Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-02-11
My Ride With Aunt Esther.

My Ride With Aunt Esther.
was proud miss of seventeen, and
q pupil at Lockha,t Seminary, when
Aunt Esther, an eccentric old lady,
one day came to my Uncle Lyman's,
where I was boarding, and proposed
that she and l, the following Saturday,
should take ride to Norton Hollow,
where we both had relatives living.
/ made a number of excuses, finally
telling her it would be next to impos-
sible for me to 60; but she would not
take no for an answer. Still hoped
that after she went away should hear
no more about the ride. should have
gone in good style; but of all the old
turn outs that we're ever gotten up, l
think my aunts capped the climax.
The vehicle was the remains of an old
"shay" used in the eighteenth CEN
tury. It had been broken times with
ont number, and every time mended
with rough boards, white the seat and
top were tapping with rags, and the
sp0kes of the wheels had been broken
and mended until very little of the
original remained. The old nag, too,
was q perfect track o. bones" with
hair standing on end, and name and
tail that had been sheared by. roguish
boys.
My aunt's attire corresponded with
the rest. She. usually wore, when she
dressed for jaunt like this. an old
faded bombazine dyess. an old coal.
scuttle bonnet, and a shawl which had
been o prey for moths the last fifty
years. This was her best suit, and she
called herself very much "dressed up I"
when she wore it, no matter what others
might think.
Well, in this very snit and turn. out
she drove up in 'front.' of my Uncle
Lyman's door on the appointed Satur-
day morning.
"Now, what am I to do?" asked
my Aunt Olive. ~ cannot go with
her. Oh, I have It'll I will pretend I
am about dead with tooth-achel''
So I drew Q handkerchief from my
pocket. and. after tying it around my
head, began to grcan most fearfully.
"What is the matter now, I wonder
It's allus jus' so If set my heart on
your goin' anywhere with mel"
"Oh, aunt" I cried, "such dread
full toothachel"
claw! IL that's all" she said, :" faint
much; I can cure that in no time. I
didn't know but you had the mumps.
or quinsy, or something Of that sort.
Here, get me some alum and salt, Olive,
and then get her things, and we'll put
'em on to her and start in no time. for
il is pretty good days journey to go
to the Hollow and back"
ST am not going--I cannot go!" I
said.
"Why, what do You mean, Lizzie
Canning? After all the trouble I've
took to git ready for such journey, you
won't go with mel"
"Can't you get some one else to go,
"a ain quite unable2"
"No. I don't know of single per-
son, and il you won't 60. then I've got
to go hum agin and all. unrig for moth
int"
"Are you afraid to go alone?" I
asked.
"You know, Lizzie, she might be
taken with ft, she IS 30 subject to
them; perhaps it would not be safe for
her to 60 alone, /" my Aunt Olive said.
my sympathies we're always easily
awakened, and my aunt could have said
nothing else that would have been so
likely to cause me to change my mind.
"Sure enough" I reasoned; "the
poor old woman might be taken in fit;
Twill CO."
So T pulled the bandage from my
head and began to prepare for the
dreaded jaunt. Before I got into the
"kerridge," a. Aunt Esther called it,
/ wound heavy veil around my head
and face, hoping no one would recog-
nize me, but, to my great discomfort,
all the village acquaintances We met
saluted me with . bow and @ smile.
After ve were ont of the village I raised
my veil, and for q few moments rather
enjoyed being in the open country,
when nature was 80 lavish of her gifts.
But soon was to meet another trial
TO my pride. The observatories and
spires of - college were in sight, so
drew my veil over my face again. and
prepared for the miseries that awaited
me. When We drew up in front OF the
college, and in view of the surrounding
buildings, I submitted as quietly and
patiently as possible to the hootings of
the students ard others who openly
ridiculed us. 1t seemed as if hun
bred college boys wers on the grounds,
and think we attracted the attention
Of every one of them. From that
place We passed on quietly until we
arrived at Norton Hollow, i, 'heu 1s;ap
about eleven O'Clock.