McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-11-27
AUNT DINAH'S TURKEY.
Detroit Free Press.

Aunt Oman was very short and very
fat. In fact so obese was she that when
she waddled down the streets of Live
Oak she looked like an animated bale
of cotton tied in the middle with a piece
of ribbon, and topped off with an &C.
centric red head 'kerchief.
So fat was she that, unlike others of
her race, and also, for that matter, of
the Caucasian, the hot weather did not
bring from her sooty individuality wa
ter by way of perspiration, but evolved
a distinct outpouring and suggestive
smell of frying grease.
Aunt Dinah was very black. Her
complexion had been deepened by the
turmoil of some so years until it was
like the shadow of a midnight storm,
black, gloomy and peculiar. But this
darkness and gloom that might other
wise have exercised depressing effect
upon humanity in general and children
in particular, was cOntradicted by a
pair of the kindest eyes ever placed in
such dark setting.
Aunt Dinah's eyes were revelation
worth going miles to see, so good
humored, so tender and benefcient were
they in all their varied lights and shad-
OWS. lHcy WcIc oIuc NluuoWS VI HeI
soul, which was as clean as little
child's, and they represented a heart
overlooking with hearty good will
toward all the world, save only and eX-
cept-her husband.
That vague, restless and uncertain
person had no share IN the argess of her
charity.
The chateau of our friend Aunt Dinah
was about two miles from town, and
had a neat and cosy appearance that
attracted the admiration of aesthetic in
dividuals who CHANGED to pass that
way. 1t was located about 800 yards
from the country road, built of hewn
logs, the style of architecture not being
laid down in any established text book.
1t consisted of two large rooms,
rude fireplace in each. The furniture
was of primitive but comfortable de-
scription, and everything about the
house was as clean as soap and water
could make it.
In front of the house was pond,
covering about half an acre of ground,
lined on three sides with dwarf oaks
and persimmon trees. The side 'front.' |
ing the house was open, and a we'll
worn path led to it. 1t was ornamented
and glorified by rustic bench, on
which usually reposed two immense
wash tubs.
The pond was a beautiful sheet of |
water, covered with green ''bonnets,'
interspersed with broken rails, and an
occasional defunct chicken. Its bottom |
was deliciously soft and Shiny black
mud, through which deadly snakes
glided and glode.
From the broken rails plethoric turtles
of different genesis dozed in the blazing
sunshine, or cast inquiring glances over
the surrounding landscape.
Once in awhile some adventurous
heron, long of bill and white of plum
age, would drift down among the
<'bonnets," dive and delve little in
the mud and water, and then resume
his aimless wandering.
Back of the house was an acre of
garden, mass of long cellards, pota-
toes and other vegetables. There was
a chicken-coop and pig-pen outside the
garden, the division line of these being
huge hve-oak. One of its huge roots,
tired of the gloom and shadow of its
life below, had crawled out upon the
sward, and, proud of the light and sun,
had developed into comfortable seat.
Here was Aunt Dinah' favorite resting
place when the shadows of the night
scame down and the labors of the day
were proven.
Here she could commune with ma
ture, listen to the mysterious whisper
ing among the mighty pines around her
and make up her mind as to which
chicken she would kill when the preach
er made his next parochial visit. +
Tumbled and rolled in the dust be-
fore her, or, leaning against her capa-
cious knees, drifted off into dreamland
Cufee, aged 10, and Lille, aged 6,
pledges of love left in her care by that
third husband, whose No. IA feet never
door.
Aunt Dinah was washerwoman by
profession, and a right good one, too.
Her clientage embraced goodly por-
ton of the town and from her lines
dangled heincomprehensible garments
of the bellies, the elaborate toggery of
the beaux, as well as the anromantic
but highly useful equipments of the
fathers of the hamlet.
Six days in the week, or rather the
a. ms of those days, Aunt Dinah stood
at the wash-tub with its coronal of soap
suds, batting stick in hand, engaged in
the work of cleanliness, and as she
worked she sang with resounding mel
Ody-
CPS sheep wants washin',
rs sheep wants washin',
rs sheep wants washin',
In de sabin pool.'' II
Cuffee and Lille spread the clothes to
dry, worked in the garden and made
themselves generally useful in many
ways.
Meanwhile Aunt Dinah was very hap s