The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-05-10
AUNT JEANS MISTAKE.

, sue pach bedroom to be WhlteWashed,
and the churning to be done, and the
quilt to be got ready for the framesa
Pm surprised at you, Catherinep'
Kitty looked with longing eyes at the
creeping tides of sunshine on the hill,
the great shadows that the apple-tree
boughs made swaying on the grass.
There was eatbird singing in the
naples. Kitty wished that-just for
awhile-sle could be that catbird, and
dwell in gloriied region of green
leaves, where churning, whitewash pals
and quilting-bees were unknown.
She knew that even now the scarlet
poppies were nodding along the stone
walls like tiny soldiers, the wild-roses
opening in solitary hooks, the straw.ber
ries ripening in fragrant wood-openings
on the hill.
AS these tempting thoughts passed
across her mind, she heard Aunt Jeans
\ shri!l voice at the back door, talking to
some one.
"a PAINTER, eh?" said she. ooh, YES.
you're welcome to drink of water.
You can draw it, fresh and cool, for
yourself: The wells out under the bin
butternut-tree. A painter, did you sayY
Praps you can whitewash, too?" q
Certainly, ma'am!" said a deep,
pleasant voice. s
Kitty leaned forward to get peep al
the possessor of that clear, soft tenor. B
He WAS a young man, with q sort OF
pack strapped on his back, and some-
thing that resem bled magnified UNI
brella in his hand.
"oh," said Kitty, to herself, "a ped
dler! Aunt Jean is getting harder and
harder Of hearing every dayl'
"Well," said Aunt Jean, IT do b'IeveE
Providence has sent you! I'd engaged
Perkins Polk to whitewash the back bed
Toom to-day, but he hasn't come near
me-, And here it is nine O'Clock! I
don't b'lieve he means to come to-day.
Perkins has took to drink dreadful of
could whitcwash the back bedroom?
I'd I've willin' to give you your dinner
and quarter Of a dollar for the Job!
And | can't say more liberal than thatw
Aunt Jean was await;n, the decision
OF the young man, with one hand back
OF her ear, when Kitty walked in, her
bright eyes sparkling with mirth, her
chee ks.rosy, and her lips pursed up in
the dcsnerat attempt not to smile.
you'll please excuse Aunt Jean, my
good man." said she. 1--WE don't want
anything to-day. There was a peddler
that we required"
:, The young man-Horton Leigh was
inside OF his color hox-looked from
grim Aunt Jean to pretty Kitty, and
made up his mind at once.
Pardon me-" he saiu, "but I am not
a pcddler. And if you will allow me 1
shall be very glad to undertake the
job"
THE sooner the BETTER" said Aunt
Jean briskly. 81 spose you amt got
your overalls with you. That don't make
no difference. There's pair up stairs
rs belonged to Hiram Hardness, who
worked for us one spell, and jumper
jacket as Billy Barlow wore, who ran
away and joined gipsies, six months ago.
Kitty, run up stairs and fetch 'em. And
the young man can 20 in the barn and
put 'em on. Well, 1 do call this streak
OF luckp'
And in less than FIVE minutes the
''roung man" was mounted on ladder,
brandishing a good-sized whitewash
brush, Kitty Ford was churning and
Aunt Jean was lacking the quilt on the
frames in the best room.
''There's nothing like getting good
early start Oh Monday morning, "-said !
Aunt Jean. a
At twelve o'clock the back bedroom ]
the butter had "come," the quilt was
satisfactorily arranged, and the whole
family sat down to a savory meal Of
fried chicken, white bread, milk and
strawberry short cake. 81
"You seem to be a very respectables
young man," said Aunt Jean, criti cally
surveying the stranger. "If you'd like
to stay here and do chores for your
board, you might sleep in the barn
chamber, and could recommend you
to do whitewashing jobs for the neigh
bors. Deacon Dowd's house needs a
that Widow Elnathsn Trueby would ike
her barn painted to match the new
house."
II am greatly obliged to you," said
the young man, toying with particular
ders in that branch. lam an artist,
ga which," said Aunt Jean.
San artist: Shall / show you soma OF
my sketches2"
Aunt Jean put on her spectacles .
once.
swell, don't object to look at 'em,'
said she. 'But won't promise to buy.
We got q very pretty chrome with the
cuts pictures out of the illustrated papers
and pastes 'em on to stone.jars!"
Mr.. Leigh laughed.
ooh, don't expect to make saleg.
said he. CAL these are merely frU
ideas, jotted down in the crudest Of FASH
ions. TO speak truth, my real object II
calling here this morning was to ask per-
mission to sketch those picturesque ruineI
down by the old road."'
"Oh!" said Aunt Jean; "the old smithy.
Dear, dear? there amt nothing, but III
tumble down stunwall and a few mullein.
stalks left there. fyou could wait till
frst-class blacksmith's shop. But you'resI
welcome to do all the sketchin' you
wantW "@
kitty's eyes sparkled.
"I wish / was an artist" said she, as
she turned over the bits of nill-board,
all of which were instinct of life and
beauty
"Wcll," said Aunt Jean, complacsss
ly, "why shouldn't you be? I dare -
this young man can show you how -
does it,"
Kitty looked at the young mans I
young man looked at Kitty, and
both burst into peal of hearty lauo
to Aunt jeans great mystiication.
sOh, aunty," said Kitty, still chosi1
behind her pocket-handkerchief,
isn't the way that artists are lnade!
Half an hour later. Kitty Ford wasNM4l
on the green, feeding her little down9
ducklings with scalded meal, when Jud 4
Laughington's carriage drove up.
Kitty let the tin pan fall III her S31
may. To her, Miss Laughing ton, in Z
summer silks and diamonds, long VIII
plumes and eight-buttoned kid-glovn
represented all that was elegant a
adorable. Ssass1
q How she regretted that she still wo4]
her old blue gingham gown, and til
her curls were all entangled by the sweet,
Z soft wind!
Don't run away. Kitty, dear said
Miss Laughington, reckoning witt A
ivory-handled parasol. 8 ~ on ard /
I very girl that / want to see. My 1
in, Mr.. Leigh, is coming down
& way, to-day, to sketch. u have
him about those pretty, old ruin
the blacksmith shop; 80, Il he Cd
I past here - ,.S .X| sS]
Oh, Miss Laughing u, cried ri
turning 40 scarlet IS the big bunch
peonies ct the corner Of the houd
he has come Already And Aunt
set him toswMte ling md paid
Z q quarter of dol af and his dinlll
I Oh, how could we llave made such
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