Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-02-01
AUNT PATTY'S BALANCE.
"Didn't I go quick 2

''Didn't I go quick!'
swell, tolerable,' said Aunt Patty,
passing the whisk she had just pulled
out of the bread between her thumb
and finger to see if the loaf was thor.
oughly done.
''And can 60 to Jessie Wells this
afternoon, can't :? You promised =
"No, Martha, I didn't quite prom
ise."
"But I ran every step of the way
indeed I did, auntie; and l made all
all the beds and busted"
There was a. tremor in Martha Park
er's voice, and the tears came almost
into her eyes.
"l'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 Polly
''1f you stop for another word you
cannot go at all. How often have l
told you about answering back p
Martha picked up her two books and
whirled herself out of the door like a
tornado, without word of good morn.
ing.
:.The cross old thing she half
sObbed, as she went out of hearing.
"She never does let ME do anything
I may try and try, and it doesn't
amount to-a row of pins. And if I
can't go to that croquet party I'll be
just as bad as ever I can be-
I think Martha commenced right
away. She climbed over the fence
and ran down into the lot foran apple,
and what with that and the eating of
it she was late for school.
My aunt sent me to do an erraud, -
she said to Miss Lewis.
swell, you must bring a note, then,
or lose a mark. want you all to I'M
derstand that school begins promptly
at nine.'
That made Martha still more cross.
She slammed the lid of her desk and
then hurried out to take her place in
her class. 1t was spelling and the
very first word she missed, and had
to so down one. And then she "didn' t
care in real good earnest, and she was
very troublesome child until twelve
O'Clock.
When she went home to dinner she
found grandma Fields sitting by the
open window in aunt Polly stidy kitch"
Ell. Now Grandma Fields really was
not grandmother to anybody, but she
was old and sweet and pretty, with a
wrinkled 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 around again. 1t was
gored, plain wasted and with coat
sleeves but it had NO ruffles nor puffs
nor fringes nor bugles. Then she had
a silvery. colored kerchief crossed ovel
her bosom, and a white lawn cap. and
altogether she was as attractive look
ing as any grandmother you would wish
to see. She had not a relation in the
world. and yet everybody'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 4 great stack
of invitations ahead of her, and two
months ago Miss Patty Parker had sent
for her.
'.She does not enjoy harvest apples, -
said Miss Patty. $50 let us have her
here right in the first Of them. And
it will give me good start with all the
clothes and bedding and stock.
ings.''
Aunt Patty kept house for her
brother, Mr.. Nathan Parker. He was
a very comfortable farmer, widower
with three boys and one girl. A very
clean, orderly, upright woman was
Aunt Patty, but somehow
Nathan was so careless, so dilatory.
The children were Needless, imperti-
nent, idle, and, try her best, she ne 7er
could make anything of them. She
worked very hard, and she used to
get very mued discouraged.
This was her side of the story.
Farmer Parker came in delighted to
see the placid, cheerful face of his
guest. DID I tell you she was Quaker!
Well, she was, though there was no
Friends Meeting within twenty miles,
so it wasn't her Sunday church-going
that kept her in such tranquil state.
Behind the farmer came his eldest
son George, about seventeen. He had
been to the mill and the store that
morning, and put down the basket.
Aunt Patty began to unpack at once.
''Will that calico do! The other was
all sold. This is the same pattern, but
it has pink flower instead of a lilac.
like it BETTER
1T doesn't look like a good wash
pink and Aunt Patty viewed it critic
ally.
''But it was for my bed, and Liked
it, said George, with deprec.ting
effort to smooth matters over.
''And it is not as good quality. If
you can't do just what you are told
you had better do nothing. And you
didn't get lemon extract!' taking up a
bottle.
"You said I might get lemon or van
illa-Tom begged for Vanilla
Gas if Tom 8 wants were to rule the
household
"And here is a whisk broom. You
were saying that you needed one, you
know"
"But what made you get red one?
l have told you several times, George,
that green whisks were always the
best. And there was not the slightest
hurry about it, I would rather have
chosen it myself
And so Aunt Patty went through the
purchases. Nothing quite suited.
Meanwhile Davie and Martha cane
home from school. Tom was working
with neighboring farmer. The fam
lily sat down to their meal, and Grand
ma Fields said her brief Quaker's
grace.
''Dld you know all your lessons?"
asked Aunt Patty,
Martha hung her head.
81 did hope you would have one
good week, Mart;1a; you never seem to
get full marks. -
''And she was late," said Davie.
Martha swallowed over a great
sob.
''There was no need of your being
late, Martha. Next time stop and ar
que"
''Of course can't go now, anyhow
thought Martha but she arose and be-
gan to help clearing the table.
"Maybe thee would like to look over
thy lesson?" said grandma, in her soft