Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-09-03
The Basket Of ShavinSs.

y00 Deen all tOlS Wn1le
Il vas shrill woman's tongue that
put the question; and it was timid
child's voice that replied, live just
been playin in the court here along
with the girls. Please don't whip me,
Aunt Nora! Please doAtr
Little Becky stood trembling 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 we'll.
There" said Aunt Nora, giving the
little shoulders u rude shake. Now
stop your crying. I'll teach you to be
ont playing with the girls when l want
your
II didn't know you wanted me, Aunt
Nofsi' sobbed the child.
"You might have known. Hush
your noise. Now take the basket and
70 over to the Dimmock house for
shavings, and don't let me hear another
word ont of your head, il you know
what's good for yourself"
20 aunt! it's getting 80 dark. I'm
afraid to Co."
"Whst are you afraid of? There's
nothing to hurt good girls, and If
you're bad child, it's your own fault.
You might have gone before shutdown.
Come, / shall want the shavings to
kindle the fire in the morning; and the
longer you wait the darker it will be. F"
20 aunt can't 20 into that old
house. The last time l WAS there
heard something, aud it wasn't half so
dark Is It is tonight. I'll get up early
and 60 In the morning, if you'll let me.
o aunt, dol''
Tho aunt made no reply, but turned
TO take down from its place on the en-
Try hooks switch, whose marks poor
little Becky Q hands and arms had carried
many day. At sight of it, che caught
up the basket, and ran out OF the
hose.
swell, you better!' said the woman.
grimly. You're old enough not to be
afraid OF the dark. You can see we'll
enough; and there's nothing under the
sun to be afraid of. Now don't you
come back into this bouse without the
shayings, or you'll get such q whipping
- you never had in all your Iife!'
which was saying good deal, if Aunt
Hera only knew It.
hot that she meapl to be harsh or
unmotherly guardian to her little
methsrless niece. But cares and toll
had worn out abb It all the health and
patience she ever had; and it was no
wonder that she, who 80 often had
angry words for her own children,
sh0uld have kept something worse for
tbs orphan, whose coming into her
house she had always regarded as q
bitter trial.
Il seemed a. il she had never forgiven
Becky for it, or for being child with
al . childs thoughtlessness and love of
play. She expected more OF her than
che did Of her own girls, who were old
az and could never understand why
0ecky should not contentedly settle
aewn into the quiet, womanly drudge
Ghe wished her to be. Yet Becky was
ealy eleven years old.
The child went Of with the basket,
eobbing with fear and despair at the
thought OF what she had to do. It was
really not very dark. only deep twilight
On . pleasant summer evening. No
asabt her aunt was right in saying
there was really nothing for her to be
afraid Of; yet the sensitive, imagina.
1.-Two child could not help being afraid.
The old Dimmock house stood in q
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. Oh, why, she thought had
she not left her play, and gone an hour
before. when she could have got some
other girl to 60 with her. and have
made the task pleasure? Poor Becky
was always doing some such Thought
less thing, which was sure to provoke
her aunt, and give herself all the more
trouble and pain; yet she never could
learn wisdom.
She blamed herself q little; but she
blamed others much more. Her aunt
might have waited for the shavings till
morning; or she might have sent Tom
for them-cousin Tom, who was four
teen years old, and not afraid OF any
thing.
But Tom vas q proud, wilful boy :; he
wouldn't be seen going through the
streets with basket of shavings. His
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 errapds-especislly after dsrk-
belonged to Tom.
She met Tom on tie street with two
other boys. He had the stump Of q
cigar in his mouth, and he was talking
loud. and staggering.
"TomT she called to him, implor-
iagly.
I" What do You want of Tom ?" he
retoreed, not deigning to turn his head
but just putting out his chin sidewise
towards her, and putting swsy at his
cigar stump in loaferish fashion.
Z" Please 60 with me for the shavings
won't you? Do, Toni
eli hi-hir Tom anickered. go
with You for shsviDgsl that's a good
joke"
"I'm afraid!' she pleaded.
"Afraid. you goose! What are you
afraid Of? The old house is full of
ghosts. but they never hurt anybody,
only silly little girls that are afraid Of