The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-10-18
BACKYARD STUDIES.
Aunt Matilda's Observations from
Her Back Window.


Her Back Window.
= When Aunt Matilda came TO visit
~ and insisted on having back
Dom, we were greatly disappointed.
FER sister Matte and l had spent weeks
bf our precious vacation time in max
Ing all sorts OF pretty nothings TO
Peautify the guest-chamber for her
occupancy. We had not seen Aunt
Matilda for ten years. In that time
LATHE and had grown from little
iris to young ladies in our teens and
nembers Of the high school. The
rlncipal things could remember
bout Aunt Matilda were her pretty
gray curls and gold-rimmed glasses.
and that when she visited US always
had on a fresh. white pinafore, and she
would say 70 me:
Come here. my dear. and let me
wipe my glasses on your clean apron. :"
Very proudly would comply with
her request. for we considered IL q
great honor to wear any thing clean
enough to come In contact with her
polished gold spectacles- Then when
she had used one corner OF the pima
lore 50 carefully as not to leave rum
le she would pass her plump. warm
hand over my curls and say:
'sWhat tall girl you are growing,
1etty. my child. l hope you are a
good girl at school and always mind
your teacher"
And I would answer: ''Yes. ma'am,"
very timidly and go back to my scat
\on high, hair-covcred chair, where |
would make desperate effort to sit
straight and keep from sliding or.
Father had moved West-away out
20 Colorado--and. ms said, we had
not seen Aunt Matilda for ten years
when we received the welcome news
that she was coming TO pay US visit
and we all resolved not TO let her go
away from Us again IL we could help
. It. Perhaps this was the reason we
had taken such extra pains with the
guest chamber. Iknow. when II was
all finished, Matte and l surveyed It
with what We hoped was pardon
able pride. We had coaxed from
papa a new bedroom suit Of polished
oak which, with its broad mirror Of
plate glass. shone grandly In the sum
light which strcamed In through the
curtains OF tho yellow china silk. The
big, plush-cushioned patent rocker
was res plendent In draperies Of hand
painted silk. while the wicker chairs
displayed their fine linen and satin
1 ribbons, and even the ottoman was
| flne In silk embroidery. As for the
y bed-well, IL was simply lovely
Shams were not out OF date then. and
ours were marvcls Of fine lace and the
Chinese laundry art--and the pref
ticst yellow satin bows In a corner Of
each! Tho lace spread over quilt Of
yellow silesia, and the scarf OF crazy
work in silk and velvet completed the
ravishing picture.
When Aunt Matilda came Matte
and had the honor OF escorting her
60 this chamber Of state and. you may
DO sure, We watched furtively to sec
how il impressed her.
Perhaps wo were the more anxious
because we knew she had opposed
fathers coming West. and We wanted
20 Impress her with the financial sue
ccss or the move, and 10 show her thai
truly aesthetic taste dwelt even a. fa'
west as Colorado.
.'Iet me take Of your wraps, auntie,
said Matte. setting her little handbag
on the floor by tho dresser, and goini
up to Aunt Matilda. who stood looking
about in hcsitating manner.
"Wait minute, my dear-let M
tell you something you won't mind
II your old auntie is frank with you,
know. I've lived over sixty years. M
dear, and Two found that in tho en-
Il always pays 10 be frank with you
best friends. Nov, know you wan
me to feel perfectly ut home here, ant
this room Is worry bcautiful-ycs, YER
beautiful indecd--but II il too larg
and fine for a simple old lady like me
Don't you SEQ l couldn't really 81
against any Of these handsom
draperics--it would DO sdre TO mus
them nd--wcll. shouldn't feel I'll
least bit at home here. Two lived
very plain, quiet life, you know. Nov
girls, II you We little coy back ROOF
somewhere, with just plain furniture
90 that wouldn't icel that was mus
ing any thing, ! should enjoy 4
much
In vain wo protested that nothin
was too nice for her 10 use, and thu
wc had no other room good enoug
for her. She silenccd us with grac