The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-11-29

to take what she wanted for Mamie,
she was greatly disappointed.
Aunt Patty did nothing of the kind.
She only marched to the cellar with
her platter of snowy foam. and marched
back again with pan of rcd apples,
and set them down before Patty.
pare 'em and slice EN-" she said.
Patty's heart sank way down, and Il
great tear dropped off from her eye
lashcs- us she took up the knife and be-
gan to cut the off rosy skins.
Miss Patience saw the tear, but she
didn't say anything, and, if she felt any
thing. she kept it to herself.
All day long she kept Patty flying.
When there were no more eggs to be
beaten or fruit to be picked over, there
was silver to clean, mirrors to righten,
pillows to beat up and pitchers to fill
with fresh water.
But Patty had builded better than
she knew" for, after the last little
cousin had been tucked up in bed, and
she herself had gone to sleep, tired out,
but not too tired and sleepy to have
an ache in her heart for Mamie, Aunt
Patience sat up alone, grim and si-
lent before the open fire. thinking,
thinking.
Remember the Brewers? should
think she did remember the Brewers.
Away back, before Patty's brown eyes
or Nannie's blue ones had opened upon
this world. when Aunt Patty's angles
and wrinkles had been curves and DIM
pies and the gray of her hair had been
golden, Mamie Brewers father had
been Aunt Patience's lover.
Handsome and gentle, but always UNI
stable, or. as Aunt Patty called it now,
''shiftless,' he had strayed away from
his allegiance at sight of the first pretty
face that came in his way and Aunt
Patty shook him off, with sharp and
bitter words, and never looked upon his
face again.
Not even when he lay dying and sent
for her would she go near him.
So he said, as he had said so many
times in his life, :" 1t is just as well, .
and, with gentle smile, turned his
face to the wall and died.
Since then there had been hard strug-
giles for Mamie and her mother. TO
be sure, there had been struggles be-
fore, but they were together. But Miss
Patience had never SO much as spoken
to either of them.
But now Patty's simple story had
stirred Miss Patience's wrinkled heart
strangely.
Dick Brewers child starving!
She sat before the fire till the log
broke in two and the Goals scattered
over the bricks. Then she arose, put
out her candle, and lay down by Patty S
side. {.
Thanksgiving morning was clear and
bright; and Patty walked to find the sun
streaming through the frosty panes on
her bed and the place by her side
vacant.
oh, dear!.' she said, springing out
of bed and hurrying on her clothes.
I'm late again, and Aunt Patty will
be so provoked
But Aunt Patty seemed unusually
gentle as she babe her good-morning;
and that and the sunshine made Patty
feel very light-hearted, as she danced
around setting the table.
But when she went into the cellar to
skim the cream for breakfast, and saw
the two great turkeys, with their wings
folded on their breasts; and the tiny
pig, with the ear Of corn in his mouth,
all ready for the oven; the hanging
shelves loaded with tlakey pies; and the
huge stone crooks full of pound cake
and fruit cake, she thought again of
Mamie Brewers empty shelves and
barren cellar. and she drew a long sigh,
as she came back where her Aunt Patty
was.
She saw the change in Patty's face;
but she didn't ask any questions or
make any illusions to the conversation
of the day before, until after the break
fast had been cleared away and Patty
was putting on her cloak and hat to 60
to church.
Then she put her hand on her Shout
der, and said:
Patty, what makes you look so UNI
happy?"
II feel SO sorry about Mamie" said
Patty, choking sob down in her throat
'Well,' said Aunt Patty, ''you stop
there, on your way home from church,
and perhaps you'll feel BETTER
"Oh! Aunt Patty she shouted,
throwing her arms around her neck,
''what have you been doing?'
There, go along, clild. You've
crushed my clean collar and knocked
your hat Sideways
And Miss Patience gave her gentle
push toward the door.
Patty ran off, feelingexhilarated and
eNpectant. She could hardly sit still
through the sermon, although she tried
o,,l 70 l., 81
beautiful anthems made very little inn
preston upon her. And when the serv-
ice was all over, and the uncles and
aunts and cousins were exchanging
greetings in the vcstibulc, she ran
away from them all, down the road to
Nannie's.
When she knocked at the door, and
Mamie called "Come in," Patty knew
by the change in her voice that some
thing very pleasant had happened.
Still she was not quite prepared for the
revelations which were made when she
opened the door.
There Mamie sat, dressed in blue
flannel wrapper which Aunt Patience
had intended to make over for Patty
Aunt Patience own gray worsted shaw
around her shoulders, and a warm home
made rug under her feet.
There was a grand fire in the stove
and most delicious smell came from
the oven and the Kissing and bubbline
stew-pans.
Mrs. Brewer was flying around, will
a clean white apron around her waist
and bright flush on her cheeks.
The table was Sct for dinner with
some of Aunt Patience's crisp white eel
cry in the center, and saucer of Aun
Patience's green pickles on one corner
and tumbler of Aunt Patience's crab
apple jelly on another.
Patty saw it all in one glance, ant
then turned to Mamie, who had caugh
hold of her hand and was thanking hel
| and 1auUhinp and CRYING all at once.