The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-01-17
AUNT TABBY'S MISTAKE.

"Cynthy, come right down, say!"
As Aunt Tsbby' shrill voice pierced my
ears like knife. got up with jerk from
my bed, where l had been weeping tempest
of angry tears, and prepared to obey.
The plain truth was, Aunt Tabby and l
did not agree l was petulant, thoughtless,
trying sometimes, but not the idle, frivolous
girl she always called me. And she? There
was no doubt in my mind, as went grumb-
lingy down to the kitchen, that of all the
odious, grasping, vinegar-faced, mean,
shrewiSh women that ever tofmented ones
life out, Aunt Tabby was the worst.
| If the reader will follow ME into the
kitchen. he may judge for himself of the
soddeSs who reigned there; of the kitchen
itself con sing nothing bat praises.
Coming, as | had, few months before,
rom the close, dingy rooms in the neigh
boring manufacturing town where my mother
was wearing out her life trying to rear and
support six other girls besides myself, the
| pacious, CHEEKY kitchen at Calyola had won
ny heart completely.
The red-brick floor cleaned with ceanl-
ness; the daily-scrubbed tables were snowy
white; FURNISHED pewter, dear to the heart
Of every bIstling New England housewife,
,arnshed the walls; and four generous
windows poured flood of sunshine and
sweet-scented air over everything.
Aunt Tabby herself would, by any othes
than myself, | suppose. have boen oa.leu
comely. Her face was ruddy, her eye
)hek, and her figure still yoIthful, for she
vas not more than fire-and-thirty size wa,
)ustling, aetive-''real SMART in fact;
md, moreover, undisputed mistress of tn,
| Substantial old farmhouse, and twenty rich
,cres.
She was well aware of her many attrac-
ions, among which sire did mt omit to
cunt the house and farm and of he.
admirers, Stephen Boorman was especially
!ayored.
lie was leaning against one of the win,
dows, talking to Aunt Tabby, when blurt-
ed Stormily into the room, my hair all tossed
and tumlled, my cheeks scarlet, and my
eyes still red in consequence of that previous
indulgence in my angry passions.
Aunt Tahby looked not ill-pIeased at nay
lncouth appearance; in fact, | have al
Says believed chat she called me down fol
10 other purpose than to contrast my untidi-
less with her own neat looks; as for me,
cit like putting my finger in my mouth, and
unnng away, as caught sight Of Stephen s
right eyes bent upon me with a queer,
mused look but stood my ground, and
aid, though with an i'll grace:
"What do you want me for, Aunt Tab
W."
"La, child" she answered, "what figure
,ou are, to be sure! If | had attended to
,our bringing up things would have been
| .ifftrent-"
4 "Thank goodness you didn't" Imuttered
! jmpatiently.
:, whats thatyo re saying? Oh, Cynthy
: you've temper and no mistak ke! but take
that basket and go down cellar, and bring
J ne up some of them best Fall pippins nc
,pecked ones, mind and, while you're
,bout il, just look over them dozen barrels
: md bring up what specked ones is on tn
! top, for IN going to bake batch of pies :
!, took up the basket, and plunged with
i into the cellar, feeling more miserable thai
9 yar.
How unfair things were in life VIII
= should | be forced to rummage about an Oh
cellar that lovely Autumn afternoon, an
i leave Aunt Tabby, vicious old thing, up il
the sunshine, with nothing to do but listel
; to Stephen Boorman's jokes, and-ah
there he was saying good-by; what must h
have thought of my touseled looks? And
d illed with mortifcati,n and anger at my
/ self and every one else, tossed the pippin
: pellmel into the basket, and was struggling
y to lift it, when a kind voice said at my el
y bow:
h "Let me try; It's too heavy for you, Mis-
J. Cynthia"
q "Oh, dear!" burst out, breaking dow
= 1t the sympathetic tone, and trying to hid
] NV tears with my fn9ers.