The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-04-13
The THREE GRANDMOTHER.

"And You would marry this fellow
said Grandma Won Breeks Won Starch.
in her bassooniest chat is the only
word l can think of with which to de-
scribe them tones, "if you could?"
ayes, ma'am," replied Gertrude,
meekly but firmly.
"The idea is simply preposterous
declared Grandmother Hufley' fife-like
voice
"Preposterous indeed" responded
the bassoon. More than preposterous
-disgraceful! mechanic! n common
working man! q house painterw
"He's a fresco-painter, timidly cor
rected Gertrude.
(Which amounts to the same thing"
groaned the bassoon.
Michael Angelo" began Gertrude.
Heaven preserve us" shrilled the
fife; she's bringing some Irishman in
to discussion now! Be silent, miss.
Well not hear another word from you.
And understand distinctly. once and for
all, that if that person calls here to-mor
row, which no doubt he will have the
impertinence and assurance to do, you
are to dismiss him instantly, or We
WtU."
"And endeavor to begin the new year"
the bassoon took up the strain again
Fin manner beftting descendant
of the illustrious Gen. Won Breeks Won
Starch, whose unexampled bravery
made him and Bergen-op-Zoom-the
city of his birth-famous not only
throughout Holland but the entire
world, at time when you were not
dreamed Of"
AS for Great-gran Peeky, she sat
softly rocking to and fro in her cush-
Toned rocker, munching her caraway
biscuits store of which she always
carried in a little sachel suspended at
her side-sleepily regarding the group
of takers, and saying not word her
self. But that was nothing strange for
her. She scarcely ever spoke save in
monosyllables, and never even in them
when Madame Won Breeks Won Starch
and Mistress Huffey were laying down
the law Ga favorite occupation of theirs,
by-the-by) to servants, trades-people or
granddaughter Gertrude. And the last
thing that could have occurred to either
of the amiable lawmakers would have
been the idea of appealing to the old
lady for an opinion on any subject what
ever. 1t sufliced them that she paid
without grumbling the greater part of
the expenses of the household out of the
income which was to cease at her death,
and yet allowed them to manage all
things pertaining to it in their own way
Gertrude-so named by Madame Won
Breeks Won Starch in honor of the
patron saint of Bergen-op-Zoom-had
lost both her parents in her infancy,
and, her father having been reduced to
poverty some time before he died by
various gentlemanly vices, she had been
left wholly dependent upon her three
grandmothers.
OF these Great-gran Peeky was the
mother of Grandmother Huffey, who,
in turn, was the mother of Gertrude's
mother, while Grandma Won Breeks
Won Starch held the same close relation
ship to her father.
The bassoon grandmother was at the
head of the American branch of her
family (she had been Won Breeks Won
Starch herself, and had married cousin
of the same name)-a family of great
prowess and many bags of gold in their
She was tall, stout and solid, with Il
round face, big black eyes, abundant
iron-gray hair and carriage that I'M
mediately suggested to the beholder
the last syllable of her aristocratic
name.
The fife grandmother, five years her
Junior, was directly her opposite, being
short, slim and Timber, with n sharp
cut face, extremely thin fair hair, and
faded blue eyes.
Great-gran Peeky, Notwithstanding
her 50 years, was by far the best-look-
ing of the three Though she did look /
must confess, when munching her cara
way biscuits, somewhat like very nice
meditative old rabbit. Her snowy
white tresses waved prettily above her
still dark eyebrows, beneath which
beamed with mild, dreamy light her
soft brown eyes, and pleasant winter
bloom fingered on her wrinkled face.
1t was from her Gertrude had re.
ceived all the picture books and sugar
plums, almost always bestowed in per
feet silence, that had frightened and
swoetened her childhood, Grandms
Won Breeks Won Starch supplying tn,
lessons in department, and Grandmoth
er Huffey (let me whisper it) the pun
ishments, usually inflicted with q slip
per or the back of hair-brush. But
in spite of the lectures and lessons anC
other disagreeable things, Gertrude lee
a tolerably happy life with her three
grandmothers until her eighteenth birth
day. From that day dated such stric
surveillance, so much sarcasm, so man.
seedlings, that even the hair-brush-and
slipper period seemed 10y comparison
regrettable one. And oil on account o
the young man who came TO fresco tn
parlor ceilings. A handsome youn