Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-01-05

/ - $3.50 80 AAsssAs anu IL P0l "ssS
kept in such state of trimness and
cleanliness as to be altogether miser-
able. No more mud-pies or making Of
dams in wayside cutters for me after
Aunt James arrival
At first 1 regarded this singing of
me out and making me special vic
tim to soap and water as piece of
premeditated and objectionable malice
on Aunt James part. and it was some
years before my parents could make
me believe that it was really mark OF
special favor, and that Aunt Jane liked
me better than she did any of my
brothers and sisters. Even after
came to know that this was true, was
ungrateful enough to say that / didn't
care for affection that fed on wash-rags
and soap and combs and towels.
But more agreeable proofs of Aunt
James preference for me began to
manifest themselves in bits of candy
and liguorice root, with now and then
a red apple or freshly-baked cooky
slipped quietly into my hand when no
one was around to witness the trans
action. For Aunt Jane seemed to think
that show of affection was nothing
| but weakness. Like other women l
have known, she kept careful and cruel
guard over her emotions. and never
allowed her fondness for any person to
| appear. in word or deed.
Even when she made one of these
surreptitious gifts to me. she would
accompany it by words the reverse Of
atfectionate.
Here. you little scamp. take this
and clear out with your she would
say; or: Take this cooky and don't
come into my sight again to-day or
I'll pull your nose for you!"
But when was ten years old l acct
dentally plunged head-firs into bar
rel of rain-water standing under the
kitchen caves. My brother JEFF. an
excitable and nervous youth, younger
than myself, raced into the kitchen and
terrified the household by his announce
ment of the catastrophe.
"Ben's tumble heels over head into
the rain-water bar'l, and unless he can
breathe with his feet, he II he drowned
sure"
In less than half minute Aunt Jane
had me by the non-breathing heels and
had landed me, limp and apparently
lifeless. on the grass.
Comical as the situation seemed, it
came very near resulting in a tragedy.
for l was with difficulty restored to
consciousness. They carried me up
stairs and put me to bed. where l lay
in a stupor for long time. l was
aroused from it by some one kissing
my lips and gently stroking my brow
and still damp hair. Iopened my eyes
and looked full into the grim, but now
tear-stained face of Aunt Jane.
She instantly drew herself up rigidly,
looked very much abashed, and said,
sharply:
"Now You were smart, weren't you,
to go plunging into that rain-water
barrel and spoil all your clean clothes?
If you were my boy, should attend to
you for it. Now you go to sleep. and
see if you can keep out of rain-water
barrels after this. l never did see the
like of you for making mischiefr'
l believe that Aunt Jane was bold
enough to have lei an army into battle,
or fearlessly to have faced any danger
that might threaten her in the day
light.
lay stress on the W ord daylight be-
cause Aunt Jane was an arrant coward
at night. She had strange and unac-
countable horror of the darkness She
never went out alone after dark, and
would hurry breathlessly though dark
halls and passages in our house. She
was always looking for a man under
all the beds in the house. and jeff and
often wondered what would become
of the always-eXpected but never forth
coming gentleman should Aunt Jane
at last discover him. We believed that
she would faint away Immediately, and
that the intruder would have no diff
Guilty in making his escape.
jeff and l were lads of fourteen and
fifteen when we conceived the brilliant
idea of giving Aunt Jane a fright. We
were so pleased with the idea that We
giggled over it for an hour after it
occurred to us.
Our plan was that one Of us should
personate burglar. and conceal him
self under Aunt James bed. We
pulled chickens "wish-bone" to de-
eide who should have the perilOus but
delightful honor of personating the
burglar.
The longer piece remained in JETS
hands. and the post of distinction was
thus conferred upon him; but I was to
conceal myself behind a very large up
holstered chair in corner of the room
and witness the fun"
That ToH ord I uonf nm IN