The Worthington advance., 1882-08-10
BESS.

other rooms; for even Black Aunt Peg
had forsaken it, and was out in the back
yard. hanging out the Monday wash.
elias everybody evaporated? de-
manded Mr.. Bayberry, grimly address,
ing space.
Receiving no reply, he banged open
yet another door, which swung back
against precarious and shaky shelf,
thus upsetting the equilibrium of brass
cantilestick, fiat iron and three tin cans,
and they went humping down OH the
floor together.
Bess was in the pantry, washing od
the shelves with hot soapsuds; for Bess
was busy little body, and insisted on
performing Il certain part Of the house
hold duties every day.
She w"s standing on cheese box dur
ing the present performance-for Bess
was so short she could not reach the Sec
ont shetland she had big table cloth
pinned over her dress, and her silky
hair twisted tight upon the top of her
head and pinned with three great hair
pins, that bristled up and looked like
three pair of budding horns.
She heard the rapid footsteps outside,
and smiled.
s'That's Uncle John," said she, "and
he wants somebody likely. But can't
90 just yet. Men always want some
thing or somebody"
And she went on, calmly removing a
row of jelly glasses, every one dark and
rich with its luscious contents. Then
,l> 1,I %l.,,,o>:--
"Dear mel" said Bess, dropping the
wing with which she had been brushing
the shelf. 81 suppose if some one don't
90, re won't scruple to tumble the house
over; and where Aunt julie is the man
in the moon couldn't tell"
She jumped of the cheese box, care
fully holding up the tahlc-cloth to avoid
stepping on it, and opened the pantry
door. Aunt julie had also appeared, in
loose green wrapper, from which a
piece of torn rllfling two yards in length,
WAS dragging on the floor, with an old
magazine, minus its covers, in her hand
Dear me, John" began Aunt julie,
looking injured.
''And dear me-" interrupted Mr.. Bay
berry, "if this house had legs, it might
run away twenty times over and no one
to prevent. Come out ofthcre, Bess, and
both of you listen! I've 6ot some
abominable news. julie your
late lamcnted's cousin-that tall,
.clectionctriny widoW-wants to come
down here and board all summer, with
her daughter, dear Lconic,' who mod
lovers tho slip, and rusticate at 'tlera
Meadowlands.' There's no end of 'dear's
in her letter, and a string Of compli-
ments that are all in her eye, I'll wager
my biggest sQuash"'
Mr.. Bayberry's sister sat down, look
ing helpless and mournful; but black
eyed Bess, whose ideas and opinions
one could never foresee, favored the
rause of her kinsWomen, though they
had made point of ignoring her com.
pletcly.
:'Do let them come, Uncle Johnw said
she: II always did want to see my
stylish cousin awfullyv'
':Ol," answered Mr. Bayberry, shruc
ging his broad shoulders, "if you want
to cook, and iron and slave for two fine
to remember your eXiStancC, 80 ahead
Write to 'c,u to come, by all means; but
don't expect nc to tend to 'em, and hold
their yarn, and turn their music while
they squeal sentimental songs into my
ears"
Goodness, Uncle john" INTERRUPTED
Bess; no one would suppose how warm
lyyOu praised Doctor Dare's last ser
mon. on charity to hear you take on"
Hold your tongue, Miss Imperti
nencen answered Mr.. Bayberry, as be
stalked away.
But there was flush on his cheek
and perhaps his conscience echoed Bcss
rcproof. For Mr.. Bayberry's words anc
manners occasionally expressed more
harshness than was in his heart, and
owing to his rather irascible temper, few
dared take the liberty to lecture him.
Bess (who was not his niece at all, but
only the niece of his late brother-in-law
was one ct the, few; and though she
sometimes stood half in awe of him her
self, there was conscientious straight.
torWardness about her which led her tC
speak her mind whenever she consid.
cred it her duty to do so.
Perhaps she might, advantage
cultivated a rather less abrupt pt
manner, and 80 have favor in more eyes
But, nevertheless, it so happened thai
Mr.. John Bayberry, who was rathe,
peculiar himself, never took real offense
at her words, and occasionally profitetl
by them. And this perhaps was at least
partly because she had a way of popping
out her little sermons in concise, ep-
igrammatic manner, and never "harped''
on one subject.
\ week later found the large parlor
at MeadoWIands grslced by the presence
oftwo stylishly arrayed ladies', just from
the city, and indulging in series Of
rapturous excIamations over the charm
OF rural scenes, to tho astonishment of
Aunt julie, who saw nothing to gush
ABOUT in fields and vines, and was secret
iy wondering if the grease spot in the
slde-breadth of her oyerskirt was very
noticeable.
"And here's Bess, your little country
cousin" said Mr. Baberry, drawing her
forward from the shadow of the window
curtains. from which she had been ad.
mir!ng Miss Leonie.
dear me!' drawled the elegant Mrs.
Horton. as. she gazed down an i'm
measurable distance at the girl, for Mrs.
Horton was very tall, and Of lofty car
rage withal, "this is Bcss, is it? We
'Why should We" olerried Miss Le
ohie, languidly sitting back against the
rlch-colored sofa cushions 'She isn't
any relation rel ofyours, is she, Mr. Bay
mot at ALL" returned Mr.. Bayberry
atritc stiffiy; but she is quite as welcome
at Meadowands as if she were; espe-
clally as her blood relations choose to ie-
more her existence"
Mrs. Horton flushed u little, Miss
Leonle bit her lip; and Bess shook her
curly head at Uncle John on the sly.
That same evening. Bess was Sitting
on the back-door step, peeling velvety,
crimson, rare-ripc peaches for supper,
when Ashley Gray came along the clio.
yer:edged path leading from the stile
down in the orchard, which he, as very
intimate n friend Of the family, whose
convenient now and then to make use
Of. go round to the parlor and see the
iadles' said Bess, as She laid the last
peach, glowing and pink-hearted, in tho
hixn cut-glass dish. '0
u don't want to see city folks" said
But you must 60 this time" an
swcred Bess, :'for I must 90 in
promised to set the table for Aunt
Peg" " 6A''''
SO he went and II souoho,v box~ ,