Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-06-16
Aunt Patty's Balance.
by AMANDA NJ. DOUGLAS.

Didn't go quick?'
"Well, tolerable,' said Aunt Patty, pass
ing the whisk she had just pulled out Of
the bread between her thumb and finger 10
see If the loaf was thoroughly done.
"And can go to see jessie Wells this af-
teInoon, can'tI? You promised"
mo, Martha, didn't quite promise"
"But ran every step OF the way, indeed
/ did, Aunlie and made all the beds and
dusted.'
There was tremor in Martha Parker's
voice, and the tears came almost into her
eyes.
"I'll tell you at noon. There, it is ten
minutes TO nine, and you will be late for
school if you do not start this instant.
"But, Aunt Patty"
AT you stop for another word you can
not go at all. How often have 1 told you
about answering back ~
Martha picked up her two books and
whirled herself out OF the door like tor
nado, W ithout word OF good-morning.
"The cross old thingr' she halG-sobbed,
when she was out of hearing. "She never
does let me do anythingl may try and
kIJ duu IL uONSh ~ q ~" W
pins. And If caI't go TO that croquet
party I'll be just as bad as ever l can be-"
think Martha commenced right away.
She climbed over the fence and ran down
in the lot for an apple, and what with that
and the eating of it, she was late for school.
"My aunt sent me to do an errand," she
said to Miss Lewis.
"You must bring note, then, or lose a
mark. l want you all 10 understand that
school begins promptly at nine"
That made Martha still more cross. She
slammed the lid of her desk and then hur-
ried out TO take her place in the class. 1t
was spelling, and at the very hrst word she
missed and had to go down one. And
then she "ddn't care" in good earnest, and
was very troublesome child until twelve
o'clock.
When she went home to dinner she found
Grandma Fields sitting by the open win
dow in Aunt Patty's tidy kitchen. Now
Grandma Fields really was not grandmoth-
er 10 anybody, but she was old and sweet
aud pretty, with wrnkled face and snow
white hair; a gown of soft drab, that,
though it was made in the fashion of her
young days, had almost come round again.
1t was gored, plain wasted, and with coat
sleeves but il had no ruiiies, nor putfs,
nor fllnges, nor bugles. Then she had
silyery cOlored kerchief crossed over her
bosom, aud white lawn cap, and altOgeth-
or she was as attractive looking as any
grandmother you would wish 10 see. She
had not a relative in the world, and yet ev-
erybody's house was open to her, and she
visited about, sewing and knitting and
darning, and sometimes taking care of sick
people. She was seventy, but she did not
seem old. There was always great stock
of invitations ahead of her, and two months
ago Miss Patty Parker sent for her.
"She does so enjoy harvest apples" said
Miss Patty; $50 let us have her here right
in the first of them. And 1t will give me
such good start with the fall clothes and
bedding and stockings"
Aunt Patty kept house for her brother,
Mr.. Nathan Parker. He was very COM
Portable farmer, a widower with three boys
and one girl. A very clean, orderly, up
right woman was Aunt Patty, but some
| how.
Nathan was so careless, so dilatory. The
children were needless, impertinent, idle,
and, try her best, she never could make
anything of them. She worked very hard,
and she used to get very much discouraged.
That was her side of the story.
Father Parker came in, delighted to see
the placid, cheerful face of his guest. Did
1 tell you she was a Quakerf Well, she
was, though there was no Friends meeting
within twenty miles, so 1t wasn't her Sun
day church-going that kept her in such 4
tranquil state.