The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-05-03


Stuart Ste,me, in Springfield (-Mass) Repub-
lican.
LITTLE FOXES.
"DEAR me! there comes Grandma
Jarvis"' sighed pretty Mabel Lee, as she
looked out Of the window and saw an
old lady coming across the lawn-a very
queer-looking old lady, in a plain gray
gown, a dark purple shawl, and an old.
fashioned silk calash over her thick-ruffled
cap.
Mabelw said her mother Indignantly
ooh, know it, nanny dear. I'm an
awful sinner; but Grandma Jarvis is so
good, and sensible, and SO forth, always
feel as if were poor little nut in the
jaws of a steel nut-cracker when she is
about"
"She generally finds out and brings out
the good in you," said Mrs. Lee, smiling,
but She said no more, for Mrs. Jarvis
turned the door.handle at that moment
and came in.
You saw at once, if you saw her face,
that she was person of keen insight and
judgment; perhaps less lovable than q
gentler and more gracious nature, but yet
a woman to he thoroughly trusted and re-
lied on.
Mabel was a lady-like, bright girl,
spoiled, TO be sure, as children are apt to
be, when there is but one in the family,
and rescnting, like any spoiled child, her
grandmother's sharp comments and SEN
sible advice. At heart, however, she re-
spected her, and perhaps little more
that the old lady was rich and generous,
and young people, even the least mer-
cenary and grasping, feel kindly toward
the hand that brings timely and costly
gifts.
Mabel even forgave the Old-World
dress, since that gray gown was heavy
lustrelcss silk; the thick-quilled cap-ruf-
tles India muslin and thread-lace; the
purple shawl Grape, covered with en-
broidery, and the white kerchief fastened
with one great diamond.
Grandma Jarvis never thought about
her clothes further than to have them
comfortable. and not too outrs. She
knew very we'll the world was like Mabel,
and would forgive'the simple fashion for
the costly material, and, with certain
grim humor, she always called her dia-
mond pin Charity"
1t covers so many of my sins, my
dear" she said. IL pass for woman Of
sense with ninety people out of hundred,
simply on account of this big trinket. It
blinds them so they can't see am out of
the fashion,"
To-day Mrs. Jarvis had definite err
rand. She sat down on the sofa and took
off her calash with deliberatiOn.
Mehetabel," said she, fixing her eyes
on the young girl, whose color rose to her
fair face at the obnoxious name, I" I hear
70, 1a rs<,l
Mabel blushed still more holly, and
looked straight out of the window. The
tell.tale pane reflected a knit brow and
Enthusiastically cross lips.
Mrs. Jarvis laughed.
You are rather startling. mother"
~ should think the fact was more
startling than l am" dryly answered the
old lady. :" got your note last night,
Hetty, and made up my mind to come
over this morning and see about it,"
"YOurs are the first congratulations,
mother. Nobody else knows it,"
Il haven't congratulated anybody yet, -
snapped Mrs. Jarvis. Il never do con-
graduate anybody till year after their
wedding day and then 1 don't have ia
very often. came to say, don't any OF
YOU give the child tea-service. want
to do that myself. She's got my name,
and it ought to be gilt, or silvered, OF
something, to console her for such an old.
fashioned appellation, though she does
top and tail it as If it were g0oseberry.' u
30 grandmar' Mabel turned pleased
and pretty face away from the window
now.
Don't be overcome yet. Maybe you'll
change your mind before the end, miss
I've got bit of advice for you and q
promise to take first. The advice is to
leave off the piano for six months, and
take to the kitchen. Men can't live or
love and waltzes, much less a man of the
Selden tribe. know 'em. II he DOM
have good food, he'll be sour first, ant
then he'll have dyspepsia, and there'll b,
sound of going in the tops of the mul
berry trees; which things are figure
But that's the advice"
30 grandma, can make splendid cake
and ice-pudding, too, and Charlottes, jus
as good as Crossv'
sFiddle-stick! You can't make bread
or boil potato, or broil steak"
but anybody can do that"
Mrs. Lee smiled, and grandma turned
whitening look on Mabel.
"Don't be fool! There isn't one /,
hundred can do either, and l doubt Il
you've got brains to; but you might try
There rose up instantly a mighty re
solve in Mabel's feminine soul to SHOW
Grandma Jarvis that she could do NOR,
than she gave her credit for, that sh,
would learn how to cook in spite of thi
discouraging prophecy: 1t is just posi-
BILE grandma knew who she was talking to
Then. a. to the promise. I'm g0in,
to send you over q motto; one of thes
painted gimcracks everybody hangs u,
everywhere. I don't know whv fhev ~
them illuminated, I'm sure. excent Nv I'm
rule of contrnries, for they need ertr
spectacles and calcium light to res,
them by: but you can read mine.
warned off the curlicues; only promise ;
read it every morning before breakfast
or can tell you you won't get the tea
SET"
"Oh, yes, of course I'll read it, grand
ma-the ideal"
swell, well, if you read it you'll thin
about it, III warrant. Now I must 2
home and send John over with Is
things" and, with Q frosty little cares
ON Mablc's fair cheek, and . nod to hs
mother, the old lady went.
"Grandma kisses me just like . clan
shell" said Mabel, in half.s0liloquy I
she sat down again by the window. II,
mother could mot help laughing, for u
coca nip OF thin lips, that was grandma
substitute for kiss, certainly did sugge
shells and CLEANLINESS. John came d
rectly back with the package, and Nab