Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-01-31
FARMER BROWNS SUMNER BUT.
TER.

| - Il
TER.
"Stan' steady, Bess. You're the hos:
COW, you know, and if you should TIP
this pail of yellow milk over, Miss Dolly
wouldn't like it. Dolly's got to make
the butter this summer, and you and
must do all we can to help her. Cues:
she thinks you know just about as much
rs do. But I'd like to kiss her once,
anyhow; wouldn't you, Bess?"
So spoke George Sterling, Farmer
Browns hired man, to his particular
confidant, the handsome Alderney COW,
whom he had named "Queen Bess."
Ding! dong! went the breakfast-bell,
swung by Dolly's plump, strong arm,
and the young farmer turned his cows
into the pasture, one by one, "Brindle,
Ebony, Speckle and Bess," and then
carried the trimming pals into the large,
cool milk-room.
you're good mixer, George" and
Dolly smiled up at him as she looked at
the clean, rich milk. II believe, with
you to help me, can make some nice
butter this summer"
1t made pretty picture in the morn
ing sunshine. The large, old-fashioned
red farmhouse, with windows and doors
invitingly open, flowers and tall trees
Frightening and identifying the yard
and garden. There were lilac bushes
and hollyhocks, pinks, peoples, mari
Colds and sunilowers, fine old New En-
gland varieties. Inside the house every
thing looked comfortable. The kitchen
was large and airy, having two outside
doors opposite each other and both open.
ing on to wide, clean-swept piazzas.
The floors were painted spruce yellow
and were smooth and clean. An old
fashioned light-stand stood near win.
dow and on the white spread which
covered it was basket of stockings,
with balls of mending-yarn, and a brass
candlestick, with an inch or two of
candle in its socket. A low kitchen
chair with rockers stood near, and the
last weekly newspaper hung over its
back.
The breakfast-table would have ap-
peared inviting to any one in health and
good temper. A fairly clean, white
cloth, spun and woven by the grand
mother of the family;a small pitcher OF
cream for the coffee; sweet, yellow but
ter and fresh rolls; light dougnuts, fried
brown; potatoes, eggs, some kind OF
| stewed fruit, and pitcher of fresh milk,
for any who wished it.
Did they have napkins and silver
forks? Not exactly. That is, they didn't
have the forks. Aunt Sally made such q
fuss that, with al Dolly's other burdens
she did not think il best TO d" stand the
storm" which would have broken over
her head had she used every day the
sacred company silver forks Dolly was
brave girl, and did not yield when il
was wrong to yield; but persisted i'm do
ing as she ought and endured whatever
came. She had been away for two years,
attending an excellent school, and the
duty of clearly and in some sense
beautiful living had been strongly inn
pressed upon her bright young mind.
Her mother had died, and now the main
responsibility of the housekeeping rested
upon the daughters eighteen-year-old
shoulders. Dolly did many things as
Aunt Sally directed, but in the matter of
napkins she was firm. She fcltit both a
duty and pleasure to accustom her lit.
tie brother and the young farmers whom
her father hired to refined ways of liv-
ing. She herself was pleasant to look
at, as she sat at the head of the table
Cher father wished her to sit in her moth
er's place., pouring the clear coffee into
pretty cups, n clean linen collar at her
throat and her hair nicely brushed. A
passing observer would have thought il
pleasant group gathered around the
table that summer mOrning-farmel
Brown opposite his daughter, Aunt Sally
and Dolly's young brother at one side,
and George Sterling, the hired man, AT
the other.
" Father, I'm going to put down my
first tub of butter to-day" said Dolly.
$50 you see it's an important day in my
life"
Eyes, my dear, and hope you'll gain
the day and put down a good tub; but /
suspect after George has churned and
washed the butter, the credit II be good
deal due to him if it's good"
Eyes, indeed, father but I'm going
to work just as hard as George does, and
Dolly Browns butter will be the most
famous butter in the country. you
naughty father"
You'd better wait till fall before you
brag about your butter,' nterposed
Aunt Sally. 'If the buyers won't pay
nothin' for it, you won't feel so fine,
guess"
"Well, | shall try hard to have il
good" returned Dolly; land I'm not
going to bother myself all summer by
fearing that the buyers won't pay any
thing for it,"
mo, don't fret yourself. guess If
didn't skim the milk, you'd find your
butter be pretty mess. 1t makes q
sight o. difference how milk's Stunl.
The rest amt nothin' in comparison.
But, then, of course, nobody in this
house never does anything but Dolly.
But can remember twenty years before
she was born, and there was butter and
cheese made in them benightcd days,
and in this house, .too."
80, well, Aunt Sally" said Mr..
Brown. 'fDolly's young housekeeper
and needs encouraging bit, Mebbe
shell have poor tub or two; but, if she
does the best she can, we shan't find
fault"
George Sterling said nothing; but he
longcd to box Aunt Sally's ears soundly,
and, il his confidant, Queen Bess, had
been near, he would have told her that
he longed to kiss away the tears that he
saw glistening in Dolly's sweet eyes, as
she cleared away the breakfast things.
The summer days came and went.
The birds that sang in the trees near
Dolly's chamber window woke her each
morning with their joyous carols, and at
night the distance-softened song of the
frogs away in the meadows lulled her to
sleep. Aunt Sally rose early ten morn
ings during the entire summer, walked
majestically into the milk-room and
skinned the milk. Those were happy
days in tho Brown family. The exercise
and the fresh breakfast disposed the
molecules of Aunt Sally's physical sys-
tom little more amicably toward each
,thcr and the spiritual elevation that