Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-12-21

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heart l think that's wha'. she said.' -
.'Now you have helped very much, -
said the lady. "And I am sure we
shall think of each other tomorrow.
We will try to make it sunshiny and
bright for everybody F.; and we can both
show our goodwill by being cheer
full. at any rate. / think your aunts
will he satisfied if you only seem hap.
py and pleased because you are with
chem; but, besides that, I am sure you,
will find great maLy thoughtful
things to do and kind things to say"
l can't stop to tell you more about
this afternoon. The friends had a
lunch together out of the basket of
candy and grapes which Mr.. Reding.
ton had given Patty just before she
started. And Mrs. Thorniford was so
bright and entertaining, and reminded
Patty of Aunt Annie more and more.
So it was a pleasant journey and so
much shorter than our friend expect.
ed. Mrs. Thorniford promised to let
her know when she came to Boston !;
and it was no nice that she visited
very near Patty's own home and had
often seen Mrs. Redington. When
they reached Patty's station, she said {:
ooh l wish you were going with
me-"
And Mrs. Thorniford said: Sand
wish you were going with me, dear
childv And then she kissed her
twice and said, "God bless her, and
that she had given he: a great pleas.
ure that afternoon.
Jacob, the Aunt's man, was waiting
for Patty, and tucked her up with SO
many soft carriage rugs and fur robes
that she wondered how she could ever
get out. He sat on the front seat of
the sleigh, with the little trunk, and
talked most of the time to the horses
and sometimes to Patty, replying to
her question whether they were all
well with an emphatic ''Yes, Miss.
and they're dreadful pleased you're
coming"
1t was q three-mile drive, So hat it
was dark when they reached the house
that short December day. And Patty
felt a little tired and hOmnsick as the
sleigh stopped at the door. But the
two verses came into her mind, and
she thought of ''gladness" and ''heart.
ilv," and the honesick feeling was
not SO bad, after all. Hannah opened
the door, She saw Aunt Janet coming
along the hall; and in /. minute the
girl had jumped out and was giving
Aunt Janet kiss and a hug--just such
a hug as she always gave Aunt Annie.
Then she shook hands with Hannah
and Statira for both they and Jacob
seemed to belong to the family as
much as the aunts themselves.
"We will have tea half IN hour ear.
lier than usual, for Miss Patty will be
hungry after her journey" said Aunt
Janet. "Now, my dear, come right
into the parlor, for Aunt Katharine is
i'll hurry to see you. l suppose you
have no snow on your feet?'' and Pat
~ dutlfully Welt back to the hall.mat
and gave her boots q good rubbing,
though they had not touched anything
but the stone steps coming in.
Aunt Katharine sat by the fire, in
her easy chair, exactly as she did when
Patty saw her last. She was deaf, and
had had rheumatism terribly, so that
she could scarcely move. Patty thought,
Us she crossed the room: poor thing
She has sat there every day T.; and only
think how many good times I have
had" And this made her gladder to
see her Aunt Katharine than she had
ever been before. What was making
them give her such welcome, she
wondered, and smile at each other de.
lightedly! Only because you were so
glad to see them. Patty.
"Sit down, my dear, and warm your.
sell" said Aunt Janet. "You can put
your wrappings OH the sofa until yo',
go up stairs" So your friend pulled
of the fur cap and jacket, carefully
putting her gloves in the pocket, and
then drew fO0tstool close beside Aunt
easy-chair. There was
a bright wo0d.iired in the wide fire.
place, with its framing of Dutch tiles
and these all looked 30 familiar. There
was the Good Samaritan and clildle en-
of Israel crossing the Red Sea, and the
droll birds with the green heads; and
Patty looked at herself in the brass
andirons and laughed, just now she
felt Aunt Katharine's stiff fingers
smoothing her hair, and Aunt Janet
drew a chair to the opposite side of
the fireplace. Somehow our friend
had never felt so contented in her
life.
'And you arc quite young lady
now, my dear. Dear me how she has
grown since we seen her before ~ said
Aunt Katharine, bending her head
forward to see if Patty had anything
to say in reply.
"You would be surer have grown.
if you saw my last winters dresses
said Patty. "They are so short and 50
funny looking. I'm so glad to see you,
.'Thank you, DEAR" said Aunt Kath.
arine, and she put her arm round her
ntece's shoulders. 1--WE wero almost
sorry we asked yOus after the letter
had gone. for fear you would not care
about coming but we wanted to see
our little girl. Didn't We, Janet !?
But it is a pleasant surprise to fluid you
80 glad to come" Aunt Janet was
patting her foot very fast on the rug,
and Patty remembered that she only
did that when she was pleased. She
had always been well, so she had taken
care of Aunt Katharine and been mis-,
tress of the house, taking all the re.
sponsibility upon herself. She was
active and decided and very particular
about everything being done just right
"a good woman, but perhaps a little
severe while Miss Katharin's illness
and quiet life had made her gentle and