The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-06-19
Rur6 HArraH'S WlnY.
A THANKSGIVING SKETCH.

Laughing" replied Aunt Hannah, CURLY, land
she always is laughing nowadays What does make
that girl laugh so much?'
81 hadn't noticed it said Mrs. Harding Gin fact
l have been busy lately haven't had time to
notice But I'm glad If she is any happier.
week or two ago she seemed very sad, and found
her number of times just at nghtfal standing out
under the willow trees near the water-drain, cry
ing"
Just then Samantha Heath the hired girl, gave q
queer little cry, half between cough and sneeze
ana rs Mrs. Harding turned around, she caught her
maid-ofallwork with an unmistakable grin on her
broad face.
"Wen, Samantha" she questioned, rather sharp
~ didn't remark to you at the time about James
low spirits2"
"Yesm,' replied Samantha. with the corners of
her mouth drawing up and the corners of her eyes
drawing down. as she kept on chopping her mince-
pie meat.
"Wel, then3'
ooh nothing" said Samantha, "only Jane is most
ly merry sad, the old song goes, according to
the mood of the girl in the story she is reading The
one now is girl with very red lips and white teeth.
1t seems to suit Jane for her lips are amazing red,
and her teeth white dogs teeth. OF course
SHE overdoes it, but that is natural, suppose"
Mrs. Harding looked at Samantha with ominous
little red spots showing themselves on her yet fair
face.
"Do you mean to tell me that my only daughter
is so simple
the hired girl. "lts the fact. Jane tells me about
it every day when go up to do the chdmber-work;
the girl must have something to occupy her mind,
and she don't have any work to do"
"Thats just it" said Aunt Hannah, interrupting
in her turn, "just the secret. She don't have any
thing to do, and the girls ought to be busy. Now
she might just as well be ohoppng that mince meat
or paring those apples, or crimping those pies, as
any one else"
"Janc never has been very well, you know, Aunt
Hannah"
"she has always been made to think she wasn't"
| replied Aunt Hannah. What Jane needs now is
exercise. Ifshe was romp could stand it; but
for great, tall healthy and hearty girl like her to
sit in her chamber hour after hour, and rock and
| read novels"
| '"Susette' in the Sweet Swans of Savoy always
sat in her chamber" said Samantha; land most all
| the story-book girls do. They always go to Il er
! own rooms.'"
They d go to the kitchen were they my girls"
muttered Aunt Hannah.
! al am sure Janey is not in her room now" said
| Mrs. Harding triumphanty. 'You just said she
was laughing"
"No; of course she not in her room then" re-
| piled Samantha "The girl in the last book she got
| from the library goes out and takes quiet walk
| with happy smile on her lips"
| Good Mrs. Harding really angry now. The
| red spots on her cheeks deepened to carmine,
Jane came slowly and steadily up the walk with
| book in her hand.
"Iook ut that girls stilted unnatural walkp OK
claimed Aunt Hannah. AT her age she ought to
come with Il skip and jump, as unconcous Of her
| feet as u bird is OF its wings. What book have you
| there Jane? Let me see 1t, please" went on Aunt
IEannah as the young girl entered the large, neat
| kitchen, +, ~
| Jane unwillingy handed it over, with sickly
smile.
| "Humphp' said Aunt Hannah where are you
| going, dear?'
| ITO my room," replied Jane, with smile broader
| and scklier than the first one, "when you are
| through with my hook" and she leaned her
| shoulder languidly against the door, clasped her
| slim, white hands in front of her, and looked
through the window.away to the russell hills, witha
smile that showed her white, even teeth, still rest
| ing upon her face
Aunt Hannah and Samantha exchanged chances
and smiles Mrs. Harding saw it, and said, in
| peTemptory tone:
Jane e. up stairs, braid up your hair, take OFF
tibet ridiculous bow from the top of your head, put
| on your every day boots and apron, and then come
down into the kitchen and wash up the baking
| dishes"
Jane slowly turned around, gave her fond mother
d most whitening look, which was copied as nearly
| as possible from character in the story she had
read few days before, and replied, in scornful
! tone:
''Wash the baking dishes Me- Why cannot
Samantha do il? never washed baking dishes in
my life"
! "Time you had" said Aunt Hannah who had
| tucked the book under her apron and gone on with
| her apple-paring.
Jane went up stairs to her room, but quite forgot
! to come down again. and Samantha washed up the
| dishes.
Gust as told you," said the hired girl to Aunt
| Hannah. "She won't do anything but read those
foolish stories from the circulating library vt the
drug store and then act out the characters they tell
| about"
II was Thanksgiving time Guests had been IN
| .i.or to do
always been just such times at the farmhouse ever
| since Jane could remember; but she had never as
| sisted She was the only daughter, and had been
| brought up i'll the useless way that many of the
| only daughters are brought up in in the homes Of
farmers even, where mistaken mothers often say:
"My girls shall have the easy times that have
! missed IN my life"
The next morning Aunt Hannah said TO
| Samantha, privately:
"Don't You want to go home to Thanksgiving my
good girl?'
| .,Yes. maam, the very worst way" quickly said
| the faithful domestic. 'My brothers. folks have
written for me, and there's to be a big faIniy
| gathering but can't 60"
''You shall 90, and what's more you Shall stay
! two weeks" said Aunt Hannah, resoluteIy. ''and
your wages shall go on all the same. Say to Mrs
! Harding tonight that you must 30. Jane shall do
your work."
"Oh, she can'tP
"she can and she shah, said Aunt Hannah. 81
| will put my shoulder TO the wheel. Don't you
worry now; just give out that you must go home
! this year"
50, just after the mail came in, Samantha said to
| her mistress
II want to 70 home TO Thanksgiving awfully."
'You ought to co. put IN Aunt Hannah. lyon
! shall go tomorrow, and be gone fortnight. will
| pay your railroad fare"
| "But what shall we dor said Mrs Harding look
ing really appalled,. 1T is impossible to hire help
at this season; and there's time to look for any,
| either"
Il am here, dear sister, said Aunt Hannah-as #
| that covered all grounds Of objectiOn-"and Jane
shall help viii hire her my assistant, and pay
her three dollars week--and the work viii do her
| good"
Jane was not committed; TO be sure, but she did
not dare rebel against good, whoe-sOnled Aunt
! Hannah who was n person Of consequence in the
| family, beingS childlcss widow with considerable
means at her own disposal. Samantha went, and
Jane took herplace.
"Oh, am TO be dish washer" said Aunt Hannah,
as Jane reluctantly went toward the sink tho
ing Of the hired girls departure. "You know how
70 wash dishes well enough, dare say, although
there Is a right way as well q wrong way To wash
! dishes but you win learn by seeing me. ] can wash