The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-10-04
From Harper's Bazaar.
AUNT CHARRY'S BOARDER

her children, who, year after year, sought
Its quiet shade, and found rest and re-
freshment there. | knew all the people
for miles around, and was dear to many
of their honest, kindly hearts, because /
was "Lyddy Burton's darter," and a
lineal descendant of cold Major John
n.y."
Sitting one July afternoon in my
tavorite seat under the old Perkins
elm" L heard the rattle of wheels, and,
looking up, saw Aunt Charity Burdick
Jogging down the road with her old gray
mare, Dolly. Now "Aunt Charry,n as
she was called by all the villagers. was a
very good friend of mine. She had
known my mother when a "gal," and
could tell many tale of the doings and
sayings OF my grandfather, "Major
Johnny Burton" whom, according to
her, favored remarkably. She was
fat, comfortable old soul, taking life
easily herself, and certainly making it a
less dreary road for those around her.
As she saw me she gently communicated
to Dolly her desire to stop, and | went
to meet her. A hearty shake of the
hand, a pat on the shoulder, the expressed
opinion that | was the old major over
agin, only not 50 hard-featured nor dark
complected;" and then / asked, "Have
the summer boarders come, Aunt Char
ry?"
Gone on 'em has"
The answer was brief, and delivered in
tone which somehow gave me the i'm
preston that there was more to say about
this one boarder
And who is it," | asked.
His manu-" said the old lady, dwell
ing upon the word as though to express
the idea that there were other and more
important facts that concerned his cog
nomen-" his name is Chester-an' he
come from Boston"
"Do you like him, Aunt Charrv? Is
he pleasant? Does he give you much
trouble?"
The old lady was silent a moment
though her compressed lips, her half
closed eyes and meaning smile all limited
at some dark mystery. Then, leaning
toward me, she said in a low, impressive
voice:
He's loonytic."
Why, aunty," exclaimed, " you are
not in earnest? How could you take an
insane person for "A boarder?"
g / never knowed it, not till he come.
lie looks like real gentleman, and he
fetched letter from Miss ledge Gard'n-
er, who put up to Square Miners las
summer; an | wanted some boarders
bad, for it's hard times, so | took this
man. An now this is how it's turned
out"
But how, Aunt Charry? When was
he taken? How does he act? Please
tell me all about it," | cried full of Gag
er curiosity about this deranged Boston
ian with the heightened name.
Well, jest put an your bunnet, deary,
an ride down to the house with me. I'll
send We home safe an SCUM bimeby."
My bunnet was soon donned and
seated by the dear old woman, behind
the deliberate but persevering Dolly,
listening to strange and thrilling his
tory.
Well, ye see, it's a pooty good stiff
kit for Miss Jedge Gard ner to speak
well OF body; an then, when the man
come, he was pleasant-spoken, an looked
real well to do, an | never conceited
there was anythin' wrong. He come in
the stage from ROCKWELL, an got here
nigh on to five o'clock. | showed him
real tasty, with Granmer Fish's risin'
sun bed-quilt on the bed an span-clean
dlmlty curtins, an, thinks |, it's good
enough for anybody, let alone Wh0 he is.
But Mister Chester he never said nary
word about 1t, an so says /, Tea III be
rely at SIX o'clock, | says, an | come
away. Well | went inter the kitchen to
see to the sody biskits an slice the ham,
an when | come back inter the settin'-
room, there was that man a-stanin' by
the tea-table an spyin' an peekin' inter
the whites. There was bowlful o pie
plant, done up in brown sugar std O
merlasses, for cump'ny; an when | come
IN the door, if that Bostin Teller warnt
holdln' it up to his nose an kinder
snitfin' at it. He put it down quicker n
you could say Jack Robinson. but | see
him, an it riled me. But, sudsv me!
that was nothin' to what came after
wards. He wouldn't eat nothin' till he'd
poked his nose inter his plate an turned
1t over to see if twas clean enough on
the bottom as well as top for Mister
Winthrop Quincy Chester to eat OFT on.
lie smelt o the butter, he turned all the
slices o ham over with his fork before
he'd taste em-nice thin slices O pink
home-cured ham-an' he emptied the
doughnutS right off the platter onter the
table, an squinted at the dish to see if
twas sticky or nothin'. You better
b'heye | was spunky. l didn't dream he
was lackin' an leetle cracked, but |
thought he was jest the stuckuppest
teller ever see in all my born DAYS. He
went out walkin' before dark, an | run
inter Miss Cross to see how Nalvinv
was gittin' along-shes got the weller
landerS, We know-an' when | come
back, Sures you're alive, there was that
Chester Teller up on chair, lookin' on
my toppest pantry shelf. He scuttled
down, | tell We, when he see me. an
turned As red rs a beet, an mumbled
suthin about loookin for matches
Matches, when there was hull card on
EN- on the chimbley-piece in his sleepin'
room.
Well, to make long story, I'll tell
We what I've found out-that man is a
little cracked about rifles. He's alters
arter 'em, but never eats much ON 'em.
He prizes and spies around the kitchen
and pantry; he sneaks inter nv north
eubberd, where | keep my jells and
sweetmeatS; he squints inter every dish
nc sees drouhu, rs II he was starving and
hungerIng arter scrap of suthing to
MI hls stumach; but when | hand him a
hunk of gingerbread or a piece of rye
.n'-lnJun bread he won't look at it.
Sometimes | conceit he's one of them ,
Libby prison men, who went hungry 50
long III war time, and it kinder went to ,
MS head; and agin | think mebbe he's .
lost money IN the eating house business; T
and then agin I'm all out, and dunno
ichdt to make on him. He's got kind (
er leetle spy-glass in his pocket, and he /
outs with it every minute to look at his
sarcer, or his plate, or the bowl of ber-
rles, and sees it there's enough left for
him, and if it's good And another
thing makes me think he's been a pris-
oneTr, he's got file in his pantaloons
pocket, and he hauls it out rather
stealthy sometimes, and goes to FLING