Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-12-22
Aunt Roxy's Turnover.
BY KATE S. GATES


cooling.
Aunt Roxy herself had just run over to
her next-door neighbor's. Teddy had
been outdoors playing, but came in for q
drink of water, and scented the turnover
the moment he came into the kitchen.
He was hungry-as boys of his size are
apt to be most of the time-and it did
smell so nice and spicy it fairly made his
mouth water.
My mariner would give it to me-" he
said to himself
But Aunt Roxy was not mariner" and
had O law as fixed and interchangeable as
those OF the Modes and Persians-that
Vhen Teddy was visiting her he must sat =
Tsfy his hunger between meals with bread
and butter.
1t was good enough for me-" she said,
when l was q child, and think it is for
You. Anyway, it is all that you will got
when you are under my care. Too much
pie and cake is bad for your stomach"
So Teddy shifted the air and eyed the
tempting turnover wistfully.
Aunt Roxy did make beautiful turn
overs.
MY mariner would let me have it, re-
peated Teddy, and don't see why Aunt
Roxy need mind. Mariner said, when 1
came way, if l wasn't sure about any
she'd want to have me, and l don't be-
lieve she would want me to go hungry
when there was nice little turnover Just
the right size for my hungriness. Aunt
Roxy wouldn't want mo to, either, if she
knew as much about little boys stomachs;
but, long rs she don't know, should
think might as well do as my mother
would say"
1t was such jolly juicy turnover. Ted
dy went up to it, and put one little hand on
it lovingly.
Conscience tried hard to whisper some
thing to him about mammals wanting her
little laddie to be always good and true,
and never do anything to be ashamed of.
but Teddy would not listen to any such
counsels.
You'd better run right away quick,
Teddy" pleaded the inward monitor.
But it's differenter than as if mariner
wouldn't let me have it. I'm her boy;
l don't blong to Aunt Roxy, reasoned
Ted, with persistency worthy of better
cause.
A few minutes later little boy crept
out of the back door in guilty sort Of
fashion, and one pocket bulged out suspi-
ciously.
He went to the farther corner of the or
chard and sat down in the shade of tree
to devour his ill-gotten treasure, but
somehow it did not taste quite SO good to
him as he expected, and Furthermore, as
it disappeared, he began to be troubled in
spirit concerning Aunt Roxy.
She would be sure to question him in
regard to it. What would she say when
she found that he had taken it against
her express command? Oh, if he could
only put it back where he found it!
But however earnestly he might wish
that, like many On older transgressor,
Teddy found it impossible to undo what
he had done.
He heard the clock strike twelve, but
could not get courage enough to go to
dinner, SO he sat there under the tree,
hungry, tired and-oh, SO homesick!
The longer he waited the harder it
seemed to meet his aunt.
Il wish there hadn't never, never been
any such things as turnovers, and l want
my mother" he said, with great sob at
the last.
1t was about night when a detected
looking little lad crept in the back way
and tip-toe up stairs; but all in vain.
Teddy" called Aunt Roxy, from the
sitting room, lis that you? want to see
you"
1t seemed to Ted that his feet were
made of lead, and that his heart would
surely pop out of his mouth, it beat SO
hard and fast.
Now, it so happened that Aunt Roxy
was coming across the street just as Teddy
came out of the house in the morning,
and, being very shrewd sort of person,
she mistrusted instantly just what had
happened, and as she was also very de
cided in her views, she was quite indig-
nant with her young nephew.
There was an ominous brightness in her
eyes, and Teddy saw it. 1t made his heart
beat faster yet. Oh, if mother was only
here!
Did you happen to see anything of a
turnover in the pantry window this morn
ing?" she asked.
But there was no tender love nor pity in
her tones, as there would have been in
mariners"
There is no one in this wide world like
ones mother. Teddy felt, oh, SO sure of
that, as he stood trembling before his
aunt; too terrified to answer her.
Look at me and answer my question,
Teddy"
1t seemed to Teddy that his eyes were'
fairly glued to his copper toes.
did you see anything of that turnover?
Say yes or no-quick!"
1t was an awful minute of hesitation to
Teddy. Then he did what he had never
done before in his life-told an out-and-
out lie.
mo, didn't" he said.
And then he turned and fairly ran up
stairs to his room. What had he done?
MY true little laddie, mamma called
him. Keep your lips unstained from
falsehood, Teddy, always. / shall love to
kiss them SO much better, she had said to
him once. And he had meant so surely
to keen them clean for her sake
But now he had told lie, dreadful
lie, that mamma hated SO. Would she
ever want to kiss him again? How could
he live if she did not?
4 am going homo to my mother, he
sobbed.
But how could he? She would be so
ashamed and so sorry; that would be
hardest of all. What should he do?
You've been q naughty boy, but, if
were in your place, I'd get rid Of as much
of it as could" whispered conscience.
I'D run right down and confess to Aunt
Roxy. Maybe mamma won't feel quite SO
bad if you do all you can to make it right.
wonder if you have any idea how hard
it seemed to do that1 Nothing but the
hope that it would wash off some of that
dreadful stain gave him courage enough to
do it.
"He actually lied to me-he o Miller,
and the Miller word was always as good ss
. b0ndr said Aunt Roxy, over and over to
herself. in a Mortified way.
So wrapped in painful thought was she
that she did not hear the door open, nor
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