The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-02-01
AUNT PATTY'S BALANCE.


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.
land can go to Jessie Wells this |
afternoon. can't | You promised!
s'No. Martha, [ didn't quite prom"
ise.''
But ran every step OF the way,
indeed did, auntie; and mace all
all the beds and busted
There WAS q tremor in Martha Park
er's voice. and the tears came almost
into her eyes.
sl'll tell YOU 1T noon. There. l1 Is
ten minutes to nine. and you viii De
late for school il you do not start this
instant
"But, Aunt Polly
.sIf YOU stop for another word you
cannot go at all. How often have
told you about answering back =
Martha picked up her two books and
whirled herself out of the door like
tornado. without q word of good morn
ing.
sobbed, as she went out of hearing.
.sShe never does let me do anything
may try and try, and it doesn't
amount to--a row of pins. And 1t
can't go to that croquet party III be
lust as bad as ever | can be.
I think Martha commenced right
AWAY. She climbed over the fence
and ran down into 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.
"Well, you must bring note, then,
or lose 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 po down one. And then she ''didn t
care in real good earnest, and she was
a very troublesome child until twelve
O'Clock.
When she went home TO dinner she
found grandma Fields sitting by tht
omen window in aunt Polly stidy kitch
en-. Now Grandma Fields really wa
not grandmother to anybody, but sh'
was old and sweet and pretty, with
wrinkled face and snOw-white hair ;
gown OF soft drab, that, though it wa
made in the fashion of her young days
had almost come around again. 1t wa
pored. plain WASTED and with Goa
sleeves but it had no ruffies non puff
nor fringes nor bugles. Then she hat
y silyery-colored kerchief crossed owe
her bosom, and white lawn cap, an
altogether she was as attractive iook
ing as any grandmother you would WIS
to see. She had not relation in tn
world, and yet everybody's house wa
open to her. and she visited ABOUT
sewing and knitting and darning, an
sometimes taking care of sick people
She WAS seventy, but she did not seer
cid. There was always great STAG
of invitations ahead OF her, and tw
months ago Miss Patty Parker had ser
for her.
s.She does not enjoy harvest apples,
said Miss Patty. $50 let US have he
here right IL the first Of them. An
it will give me good start with all TT
clothes and bedding and stool
ings."
Aunt Patty kept house for h
brother. Mr.. Nathan Parker. lie WI
avery comfortable farmer, q widow
with three boys and one girl. vel
clean, orderly, upright woman W
Aunt Patty, but somehow
Nathan was so careless, SO dllator
The children were Needless. lmperi
nent, Idle. and, try her best, she new
could make anything of them. 5
worked very hard, and she used
get very mued discouraged.
This was her side of the story.
Farmer Parker came in delighted
see the placid. cheerful face Of |
guest. DID tell you she wasa Quake
Well. she Was. though there was
Friends Meeting within twenty mile
so it wasn't her Sunday church-goi
that kept her in such a tranquil stat
Behind the farmer came his eide
son George, about seventeen. lie
been to the mill and the store tt
morning, and put down the bask
Aunt Patty began to unpack at once
.Will that calico do! The other W
All sold. This is the same pattern, /
it has pink flower instead ola lilac
like it better.
sit doesn't look like a good wa
mink" and Aunt Patty viewed it crit
ally.
But it was for my bed, and I'LL
it." said George, with a deprecat
effort to smooth matters over.
And it is not rs good quality.
YOU can't do just what you are t
YOU had better do nothing. And !.
didn't get lemon extract!' taking I
bottle.
s'You said might get lemon or
iAa-Tom begged for vanilla.
ssAs if Toms wants were to rule
household"
ssAnd here is whisk broom.
were saying that you needed one.
know"
but what made you get . red Q
have told you several times, Geol
that green whisks we're always
best. And there was not the Sigh
hurry about it. / would rather b
chosen it myself
And so Aunt Patty went through
~ 10 c,,.