The Republican journal., 1877-08-16
Little Foxes.

Little Foxes.
Dear me there comes Grandma jar
Wis ?" 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, Il dark purple shawl and an old
fashioned silk calash over her thick ruff
fled cap
"Mabel !" said her mother, Indignantly.
''Oh, | know it, mamma dear. I'm an
awful sinner but Grandma Jarvis is so
good and sensible, and so forth, | always
feel as if | We're poor little nut in the
Jaws of 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 the moment
and came in.
You saw at once if you saw her face,
that she was a person of keen insight and
Judgment; perhaps less lovable than a
gentler and more gracious nature, vet a
woman to be thoroughly trusted and re-
lied on.
Mabel was ladylike, bright girl, spoil
when there is but one in a family, and re-
senting, like any spoiled child, her grand
mothers sharp comments and sensible
advice. At heart, however, she respect
ed her, and perhaps little more that the
old lady was rich and generous, and
young people, even the least mercenary
and grasping, feel kindly toward the
hand that brings timely and costly gifts.
Mabel even forgave the old, worn dress
since that gray gown was heavy, lustre
less silk the thck-quilled cap rut1Ies
India muslin and thread lace; the purple
Grape shawl, covered with embroidery,
and the white kerchicf fastened with one
great diamond.
Grandma Jarvis never thought about
her clothes further than to have them
comfortable and not too Oattyr. She knew
very well the world was like Mabel, and
would forgive the simple fashion for the
costly material, and with certain grim
humor, she always called the diamond
pin "Charity.'
sit covers 50 many of my sins, my
DEAR" she said Il pass for a woman of
sense with ninety people out of a hundred
simply on account Of this big trinket. 1t
blinds them SO they can't see | am out of
the fashion,
To-day Mrs. Jarvis had definite er-
rand. She sat down on the sofa and
took off her calash with delberation.
"Mehetabel," said she, fixing her eyes
on the young girl, whose color rose to her
fair face at the obnoxious name, 81 hear
you are going to be married"
Mabel blushed still more hOtly, and
looked straight out of the window. The
tel-tae pane reflected a knit brow and
unmistakably cross lips.
Mrs. Jarvis laughed.
"You are rather startling, mother"
~ should think the fact was more
startling than am dryly answered the
old lady. 81 got your note last night,
Hetty, and | made up my mind to come
over this morning and see you about it,
"Yours are the first congratulations,
mother Nobody else knows it.
81 haven't congratulated anybody yet, y
snapped Mrs. Jarvis. ~ never do con-
gratulate anybody till year after their
wedding day, and then | don't have to
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 silver, or some
thing, to console her for such an old-tash
ioned appellation, though she does top
and tail it as if it were goose berry"
"Oh grandma !" Mabel turned a pleas
ed and pretty face away from the win
| dow now.
"Don't be overcome yet. May be you'll
change your mind before the end, miss
I've got bit Of advice for you and a
promise to take first. The advice is, to
leave off the piano for six months and
| take to the kitchen. Men can't live on
love and waltzes, much less a man of the
| Selden tribe. know 'em. If he don't
have good food, he'll be sour first, and
then he'll have dyspepsia, and there'll be
a sound OF going IN the tops of the mul-
| berry trees; which things are a figure
But that's the advice"
go grandma | can make splendid
cake, and ice pudding, too, and Char
lottes, just as good as cross"
''Fiddle sticks You can't make bread
or boil Il potato, OF broil steak"
''But anybody can do that"
Mrs Lee smiled, and grandma turneda
withering look on Mabel.
Don't be fool !" There isn't one il
a hundred can do either, and doubt j
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 more
than she gave her credit for; that she
would learn to cook in spite of this dis
grandma knew who she was talking to
70, 1,n
to send you over motto-one of those
painted gimcracks everybody hangs VI
everywhere. don't know why they cal
them illuminated, I'm sure, except by tn,
rule of contraries, for they need eXtr;
spectacles and calcium light to rea(
them by; but you can read mine warn
ed off the curiicues only promise to rca(
it every morning before breakfast, or
can tell you, you won't get the tcaset.
ooh, yes, of course I'll read it, grand
ma-the idea !"
"Well, WELL if you read it, you'll thinl
about it, I'll warrant. Now | must g(
home and send John over with the things,
and, with a frosty little caress on Mabel
fair cheek, and nod to her mother, th,
old lady went.
"Grandma kisses me just like a clam
SHE'LL said Mabel, in half solilcquy as sh
sat down by the window. Her mothe
could not held laughing, for the cool nil
of thin lips, that was grandma's substi
tute for a kiss, certainly did suggest shell
and clamminess. John came directly
back with the package, and Mabel eager
ly united and unfolded it. The mott
was printed in large German text, easy
to read, though gay with gold and colors
and it ran thus:
"Take up the foxes, the little foxe
that spoil the vines, for our vines hav
tender grapes"
Mabel stared.
''Mother, what on earth does it mean p
Mrs. Lee smiled and sighed both, a
she read the legend over the girls shoul
der. "Look here, Mab," said she, slip