Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-04-29
SYLVIA'S SKATES
BY HELEN FOREST GRAVES.

at amt the way l was brought up"
said Mrs. Gerard. ''In the days when
was a girl, we used to be satisfied to
sit down and sew, and make table
linen and bed-quilts, against we got a
chance of good husband. We never
went skating, or rushed about playing
lawn-tennis. If we had any leisure
time after the COWS were MIXED, and
the butter and cheese looked after,
and the hOusewOrk done up we learned
to use our needles"
But | don't see any chances of a
good husband for me, Mrs. Gerard, +"
said Sylvia, saucily. "There are only
two single men in Bustleboro, and one
is the Methodist minister, who is 60
odd, and the other is old Jack Dodd,
who hasn't got his full wits, and has
to be watched by his little nieces and
nepheWs."
"Who knows what may happen ?"
said the old lady, oracularly.
81 wish my Cousin Chester would
comehome, sighed Sylvia, leaning her
plump, white chin on one hand, as she
stared out over the wintry landscape
Perhaps" and her eyes sparkIed
mischievously, che might fall in love
with me-"
Mrs. Gerard bristled all over at this
audacious suggestion.
Fall in love with you, indeed - said
she. ''Why, you are the last person
in the world L would consent to his
marrying!"
Sylvla's cOuntenance fell; she red
dened to the very roots Of her hair.
She had only been in sport when
she uttered her words, but Mrs. &C.
rard had evidently accepted them IN
good faith.
'FWhy not ?" the girl asked.
''Folks can't skate through life!"
said Mrs. Gerard, satirically "Nor
get cookery receipts out of novel
books; nor mend stockings with your
fine Kensington stitches [ want Ches-
ter's wife to be a real helpmeet to him;
not a mill stone slung around his
neck"
"Wen, you need not be alarmed, !"
said Sylvia, flushed with unspoken re
sentiment. crest assured, Mrs. Ge-
rard, shall never marry your son!"
"|Then We'll both be satisfied said
the old lady, philosophically; "and
now you'd better go and get those
rolls of calico and we'll pick out some
pieces for a patchwork quilt"
Sylvia glanced out at the diamond
brightness of the snow covered fields
and wales.
ooh, Mrs Gerard said she, "the
pond by Duton's Mill is crowded with
skaters, and the ice is perfect, and
was longing to go there this after
noon!"
CAL the loafers in the neighborhood
are there, and all the giddy-headed
girls" retorted Mrs. Gerard. "It'sno
place for you to be SEEN"
"Well, then, mayn't [ go down on
the river?" pleaded Sylvia, eagerly.
81 do want to skate! Oh, it is ex-
actly as if you were bird, flying
through the keen, cold air and the
sunshine Mayn't go, Mrs Gerard /?
Do say yes!''
Mrs. Gerard compressed her lips.
II never did approve of skating, F"
said she, "and | never shall. In my
days, girls were girls and boys were
boys"
'3Horrid old womanp thought poor
Sylvia, ready to cry. 'But at least,
she hasn't absolutely forbidden me.
And the ice is like glass, and [ have
been shut III the house for three days,
chopping sausage-meat and darning
pillow-cases. Oh, [ must have one
more skate, if [ die for it I"
Sylvia Seton was Mrs. Gerard IS
second cousin, who, deprived of her
sole remaining parent by death had
come to live with her. She was not
altogether dependent upon her rela-
tions-in fact, she had 800 year OF
her own.
Enough" said Mrs. Gerard, "to
clothe you nicely and pay all your lit
tie odd expenses; and you can earn
your board and lodging by helping me
around the hOuse-and be a lot OF
company for me into the bargain.
Bustleboro's an awful lonesome place,
and there's days and days when me
and the cat sits and looks at each
other all day long without a soul cross
ing the threshold.'1
Mrs Gerard was kind hearted old
lady, full of generous impulses. Syl-
via was affectionate and clinging in
her nature, and yet the two women
somehow did not agree.
Mrs. Gerard adhered steadfastly to
the traditions Of a past generation.
Sylvia had grown up according to