The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1889-12-26


for the basin / saw you had sprinkled
the clothes. Shall ! iron them2s' -
She saw the odd smile that came to
her tired annt's1 lips and correctly inter-
preted il.
'sMay be you think can't iron?" she
spleasantly said Just you waitand see."
But the dress you have on, Miss At
wood It."
WAS selected for service, completed
Fanny. ''Of course I'll put on one of
your aprons. st..-.ssz..=-...'.-
When George Henderson returned
from his errand ka heard some one sing
ing in the kitchen. He stepped in and
saw his niece ironing away as deftly as
II she had spent the best part of her life
at II. She made such pretty picture
that he-stood SIT and looked at her.
How do you do, uncle?" twinkle OF
mcrriment in her brown eyes; then she
went and kissed him, standing on tip-toe
to do so.
I'm glad you've come, Fanny" he
said with heartiness. 81 suppose Matte
explained why did not meet you at the
station? But why are you ironing?
where IS Mattle?g
'She is lying down, uncle. She fell
and sprained her ankle
Mr.. Henderson stepped into the sit
ting-room, q look Of concern on his face.
why, dear, how did this happen?n he
kindly asked.
"0h, how does any thing happen?" she
replied, a little querulously. Through
n IL e,.Jx l.
most tainted, the pain was SO great"
docs 1t pain you now dear?"
81 am glad to say that it doesn't"
.I'll battle it with sugar of lead wa
ter" he said. "There isn't any thing
better.
Fanny has already done that" re-
piled the wife. 1T was her own sug-
gestion."
"Oh." calculated Mr.. Henderson, with
increasing appreciation of his niece.
''And she insists upon ironing. A.
pretty mess she Il make of itT''
well, may be not" Mr.. Henderson.
said, in a quiet tone. 81 watched her
little while. Matte, you are a good
ironef, but she is your equal.
ooh, nonsense, George!" exclaimed
his wife. Reared in the city, as she has
been"
4sss ssss aet=ne necessarily max keller a lazy.
silly, novel-reading imbecile," inter
rupted her husband. perhaps we
haven't been just to Fanny. think she
rs solid, energetic, capable sort Of a
girl, and it is lucky that she came"
well, hope it may prove so" doubt
ingly rejoined the wife. George, there's
the butter"
'.I'll churn that" he said. ssWe1lge
along. just. yotkgkeep your mind at
ease. You will get about much sooner
if you do. !"
Fanny Atwood prepared dinner, nov
and then slipping into the sitting-room
to wet the bandage and to chat in her
CHEEKY way with the patient. -----.-
On the third day Mrs. Henderson waa
able to hobble to the kitchen, where
she found every thing in most excellent
order.
Look at my currant jelly" Fanny
proudly said, as she held up-one of the
glass jars-to- the=light.--Itw was trans
lucent and bright as ruby tinted wine.
at is very NICE" Mrs. Henderson
said. GLOW much sugar did you take?"
Pound for pound," replied Fanny.
81 wasn't extrayagant, was II"
you were WISE" her aunt said with .
smile.
She opened the door leading into the
cellar.
Fanny, did you whitewash the stair
way?n she asked in surprise.
Eyes, auntie. IT needed it. l knew
you meant to do it, for | saw you had
slaked the lime. Isn't it nicely done?"
Merry nicely, Mr.. Henderson said.
"But it wasn't right for you to do it.
Surely your hands"
Look at them" Fanny said, laugh
ing. .sEhey are as white and soft as
any lady's. put gloves on-and then
] have sort Of dainty way of.working.
/ can do it we'll without pitching into it
all over. l have knack, as mother
calls it. If it was right for you to
whitewash the cellar-way, it was right
for me to whitewash it. / came here to
help you and to spare you; to ride the
horses, to go to the mill with Uncle
George, and to make myself useful and
Ii YOU are net going to le
me work, or have any fun, why, III go
right back to New York.
She spoke with voluble earnestness,
her gestures rapid, her dimples dancing
Mrs. Matte Henderson sat down~in a
chair and cried.
"Why, aunt, what is the mattere'
asked Fanny, her brown eyes widening.
"a. hope didn't say any thing To
mo, dear, you didn't replied Mrs.
Henderson, in broken voice II am
crying because am ashamed of myself
because have been sosunkind to you
in my thoughts. | supposed that you
would annoy me, and hinder me; that
you would be. helpless, selfish, fault
finding; that you .
shut you think more kindly of me
now, do you not?n interrupted Fanny,
her hands moving caressingly over her
aunt's hair.
Most certainly Lido, replied Mrs.
Henderson, explosively. THAT is why
! confess my injustice-why l want to
make amends-why L"
Don't mind it, auntie, said the sweet,
forgiving, sympathetic voice. Il don't
.censure you, and it's all right now.
There may be-and, in fact, there are
listless, frivolous, helpless girls in New
York Gty-and in other cities-but
am not one of them. If l was, ! am
afraid would despise myself"
j am glad you have come, Fanny,
and will be sorry when you CO." Mrs.
Henderson said, and She meant it. "My
nreiudicas misled me- and have been