Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-02
DAME WORRY.
Aunt WinnIfred's Recipe for Getting e
Rid of Her.
n. Y. Observer.

aunt Winnifred! many more DAYS
like this will drive me wild. Every
thi2g has gone wrong from beginning
to end, and if this life is to go on |
shall grow gray and wrinkled before
/ am eighteen"
And there were actually two deep
furrowS between Bette Orton's pretty
brown eyes. which the ruddy freight
of Aant Winnifred'S cheerful open
fire made only the more conspicuous.
Aunt Winnifred was one of those
rare women whom life of great trial
had sweetened and whose restful calm
of manner and loving heart attracted
the confidence of every one who knew
her. OF all the girls in Stafford, who
loved to call her "Aunt Winnifred, !"
none came to her for help and advice
so often as Rettie Orton, upon whose
shoulders her mother's death f1vo
years before had thrown the care of a
large household.
Beitie's home was only two doors
from Aunt Winnifred's cosy cottage,
and on this special evening she gladly
seized the first opportunity for chat
with her ever sympathizing old friend.
''Why, what has gone wrong with
my Bette to dayi" said Aunt Winni-
fred.
''Well, in the first place." responded
Aettie, "breakfast was late again as
usual, which fretted papa and worried
me so shat we talked about it most of
breakfast time. Then I had to super
intend a stupid dressmaker all day,
which always worries me dreadfully.
She cut my sleeves too short, and
when she saw J. was annoyed, grew SO
nervous she made witchwork of every
thing. And what should papa do but
bring a strange gentleman home to
dinner, which didn't happen to be a
very good one, and that worried me.
To cap the climax, an important letter
which | have been expecting every
mail, didn't come to day either! So
here I am, Aunt Winnifred, and I
want you to comfort me-"
''Ah, Bette, said Aunt Winnifred,
/ see you are becoming too well ac>
quainted with an old enemy of mine
whom [ managed to srop long years
ago"
Bette looked mystifed, as well she
might.
"You like to guess riddles" con-
tinued Aunt Winnifred," now guess
this. This old woman whom l do not
want you TO know tries her best to be
intimate with everybody. She gen
orally succeeds better with women
than men, and with older rather than
with young people. lean not bear to
see her acquire any influence over a
young girl like you, fer though she
disguIses herself at first, little by little
she gets stronger hold over one till
/ her victims whole life Is made wretch
ed. She is particularly fond of ner-
vous or sick people, but she ingrati-
ates herself with strong ones also.
Nothing rejoices her SO much as an
unexpected and unfortunate event of
any kind. Her friends became gray
and wrinkled long before they ought
to, and, in short, she's a person to be
avoided, to be fought away inch By
inch. Have you guessed her name?
1t is Dame Worry u
Bette smiled. She always enjoyed
Aunt Winnifred's quaint way OF put
ting things.
''Do you see, Bette" continued
Aunt WinRifred, IF YOU once let
Dame Worry get firm hold on you
she will. little by little, slowly, per
haps, but surely, destroy your peace
of mind just as the little flame here
will in time consume this large log,
which | have just put on the fire."
"Well," assented Betty, granted
then that am beginning to become
too well acquainted with Dame Worry,
how am [ to get rid of hera"
''Shall I tell you my own ex-
perience9 When [ was your age.
Bette, too had a great deal of care.
and found by degrees that was be-
coming real worrier. At last even
a trife would be enough to destroy
my happiness for whole day, and