled herself, and
went on securing the knives, her eyes
blinded with tears, and her heart so full
of pent-up agony that it was all she could
do to keep from screaming.
eff you are going to snivel, turn your
head the other way" said the hard
hearted woman; and with these misera-
BILE words left the kitchen Bessie tried
to compose herself, and went over all
the things her mother had said to her
about controlling her temper and keep
ing her conscience void of offense and
her heart pure and loving. But the
dreadful sentences had sunk deep into
Bessie's sensitive soul; and she found it
hard even to ask God to help her to be
calm and gentle.
"How dare she speak so of my moth
er? How dare she2" muttered Bessie.
Just then the kitchen door opened and
Aunt Jerusha entered, all out of breath.
Aunt Jerusha was an aged Quaker lady,
who lived in small cottage about o
quarter of a mile from the home of the
Murdocks. She had evidently walked
very fast, and was laboring under con-
siderable excitement.
"Has thee seen anything of my cat,
Bessie 2" was her first question.
"No, Auntie," said Bessie. smiling
through her tears. 81 hope you haven't
lost him."
Aunt Jerusha's cat was her only COM
panion, and was a big Maltese animal
that one of her sons had brought her
from over the sea. Some of the boys i'll
the neighborhood, knowing how fond
the old lady was of this pet, took every
opportunity to annoy her by stealing it
and carrying il "a great distance out Of
town, and then leaving it to die or get
back Just AZ the poor creature was best
able. Tom had returned safe from in
rrpoerabla excursions of this kind. and