Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-12-28
PATTY BRIGHT.
BY MRS. G.. G.. ATWOOD,

| her chin in her hands. A huge white
bowl of stoned raisins standing by her
showed what she had been doing. But
it could be very plainly seen that Pat
! tvs thoughts were resting on something
very different.
The truth is, I" Hard Times" was star
ing Patty in the face, and, although he
looked very ugly, Patty was staring
back at him steadily and undinchingly.
| It was not at all necessary; for, as far
as she was concerned, she had never
known the meaning of poverty. Fort
une had been very kind to Miss Pa
tience Bright, ST., Patty's only friend
and protector Her barns were over
flowing with plenty; her cellars stored
with fruits and vegetables; and, better
still, her money was so carefully put
away that, if all of the banks in the
country were broken, and if all of the
railroads failed, it would make no pos
sible difference to Miss Patience.
! So, with a mind calm and serene.
Patty, ST., moved around her kitchen,
grinding her spices and mixing her
mince-meat. But, with a mind any
thing but calm and serene, Patty, Jr.,
sat by the table, thinking.
Miss Patience ratified the stove
doors, poked down the ashes, and
banged the shovel and tongs. Still
Patty never moved.
Bring me the eggs, child" she said.
Still Patty didn't hear. So Miss Pa
| thence went to the cellar, brought out
a basket of the pure white, chocolate
colored and speckled eggs; broke the
whites in a big blue platter and dropped
the yelks in bowl; then, sitting down
by the table, began to pile them up in
white masses by her steady strokes.
! Every little while she looked up at
Patty's dreamy face and misty eyes.
"Come, child" she said, at last,
you've been there long enough. Beat
up those yelks till they foam. There's
enough to do"
Patty took up the bowl and wooden
spoon; but she moved languidly and as
If her heart was somewhere else.
"Why don't you hurry?" Miss Pa
| tience said, sharply. "There's Your
Uncle Eben coming on the 5 O'Clock
train, and Aunt Maria in the morning,
and all this cooking to be got out of the
way"
"What's the good of it all, auntie?"
Patty asked. "Don't they gft enough to
eat at homer"
Miss Patience Redeemed with indig-
nation and dropped her fork in the
midst of the white foam.
"The land sakes!" she exclaimed. IT
guess there never was Bright yet but
had all he could eat, and more tool"
what do they do with the more
too?' Give it away ?" Patty asked.
Miss Patience looked at her suspi-
ciously. What are you thinking
about, child?" she said. "Speak it
OUT"
Early IN the morning Patty had gone
out on an errand and, while she was
gone, she had seen something which
had stirred her childish soul as nothing
had ever done before; and ever since
she came home she had been trying to
think of the best way to present a petit
ton to Aunt Patty and, now that the
opportunity had come of it's own will,
her heart trembled and her spirit failed.
But Aunt Patty was waiting, with her
fork in the air and her eyes on Patty.
So, with her cheeks burning and her
voice tremulous from hope and fear, she
said:
"Aunt Patty, do you remember the
Brewers
"Shiftless set!' she said, setting her
lips very firmly and beating her eggs
more fercely than ever.
"They may be shiftless, aunt; but I
know they're hungry" said Patty, wax
ing holder.
"Hungry, in this land Of plenty!"
said Aunt Patty, CONTEMPORARY. I'D
Like to know what put such nonsense in
your head. How did you happen to
see them, anyway"
It'll tell you all about it." said Patty,
feeling drawer every minute. Il was
going by this morning to tell Mary
Jane to come up in the morning and
pick the turkeys, when Mamie Brewer
knocked on the window and beckoned
to me to come in. And, auntie, if
you'll believe it, she sat in the rocking
chair, with an old bed-quilt around her
and hardly speck of fire in the stove.
I wanted to put some wood in; but she
looked so nervous and said no. Then
she asked me to go to the closet and
bring her glass Of water. I couldn't
help looking around, auntie; and there
was only half loaf of bread on plate,
and the least little scrap of butter in a
broken tea-cup. I took her the water !;
but felt every minute as if should
cry, she looked so white and hungry.
Then she asked me to 20 down the
cellar and see if her kitten was there.
1t took me a good while to find the
kitten; and, Aunt Patty, there wasn't
q thing in that cellar to eat, but few
potatoes and beans and little piece of
pork-not one can of fruit or an apple.
couldn't say word to Mamie when
came up, had such big lump in my
throat. So I just put her kitten in her
lap and ran And couldn't help
thinking Aunt Patty, that we might
just as well send them enough to last
'em a week. And what's New Years
good for, if you can't make other people
happy, too?'' IL"
Patty stopped, trembling and excited
with her long speech, and looked eagerly
at Aunt Patty.
But, if she expected her to throw
open cellar and pantry doors, and tell
her that all she had was also hers, and to
take what she wanted for Mamie, she
was greatly disappointed.
Aunt Patty did nothing of the kind.
She OnlV marched tn the co11or with
her platter OF snowy foam, and marched
back again with pan of red apples, and
set them down before Patty.