Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-11-09
Aunt Mittable's Things.

The orange glow of the March twi-
light threw the leafess copses into
strong relief; the little brook had
| burst it's thick crust of ice, and sang
merrily under the velvet fringes OF
the willows, and up from the
woods there came an indescribable
odor of spring. A red flag rolled up
| and tied around its stick by hemp
string, lay just inside the yard, when
Mrs. Grigson came in with the last
pail of water that she should ever
draw from that old we'll. She sighed
as she filled the squat copper kettle
and hung it over the fire.
"The auction sale is to be to-mor-
row." said she, ''and | never was so
glad of anything in all my born days.
Sech time as I've had cleanin' up
and scrubbin' down and scourin' and
polishln' There amt bone in my
body but aches.''
"It's all time and trouble thrown
away" sepulchrally observed Miss
Ketchum, who dropped in on her way
from the store; "the old traps won't
sell for sixpence apiece-you see
if they do"
s'But the things amt no nse to
me-" said Mrs. Grigson. ''and need
little money so awful bad AS for
the poor luck I've had, right straight
through. there amt no calculatln' it..
Eff 1 was to tell you, Martha Ketch-
um, you wouldn't believe it. Even
down to my last gold dollar!''
ssEh?" said Miss Ketchum. Be-
ing of melancholy turn, she liked
to hear sad recitals, although per-
sonally her sympathies were enlisted
on the Widow Grigson's side.
"Why, it was last week." said
Mrs. Grigson, in the level, complain
ing tone that always reminded you
of the little brook down in the hol-
low, s.brother Lyman left his little
Brazil monkey here overnight. He
was a calculatin' to sell it to Mrs.
Gartney's little boy, John Henry.
And eff you'll believe me, the mis'a-
BILE critter swalered the gold dollar
I'd left on my bureau to pay the meat
peddler with, and dropped my silver
specs down the WELL"
"La!" said Miss Ketchum.
81 seen him champin' it between
his Jaws" said Mrs. Grigson.
"'and shake and squeeze him as
L would, couldn't get it out Of him p
| "Wel, l never did - remarked
the guest.
cit did seem as eff that was the
| last straw that broke the camePs
back" sighed Mrs. Grigson. "Broth
Ell Lyman he was dreadful consarned
about it, but he couldn't do nothin
for me. He offered to kill the mon
KEY, but knowed how disappointed
John Henry Gartney would be, and
, arter all, the critter had only acted
/ accordin' ito it's natur' and they wa:
to pay brother Lyman dollar and /;
half for him. AS for the specs
brother Lyman fished up with Ions
pole with crooked pin hitched ol
to the end of 1t. The glasses wa
y broke, but the frames is good yet
n Pm calkilatin' to get 'em mende'
: when"
wonder how much the feather
h bed III 90 for!' said Miss Ketchum
breaking in on the monotonous re
frain.
"There amt no tellin'." said Mrs
Grigson. ''They're dreadful old
: Aunt Mttable she'd KEEP house fo
forty year, and never had nothin
: new. l don't s'pose an auction sal
s will pay, but what else could | d
: with all the old dutls? Squire Dag
gett wants possession of the place q
= once, and"
e CANT gwine to sell these 'er
g plants, be yep said Miss Ketchun
nodding towards a green-painte
y stand in the corner.
= ''Brother Lyman thought the
a might fetch few cents, said Mrs
Grigson. "And the stand ought
J. be worth quarter of dollar. ]
st had new coat of paint a year age
st 1 give one J'rusalem cherry-tree t
D Abigail Barton for heIpin' me t
;, clean out the old cupboards. She
:, been dreadful neighborly, and sh
" wouldn't take penny for what sh
er did,"
n "More fool she,' curtly observe
= Miss Ketchum. "I'd like that montl
~ ly rose with the striped blooms on it.
"It is pretty" said Mrs. Grigsor
D. ignoring the broad hint. "And
h. guess it'll sell cheap. I'd like SON
lie friend to have it, for the slip it grow
'g ed from was give me by Grigson tt
~ ~ very first year we were married"
w And as she was not invited to sta
to tea, Miss Ketchum at last wei
ay away, leaving Mrs. Gugson sittin
at sorrowfully before the fire of discarc
O. ed barrel slaves, ruinous packin
~ boxes, ancient chair legs and Woo
~ ~ en- stools which had absolutely r
* fused to be made capable of furth'
v. service. 'sAunt Mittable'- '-whit
q, name was a perversion of the GOO
TX old New England pranomen Mehit
1t. ble-had been all the mother she hs
= known, and it seemed loneson
: enough to be sitting there in the lon