The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-04-21
The Basket of Shavings.
CHAPTER 1.

CHAPTER 1.
Becky Fairweather, where have you
been all this while?"
1t was shrill woman's tongue that
put the question; and it was timid
child's voice that replied: i've Just
been playing in the court here, along
with the girls. Please don't whip me,
Aunt Nora! Please don't"
Little Becky stood trem bling at the
door, with face full of terror and en-
treaty, while the woman advanced upon
her with lowering look, whose dread
full meaning the child knew too well.
"There!'' said Aunt Nora. giving the
little shoulders a rude shake. Nov
stop your crying. I'll teach you to be
out playing with the girls, when want
your
Il didn't know you wanted me, Aunt
Moral" sobbed the child.
You might have known. Hush your
noise. Now take the basket and 60
over to the Dimmock house for shavings
and don't let me hear another word out
of your head, if you know what's good
for yourself"
"Oh. aunt! it's getting so dark. I'm
afraid to CO."
What are you afraid of? There's
nothing to hurt good girls, and If you're
bad child, it's you're own fault. You
might have gone before sundown.
Come, shall want the shavings to kin
die the fire in the morning; and the
longer you wait the darker it will be: "
ooh, aunt! l can't go into that old
house. The last time was there l
heard something, and it wasn't half so
dark as it is to night. III get up early
and 60 in the morning, if you'll let me.
Oh. aunt, do!' ,
The aunt made no reply, but turned
to take down from its place on the entry
!! hooks a switch, whose marks poor little
Becky's hands and arms had carried
many day. At sight of it, she caught
up the basket. and ran out of the house.
"Well, you better" said the woman,
grimly. "You're old enough not to he
afraid of the dark. You can see well
enough; and there's nothing under the
sun to be afraid of. Now don't you
come back into this house without the
shavings, or you'll get such whipping
! as you never had in all your life!" which
was saying q good deal, If Aunt Nora
only knew it.
Not that she meant to be harsh or
unmotherly guardian to her little
motheriess niece. But cares and TOLL
had worn out about all the health and
patience she ever had; and it was no
wonder that she, who so often had
angry words for her own children,
should have kept something worse for
the orphan, whose coming into her
house she had always regarded as bit
ter trial.
1t seemed as if she had never forgiven
Becky for it, or for being child with
child's thoughtlessness and love OF
play. She expected more Of her than
she did of her own girls, who were
older; and could never understand why
Bscky should not contentedly settle
, down into the quiet, womanly drudge
! she wished her to be. Yet Becky was
only eleven years old.
| The child went off with the basket,
sobbing with fear and dismay at the
thought Of what she had to do. 1t was
really not very dark, only deep twilight,
IN pleasant summer evening. No
+; doubt her aunt was right IN saying
there was really nothing for her to be
afraid OF; yet the sensitive, imaginative
child could not help being afraid.
The old Dimmock house stood IN
lonely lot, back from the street; it was
undergoing repairs, and Becky had
more than once been there for shavings,
which the carpenters allowed her to
carry away.
She was not afraid when the men were
there. On, why, she thought, had she not
left her play, and gone an hour before.
when she could have got some other girl
to 90 with her, and have made the task
a pleasure? Poor Becky was always do
ing some such thoughless thing, which
was sure to provoke her aunt, and give
herself ali the more trouble and pain
vet she could never learn wisdom.
She blamed herself little; but she
blamed others much more. Her aunt
might have waited with the, shavings
till morning; or she might have sent
Tom for them cousin Tom, who WAS
fourteen years old, and not afraid ofany-
thing.
But Tom was proud. willful boy; he
wouldn't be seen going through the
streets with baskc, >.iavings. Ills
sisters. Josephine and Laura, who were
almost young ladies, could not, of course
be expected to do such thing; but
poor little Becky presumed to think such
errands-especially after dark-belonged
to Tom.
She met Tom on the street with two
other boys. He had the stump of: s
cigar in his mouth. and he was talking
loud and staggering.
"Tomr she called to him, implor'
"What do you want of Tom?' he re-
torted, not deigning to turn his head
but just putting out his chin sidewise
toward her and putting away at hi:
cigar stump in loaterish fashion.
"Please 90 with me for the shavings
won't you? Do. Toni"
Hi Hi-hi-hiw Tom snickered. "Gc
with you for shavings! that's Il goot
oke."
"I'm afraidm she pleaded.
Afraid, you goose What arr
you afraid of? The old house j:
full of ghosts, but they never hur
anybody, only silly girls that are afrait
of 'em they scare them almost to deatl
sometimes! Hi-hi hi! come along!'
cried Tom to his companions, putting
back into his teeth the stump, which
he had fourished in his fingers willis
: making this foolish speech.
Ghosts in the old house! Poor Beck,
knew we'll enough that Tom never le
q lie stand in the way of any mischief o
sport of his. and she wouldn't hav
minded at all what he said. if she hadn'
been so frightened. But now all he
vague fears of the darkness and solitude
l of the deserted house took shape to he
fancy, and became horrible specters.
She stopped at the door, crying desc
lately. She would not have had strcngt
to 20 step further, if the certaint
that it was growing darker all tn
? while, and that she would be whipped
if she should 20 home without the SHAY
= ings. had not given her momentar
resolution.
Tom had said that the ghosts scare
only little girls who were afraid {
:, them. Then she wouldn't be afraic
She would be brave for once. So sh
n nerved herself.
Breathless, trembling, cold shivers {
fear creeping over her from head
foot, she mounted the steps, paused
z moment to listen in the dim entry, the
glided softly into che room where th
n shavings were.
There she paused again. She coul
see nothing but the faint outline of tt
work bench, bare walls, and the wiz
3, dows through which the evening ligl
Is came. Suddenly she heard rustic i
.he shavings. It may have been cause
by prowling cat. or perhaps by son