The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-04-06
A TRIP TO W00DVILLE.

IF SYRIA is as pretty at sixteen as
she was at six, be sure and send her to
me to spend the summer. My hus-
bands nephew, Eustace Gaynor, is
here, and L should like to have him
make her acquaintance. 1t would be
good thing for SYRIA"
Thus ran the postscript of Mrs.
Dora Smiths letter to her niece, Mrs
Lawton, who, seventeen years before,
had married and left her home with
her aunt to reside in the city. Aunt
and niece had been almost uninter-
ruptedly separated since.
The letter found SYRIA LawtOn at the
end of her first season. "Peachcheeks "
her father called her her mothers
title for her was Rosebud" You
would not have detected flaw prob
ably in the girls health, after her sea-
son of dancing and late suppers but
there was slight languor and in
different appetite. And then came
Aunt Dora's letter.
"Just the thing |" said Mr.. Lawton.
"Post syria right off, Nellie. She has
had enough fashionable folly for this
year. Send her right up to Aunt
Dora, among the BURBERRY pastures !"
But Mrs Lawton hesitated.
81 don't know as SYRIA would like
it," she said.
She remembered the great kitchen
at Oaklots, where most of her youth
was spent, and it didn't seem likely
that pretty SYRIA, playing waltzes with
a dainty touch in the next room,
would be contented there.
To be sure, Aunt Dora had whole,
comfortable and pleasant house but
she was very decided in her opinion
that girls ought to learn to be good
housekeepers, and her whole fore
moons and many Of her afternoons
were spent in that same comfortable
kitchen.
She made the whitest bread, sweet
est butter and best jelly in the coun-
try. She could do almost everything
to perfection, and she had sent Nellie
forth into the world almost as capable
a hOusekeeper as herself.
But with Mrs. Lawton it was differ
ent. Beautiful SYRIA had been too
daintily kept to share in the labors of
the house, where. in truth, household
help was kept in such plenty that soil
ing those little hands had always
seemed supertluous
But Mrs. LawtOn knew very well
that Aunt Dora would disapprove
such bringing up" of the girl, and
her conscience reproved her that SYRIA,
at sixteen, could not make loaf of
bread.
at would be good experience for
her, for Aunt Dora, though strict, was
always very considerable in her train
ing. SYRIA has been to too many
dances this winter. The air is splen-
did at Oaklots. She shall Co." she de-
cided.
Then the subject must be broached
TO SYRIA with a certain TACT that the
trip might prove success.
"My Aunt Dora wants you to come
to Oaklots for the summer, dear-the
most beautiful of all places and father
is very anxious you should be in the
country this summer. You remember
Aunt Dora. do you not?'
"No; but l should like to go very
much" said SYRIA.
"Papa will go up with you the first
of next month; and September l, will
come ~ with the boys, make auntie {
visit, and bring you home fresh as q
rose and brown as berry, expect
But, SYRIA, Aunt Dora is very domes
tic, and will want you to learn tn,
ways Of a housekeeper and to assist
her. expect you will be willing?"
SYRIA said Yes" lightly.
"She will want you to do thing
about a house and do them yer,
nicely. 1t will be good. for you, thu
training: and if sometimes a littl,
irksome, be patient and faithful ant
try to please auntie fer she was the bes
friend of my girlhood. win you re
member this. my dear Syra?" AM
SYRIA PROMISED.