The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-11-03
GRANDMA PORTER'S MISTAKE.

or something funny that happened
when you were young"
There were three of us-mvseIf and
two young ladies, sitting by COSY
fire one cold afternoon. Tie snow
and rain beat against the windows i'm
the east room; it made them lonely,
for they wished to go out aud make
some calls.
81 will not tell of any of my school
days; but / will tell you an amusing
story about an old aunt that was very
deaf; but she tried to make every one
believe that she could hear as well as
the best of them. When she had
cleared her skirts of the sin and dis
grace of being deaf, she would dig the
end of her knitting-needle into the
sheath pinned on her side and 90 to
knitting again. But aunty had a
strong faith in her gift of 'edifying' as
when she was fifty years younger, and
never hesitated to try it when any one
called, If she were alone.
Zone fine spring afternoon, young
Mr.. Stewart, getting sleepy over his
low studies, put his books aside and
passed out to make call on the Porter
\ girls. Now, it so happened that Mrs.
( Porter was at the sewing-circle, and
! the hired girl had gone home sick so
( Bertha and Mabel had work in the
\ Kitchen to do. Bertha was up to her
4 dimpled elbows in batch of bread,
I and Mabel was giving the dish-cup-
/ board an overhauling and putting it
4 In neater form than the girl left il,
( and neither of them heard the door
I bell. Neither did Aunt Lydia, but
I she was passing through the hall and
] saw 1T ringing, so she was quick
Witted enough to open the door and
Z found Mr.. Stewart all smiles and bows
on the steps.
{ Good afternoon, ma'am,' he said,
4 politely raising his hat, ARE the young
I ladies at home ?
Pretty well, I thank YOU squealed
Aunt Lydia; tho my rheumatism
bothers me some. Walk right into
the sittin'-room : for Mr.. Stewart Of
ten called there, so she knew him well
by sight and she felt quite flattered by
his polite salutation. Mr.. Stewart hest
tated, but there were two other fell
lows just coming down the sidewalk,
and he dared not risk another ques-
ton and answer, so in he went.
Take this chair and Aunt Lydia
was very active in hauling up a big
armchair for him now amt that soft
and nice That cushion is the best OF
hens feathers; l have seen live geese
feathers not mite softer. / worked
that cover myself, since l was seventy
years old but l have got sight hand
somer one that l worked when l was
a gal
"And down on her knees at the bu-
reau drawer plunged the old lady and
drew out once gay but now faded
sampler, whereon divers impossible
birds and flowers were wrought in
Worsted.
There she said, 4 did all this be-
fore was fifteen. Gals amt nova
days what they was them
Its very pretty said Mr.. Stewart.
thinking he must say something in
praise of it. Il called to see the Young
ladies' are they at home this after
noon p"
mot but dreadful little of it at
home; did itat school, mostly. Such
| thlngs were taught at school in them
times, and | think if they was now,
IN place of abby and bOttommy, and
don't you p"
-" 4 dare say was the reply; and
while Aunt Lydia put away her
souvenir of old times, Mr.. Stewart
tried to study his way out of the
scrape. She must be very deaf
thought he, but I'll try once more
"'Where are the Misses Bertha and
Mabel 2 he screamed when she had
Settled herselPin a chair.
Eyes, sir; Bell Toby has been here
AT work all winter, but she's gone now
with sore finger, and / am afraid
she will have felOn on it anyhow, it
begins jest as James wife's first hus-
bands sisters felon began (she was
#Sukey Dobson); and she had prop
sr hard time ont. She was keeping
he deestrict school and boarding with
rs when she took with 1.-THE gals
have to do the work now, but they are
emart as election, though think Ber.
ha is trifle better for business. Nav
DC you are courtin' one on 'em,' she
continued, looking up at him with a
oguish smile.
"'Hang itp was Mr.. Stewards men
al ejaculation, but the girls will prob
Ably be in soon; l will relieve her
mind of that notion. oh, no, indeed,
be replied loudly. 4 am only young
pan just studying law, you know
"'What, next Sunday morning =
! Fried the old lady, fairly starting out
! i6 her chair with surprise. 'Now,you
4 sIon't say so! At meeting, of course.
3 Row how sly they have kept that from
j Fne.'
""You misunderstood me- he
lcreamed in terror; Il did not say so. ,
"'Bertha, too! well, I'm glad it's her,
Or your sake, cause she wont say no
N ID so good an offer. Bertha is a good
irl. / named her; perhaps that is
yhy like her a little better than Ma
lei; but l shall do what is right by
er when she goes to housekeeping.
am savin' mp half dozen solid sill
er teaspoons for her, and 1 shall give
er my gold beads, too. Shall you go
ght to keeping house P
~ tell you I'm not going to be mar
/edp he shouted-so loud that it
eemed to him that all the neighbors
lust hear.
OF course you want to lie happy
amy body does, and l did always be-
ieve in young folks going to house
Peping as soon as they was mar
"You are altogether mistaken he
reamed In her ear; the perspiration
arting from every pore.
The house already taken. Now,
over! and TO think they was tryin'
keep it from me, and you have told
G all about it. l shan't tell them,
Dr any one else, so you needn't be a
ifaiD afraid l can keep a secret, if l
a an old woman
"I wonder who grandmother is
liking with said Mabel, as lull in