The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-02-19

chicken from the marketman for We'd
nesday, and was going to make jelly for
dessert, and boiled custard.
Monday came, of course-Monday
always comes; but ] don't mind that SO
much, for we send the washing and
ironing out, only 1 almost always have
headache, for Mr.. Stark breaches such
long sermons, and my neck aches keep
ing it SO still. Then this Monday /
wanted to get Sarah Bassett a good
breakfast, for she was going away in the
early train with Jack; 30 got up very
early, and that made it ache worse, you
know; 30 ] thought it would be so nice
not to have to get real, proper lunch,
but only some tea, and l sat down on
the step to rest a bit after the dishes
were washed, when, 10 up comes tele-
graph boy-I do hate that kind of boys
always with a yellow envelope. /
don't mean I hate the boys exactly, but
you know they're always bringing some
dreadful message. don't know that they
ssashAl l.aaAnas,Fofs than any other boys,
but don't like boys at all, and the tele-
grams make them seem worse; and what
do you think lit was from Aunt Sta
pies.
"I arrive on the noon train-explain
change of plans then"
felt just as if somebody had slapped
me, mother. L declare 1 didn't know
what in the world to do. knew 1 must
do something, so 1 called Aunt Staples a
few hateful.snames, and that seemed to
clegrsmyeanindsr.. 1 was too angry to cry
this time Just scolded. Now I know
just how you look, nanny. You think
ought to be more patient, and I know
that but just then I was thinking of
other peoples "oughts," and do
think to this very day Aunt Staples
ought to have come when she said she
would, and l guess she thinks 80 too
now. Well, when came to think, 1
knew the first thing was to get the spare
room ready. Sarah had opened all the
windows as soon as she was ready to
come down, 80 I had only the bed to
make, for 1 had not time to sweep. 1t
never once entered into my stupid head
that Sarah Staples
(Note by Jack.-Bless the child !
What would come to pass if any body
else called her stupid p
Hadn't had scarlet fever. I thought
people always had it when they were
children, just like Group and measles
and such things. 1 put the room in
order, and busted all the corners and
cracks out faithfully; and then went
into the kitchen and made some tea, and
l was going to have scalloped oysters
for dinner; so put them in the pan all
ready to stew, and there was little
cold chicken from yesterday to slice up.
and there was lunch ready, for baked
bread on Saturday,
Well, at noon they came. Aunt Sta
pies turned out a positive kind of q
woman, and Sarah Just as delicate as
she could be; but they were pleasant,
and they liked the oysters, and Sarah
liked the tea, SO did not mind much.
(Note by Jack.-Lucid What didn't
the little madam mind muchP Here's a
mystery for you'd
But, oh was down stairs seeing to
the dinner, when Jack bounced in.
"What the deuce brought Aunt
Staples here to-day RuthyP"
"Why, Jack, l know it-isn't it bad
But, you see, she wanted to leave the
house day or two before the people
who nave rented it were coming in, so as
to have her stoves taken out, for she was
afraid Sarah would catch cold if she was
there even day without fires. 1t is a
brick house, you know"
"Why didn't she find it out before, 1
wonder?"
"Oh, she was afraid it was coming on
to rain the sky looked threatening"
"Well, you see, dear, the case is
serious. Sally Bassett happened to
ask me this morning in the car if
Sarah Staples had ever had scarlet fever,
thought she had, of course; but, come
to think about it, 1 did remember that
she never had any of those childish
things, she was so much younger than
the rest; so 1 sat down and wrote to
Aunt Mary Ann, and advised her not to
come now. The letter must have gone
to Rexford tonight 1 tell you what,
Ruthy, I'll get it out of the office. I'll
see the postmaster tomorrow, and have
all my letters, or those to my care, sent
into town this week. Maybe Sarah won't
take the fever if she doesn't know we
have had half-recovered patient in the
house."
But, oh nanny, she did. She took
it-mean she had it-before the week
was out, and has been dreadtully sick; /;
the doctor didn't think she could pos
sibly live; and Sarah had to have a
nurse, and she had our room, and Jack
had to sleep on the parlor sofa. and
put his hammock up in the kitchen attic
and slept there. But we have had such
horrid time for six long, long weeks |
It's so hard to get things here, you know,
and people were afraid to come and help
on account of the fever, But the worst
of all was Aunt Staples, who kept hint
ing and alluding, and finally outright
blamed us for not letting her know
about Sally Bassett, till at last Jack
got mad, and told her all about his let
ter to her, and wound up with, "There's
nobody but yourself to blame, Aunt
Mary Ann. If you had come when you
were asked to come, none of this would
have happened" And, oh, nanny, L
am rather Glad he said IL thOuph I do