The Portland daily press., 1886-08-10
NANNY'S DoINcS.
New England Farmer.


at beats all Mater" remarked Uncle Eph-
rain Comstock, wiping his mouth on ms
shirt sleeve; he had just taken a. long, salts
flying draught from the dripping bucket
pulled up from the well. Il declare for it,
Betsey, it does beat all mater.
"What?" asked Mrs. Comstock, glanclng
D; she was Smelling early peas in the porch,
and her fingers kept on in the work, While
her eyes locked at her husband, and her ears
listened for what he had to say What Is
beating mattel? -
family as Aaron Pettibone hed?"
Mrs. Comstock laughed, that mellow, shak-
ing laugh, peculiar to very stout people, I'M
til the tiny green globes dropping into the
shining pan in her lap, danced merry llg
each successive birth in the Pettibone family,
Uncle Ephraim had made the same remark.
1t had nothing of novelty for his wife, yet
she laughed. ~
RAIN" >,
oval, it is true enough to be said again, ;"
was the rejoInder. st is a terrible family;
seven on 'em, and all galsl And not boy
to kinder keep the name when Aaron is
gone, as he is now, poor man. Time was
when the Pettibones was as prosperous as
any family in the county. do. say it goes
agfn mater, Betsey, and you can jest laugh, eff
you want TO-.
Betsey smiled int her pan of peas.
am thinking SOUl& Oh tuCu GGblDOAC
gals won't hey great sight OF trouble ABOUT
keeping the name," she said.
oval, whatever they are. going to DO is
more than know" continued MIR. Com
stock, meditatiyely swapping a. pea pod and
shelling its contents into his capaelouss
mouth. "They hev got the house, sech as it
is, and half an acre of ground; but that
won't feed and cl0the seven on email gals.
Now eff there was boy"
(Which there amt" interrupted Mrs.
Comstock, 'and mebbe it is good thing.
Only sons amt mostly dependence, Delng 100
fond of themselves" :,
Meanwhile in the small, nO-eolorcd dwell
ing which, with the small half acre OF Land,
comprised Aaron Petitioners sole legacy 10
his daughters, the seven Misses PettlDone
were discussing ways and means; though, TO
be sure, there was very little choice of ways,
and no means to speak of. They were az
alone in the world now, since the death OIL
their father fortnight before, the motner
having died year or more PREVIOUSLY Eacn
one of them wore tiny knot OF Grape In her
hair
"We haven't any money, so we cannot al
ford to buy mourning" Nanny, the nth
Miss pettibone, had explained to Mrs. Dea-
con Parmalee, a neishbor. There are SO
many of us, you know; and l am not sure
papa would have desired IL, anyway, 80 per
hapS it is just as well" ,
But it was her own idsa-the wearing OF
these badges of black-whieh seemed to give
some outward recognition of their bereave-
ment, and the others fell in with her.
They were assembled in the sitting roomp
that sunshiny, summer day. 1t was small
room, and very properly, since the furniture,
being of the most meagre description, nlgnt
have been quite lost in larger apartment.
But the curtains, the metamorphosls OF
muslin gown anciently belonging TO MISS MISS
Abigail, the eldest of the seven, blew alrily
out from the windows, in at which the cllmD,
ing roses peeped; the little old-fashloned
fireplace was filled with branches OF ever
green, held up by pair OF brass anairons
polished to resplendency; and there were
various dainty devices formed OF pressed
ferns and autumn leaves, together with
great many cost-nothings (else they would
scarcely have found place there, feminine
nicknacks, disposed about the room, really
redeeming it from the poor, c0mfortless ap-
Oearance which it must otherwise have pre-
scented.
There had been silence of some minutes
following Mrs AbigaiPs declaration that,
Something must be DONE.
1t was broken presently by the youngest
of the family a bright title maiden In the
first of her teens, with very decided talent
for music.
Tiff papa's salary could 60 on, we
might do just as we. have"
my dear Bessie" said Angelina, with the
not unusual touch of sarcasm in her tones
''do be sensible. There is no if in the mat
ter"
Angel ma was the second Miss Pettibone,
and she had long since turned the first "old
maids corner" as Bessie expressed herSelf.
She stood beside Abigail now. Abigail was
short and brown, with swapping black eyes,
and hair in which threads of gray were be-
ginning to show. Angelina was tall and
blonde, with certain thinness OF form ana
voice which gave promise Of sharpening into
angnlarity and sourness.
Bessie's brow contracted, and there were
Of onnroanhinO storm NannV MT
a. arm around her.
"a tsNTeyer mind baby" she whispered, and
iust then Miss Abigail cleared her throat to
speak.
"Deacon Parmalee has offered me the
school at -Four Corners for year," she SAID.
"The salary is very small. can manage
nicely for myself, but -
sYSou can't help support the rest of us"
said Angelina, with no small degree Oh as s
cerbity. swell, it is each one for hlmSeH,
as the children say. And Shail marry "i'
Briggs" ..,oo
like the lull which always precedes the tenn
pest, and then the chorus of eXpostulatlohs
HOh, Angel"
"That old widower!'
"And those six childrenp
81 wouldn't, Angelinal'' said the eldest
sister, shortly.
Neither would certain quasi historical
parsonage, commonly denominated Jack,
partake Of his evening meal, Abbie."
Miss Abigail, though she Redeemed, smiled
little contemptuously;
WEEK you must please yoTrsetlbf ,n, she she
yes Gertrude the third sister, a tall,
dark-haired girl of twenty-four years, broke
in. sand Bertha and have spoken OF going
down to Scovill. Mr.. Howe mas advertised ed
three dollaIs week, at first, and we thought,
Bertha and /, that we could hire room and
get along on that until we could do some
thing better. We used to see Mrs. Howe