Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-04-20
Aunt Tabitha's Mission.
BY ADA NJ. TRoTTER.

"Ialk of Peter the Hermit" eiacu-
iateo aunt Tabitha, as she walked into
Her neEhew's house, 81 wished | could
moist banner and attract some attention
70 GOD A'mighty's laws of health
Johns house was as pretty as GOOD
taste could make it when hampered by
small means, but Aunt Tabitha viewed
1t with disfavor
Her healthy sense of smell at once
detected that no windows had been
opened In the reception room since the
previous evening. The dir was heavy
with gas, and the portieres seemed
specially designed to impede ventila-
ton.
Up went the windows in a trice. the
Portlers were pulled back, and Aunt
Iabltha stood by the door, swinging it
iGa PACK and forth to drive out the close air.
lhls done to her satisfaction, she went
upstairs IN answer to the call of:
Auntie, do come up and speak to me. :"
The speaker was lying on couch in
darkened room, which also bore tokens
to Aunt Tabitha's keen senses of lack of
ventilation. Before saying a word to
the Invalid, she threw oven the window
and letln some fresh air, laden with sun
beams.
''Oh, Aunt Tabitha, please don't. I've
got such an awful cold"
THAT is only too evident to the eye,n
replied Aunt Tabitha. II hate to look
at an unhealthy person. Your hair has
lost its lustre, your cheeks are sallow.
your eyes red and watery, and YOU look
decrepid generally. Preserve me from
ayoung woman who goes in for enjoy
ment of poor health"
AUNT Tabitha, how can you be so
cruel? You know can't help being so
delicate. just get one cold on an
other, j." said her niece.
II don't see any reason why you, at
twenty-five, should be less healthy than
l, at sixty years of age" said Aunt
Iabltha. II must say I am sorry for
This was too much for Mary, sweet
tempered though she might be. She
sat up and looked at this dreadful Aunt
Tabitha, who sat up smiling and brisk,
very young for her sixty years.
"Sorry for John!n she cried. "Why.
auntie, you know he is just wrapped up
in me-"
"Well, with my experience of man
kind, should say he'd soon get un-
wrapped, " said Aunt Tabitha, suddenly
holding ahand glass in front of her niece.
"Look pretty, don't you?"
Marry was not vain woman, still she
colored with annoyance. Then she
sneezed violently and took refuge again
in her pillows.
'Tm not fit to talk to anyone to-dav,n
she SAID. do come and see me another
time, auntie."
"You want me to go, I see. Well,
Im not going till I've had my say, and
II you are woman of sense, you will
listen and give up once for all this semi
invalid condition which IS making you
an old woman before your time.n
but, auptie, ] can't help myself.
catch one cold on another, and it Just
keeps me weak"
"You catch cold because you do not
obey the simple laws necessary t. keep
your body in healthy condition"
Laws | can't see what laws have to
do with me-" replied Mary, Grossly.
''Keep to the laws of health.n said
Aunt Tabitha, "and be strong; break
them and be sick.n
ST don't break them," said Mary.
1.-The long and the short of the matter
is this: l am delicate woman, and the
climate is too severe for me. The doctor
says ought to go to Florida"
"Bosh! You are my own niece and |
know you started with fair constitu
tion. Apply your common sense to your
daily life and you can be we'll woman
in a few weeks" cried Aunt Tabitha,
with spirit.
ooh, if only could" groaned Mary,
with another sneeze.
'If I lived as you do, improperly
clothed, fed and warmed, | should
soon be in your condition." said her
aunt.
"Aunt Tabitha!n
81 mean it. Nature has given you a
large frame, but you ignore the fact, and
make your waist SO small, you look like
a dyspeptic wasp"
II never knew anyone who could say
such unkind things as you do" said
Mary, with laugh.
"Oh, that's my mission" cried Aunt
Tabitha. 'I'm for common sense versus
drugs"
well, go on; l suppose I've got to
hear your lecture some time or another"
groaned Mary, with spasm of sneezing.
Gas the case stands" said Aunt
Tabitha, II am decidedly sorry for John.
Money is spent lavishly on medicines and
tonics for you-money that should be in
vested in real estate, or in buying books
and pleasures for you both. Now, instead
of this aDDlV common genae to uour
daily life. If you are downstairs have
your bedroom window open, so as to
keep the air pure for the night. If you