The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1878-03-17
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OUR Auyr EMMA.

world. Ihey i've IN Nebraska, she and
Uncle Tom. We children had splendid
time while they were here, there are ten
Of us cousins. Rob and Rilla Moore
Minna, Harry and Birdie Dillon, Willie,
johnny and Ruth Layton, and baby and
me, baby has four teeth. Grandpa says
if his family increases in the next ten
years like it has in the last ten, We will
take the country. You see Aunt Emma
has not been back for ten years, and VIC
all tried to make her welcome.
She was at our house during the holi-
days, and Christmas all my aunts, unclcs
and cousins came to dinner. My what
. time it was. After dinner, ma put US
children in the sitting-room with Aunt
Emma, and told her to entertain herself
the best she could while she and the girls
cleared the kitchen. 1t does sound so
funny to hear ma call auntics girls.
Well, we told riddles awhile, and then
Minnie asked aunt to tell us story.
40, dc" said "a true one"
GA love story" said Ruth. ruth
is twelve years old, and reads every
thing.)
So auntie took the big rocking-chair,
with baby in her lap. Sim afraid the
little ones won't keep still but Ill sec
if can't think one up for YOU"
l gave Johnny the blocks for him and
Billy to play with, and the rest all sat as
still as mice.
"Well, once upon time there was a
man who had wife and six little girls,
and when the oldest was thirteen and the
youngest little thing like baby here,
the dear mother was taken away to live
with the angels. The poor little babe
was taken sick then, and day after day
for three long weeks it moaned its little
life away. ] remember how we all cried
There, children, did not intend telling
you who the story was about) and father
took your Aunt Ida in his arms and
Sobbed so hard that we hushed in amaze
ment. Your grandpa was SO poor, too,
we hadn much to eat or wear, and Aunt
Cora and young as we were, had to
keep house. What time we had. |
did the cooking and Cora would make the
beds, sweep, and on washdays we both
pitched in. My sisters used to call me
Ma Emma, and l thought it sounded so
sweet. Your grandpa was gone all the
time except at meals and at night he
would help me milk. After while we
got used to this way of living, but we
often talked % 'h" GOOD old times when
mother was living. / can remember wnen
we lived in the East, in fine house with
everything plenty, but grandpa failed in
business you know. Twas going to scrub
one day after We had done washing, and
had the water in the old iron kettle out
doors, for we had no wash-boiler While
| was hanging up the clothes, Aunt Ida
and Ruthies mother were playing tag
just as you children do. Poor Ida ran
to some chips near the kettle. | called
to her to come away, she would get burnt.
She looked up to me and says IL isn't
doin muffin ma Emma" and turned
to run away right quick, for she was
always good to mind, when D dear! she
stumbled against the big ugly log under
the kettle, fell, the kettle turned, and the
scalding suds poured out on her dear little
back and one of her feet. Such cries,
children, you never heard. You think to
get little burn, it is terrible thing, but
Just think how terrible to have such
burn as hers was. For weeks she was not
expected to live, but at last the burn began
to heal She was so poor, nothing but
skin and bone, and although she was
nearly three years old, she only weighed
eighteen pounds. We little thought she
would make the hearty woman she is. |
heard her say, yesterday, she weighed a
hundred and forty. She was long time
getting well; one of her legs was stiff, and
she did not get to walk good until she was
eight years old. We sisters did every
thing we could to please her. You must
always be kind to any one who is afflicted,
dears. Well, the years passed away, and
although the rest Of us had our misfortunes,
such as cuts and bruises, that was the
only terrible thing which happened. l
was SO afraid father would scold, and
blame me, but he never said word, only
"Nevcr lcavethc kettle fall again, Emma
Ruthie asked for a love story, didn't she?
n We had to have doctor for Ida, and
| even after he was not needed he kept COM
| inc Sabbath afternoons, to talk to your
grandpa. He went to Philadelphia 10
attend some lectures, and we saw nothing
Of him for several years. When he came
back Cora and l were grown. Cora was
pretty as picture, and before long she
whispered some expected news to Inc.
After that it was o busy time at our
house, preparing for the wedding. After
they were married and settled down at
Adrian, Minnie went to live with them,
leaving Dora and Ida with me. Father
was getting along well then, and built us
new house. You children have Away;
lived in frame houses, SO you don't know
how proud I felt on leaving the old los
house. We used it for smoke house
and every thing was us snug as you please
I made my first rag-carpct that winter
colored the chain myself; had red, vel
low, green and brown. thought it thu
prettiest thing | ever saw, and would no