The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-12-08
AUNT JEMlMA'S ADVICE.

"No, my DEAR" said Aunt Jemima
an old lady whose logic was far superior
to her syntax, "don't you never ask nc
advice of nobody, but just find out
your own opinion and what it's founded
on. If it amt got no foundation, faint
worth saving; if it has, be sure it's q
good one, and then just stick to it,
Don't let nobody do your thinking for
you. We've got to give in our own ac-
counts when the last reck oning comes,
and straight or crooked right or wrong,
we have to meet the Judgment. No
body can shift or shirk that and the
sooner we learn to be responsibility
kind of depend on ourselves, and sort
Of bear our own weight-the better for
us here and hereafter"
"Oh, Aunt Jemima, how solemn
your tone is, and how you shake your
bead at me, when all L asked was your
advice about the picnic tomorrow
Frank Abbott asked me to go with him,
and just by the same post comes a note
from Kate Hunter-I do like Kate; she's
SO pleasant-and she begs me to go
with her and her brother Harry"
"Jest so-iest so op' exclaimed tn
old lady. "That's jest what I'm talk
ing about. You've got what I call q
double invite, and you come to me to
decide which of 'em you ought to take
up with. Now, see here, Gussie Stat
ford. You're mighty nice girl, and l
1--we you most as we'll as if you was my
Snat'ral born child but I amt going to
spile you for all that. You've got
senses of your own; you've got your
eyes, ears and judgment. Go to work
and use all three. First try your eyes,
and they'll show you that Frank Abbott
is one of the hand5o young men
going, and if you listen to him you'll
find him as slick talker as there is up
here in Waterford. Now, it's your judg-
ment's turn, ard what does it say
Take care, Cussie; don't be deceived.
Bcauty's only skin deep, and Satan
himselfs a smooth chap as far as words
go. Look deeper; compare Franks
idleness with Harry Hunters industry.
and you'll find that he has spent his
farGer's money, while Harry has already
made nice home for his mother and
sister. Besides, Franks nothing but
fiirt, and il Harry Hunter shows a
young lady any attention he's sure to
mean it,"
"Thank you, Aunt Jemima," cried
Gussie, laughing heartily; thank you
1 will be sure to pay attention to what
you have said. ] knew you could set
me right, and 1 rely on your Judgment" 4"
"There!" exclaimed the old lady,
getting quito excited and shaking her
forefnger admonishingly at her merry
favorite. "Ain't [ jest done telling you
not to rely on nothing nor nobody, but
-
make up your own mind? Why bless
us, if it isn't twenty years and more
since I advised any one, and never
from that time till now has any one in
duced me IL speak word of counsel"
"Why, what happened then. auntiep ?"
inquired Gussie, with becoming serious
ness.
"pll tell you, dearie, if you just sit
down here on this stool at my side.
Never mind Harry Hunter. He is sure
to go by at tea-time; but that won't be
for half hour yet. I'll tell you when
to look"
"Oh, auntie, hope you don't think
was"
"Certainly not" chuckled Aunt Je-
NINA, enjoying theblushes that mantled
Gussie's rounded cheeks, as so many
evidences of her regard for Mr.. Hunter.
II only thought you might want to
send his sister message about the pic
mic. But l was going to tell you about
my experience in advice giving. You
see was younger than 1 be now. 1
didn't wear caps nor specs, and my hair
wasn't much gray, neither; and yet the
girls all called me auntie, and sort of
come to me with their troubles, even
then. There was one in particular that
seemed to set great store by what 1
said, and was always wanting my opinion,
if she so much as bought a pocket
handkerchief.
"'Aunt Jemima's got so much ex-
perience,' she used to say. She's a
first-rate judge of things
"Well, one day she was shopping,
and / with her as usual. She was
going to buy silk dress, and let me tell
you, my dear, that it was not trifing
matter to buy silk dress in those days
"Folks were different then-they did
not throw their money away, but sort
of thought it over spell before they
spent it, and tried to be sure that they
got the worth of what they gave. There
was a great pile of silks on the counter
that had been opened, displayed and
pushed aside; the clerk was fetching a
lot more, and yet Fanny (that was her
name) didn't seem any nearer being
pleased than when she first started in.
"You'ge got notion in your own
mind, and nothing here strikes your
fancy, isn't that SOP
"' Why, yes she admitted, and tried
to describe a dress she had saan at a
young friends the week before.
1t was costly brocade, and far be-
yond the contents of Fanny's purse to
purchase it; but, as a perverse whim
would have it, that was the only kind
she liked or cared for.
"What color was it T" I asked.
"She began TO tell, but 1 couldn't
quite make it out from her description.
Just then the young man, who was well
nigh exhausted rolling and unrolling-