The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-09-27
AUNT BECKY'S REMEDY.
A Case in Which It Proved an
Efectual Cure.

heHFy, hue uOoS not seem at all
we'll. She has been growing pale and
hollow-eyed for some time; and now
she does nothing but NOPE about and
read and sigh. l don't understand it. :"
81 had not noticed it, Ellen. Per-
haps she reads too much, l see she is
perfect book-worm. 1t rather runs
in my side of the family to be literary
and l have thought Rue was inclined
that way, too
Il can't imagine what ails her.
She seems low-spirited and unhappy.
and she surely has no reason to be So"
''Of course she hasn't, Ellen. What
an idea-a girl not yet sixteen I'M
happy! 1t must be her blood is out of
order. Spring is here and she needs
some sort of toning up. Let DIR.
Miles fix up some sort of tonic for
her."
1--WE been thinking that perhaps a
change of air would do her good.
What do you say to sending her out
in the country to Becky's? The fresh
country air must surely help her; and
am really too busy with all nv
household cares to cara for her prop
erly."
That is just the thing, Ellen.
Why didn't you think of it before?
Becky will be in her element to have
one to cOddle. She used to dose me
the whole time when 1 was small, and
she cured me quicker than a doctor
could, too. Send her to her at once"
This was the conversation I over
heard between my father and mother
as l lay upon the sofa in the parlor.
was delighted. But it was not so
much at the prospect of going to Aunt
becky's as was at the fact that the
family seemed at last to be convinced
OF my declining health. For nearly
a year l had been suffering from what
felt to be neglect to comprehend
The workings of my finer nature, men.
tai and physical, and had been grow
ing most delightfully."- miserable. l
was great reader, as my father said;
and the class of books enjoyed most
was that OF rOmance-wherein the he
rolnes were pale. and sad-eyed, sickly
and interesting. full of trouble and woe.
and who pinned away from various
causes, such as unrequited affection,
an unsympathetic world, and a gen.
eral misunderstanding of their inner
longlngs by those who surrounded
them. -
dotted upon poetry, and the more
dismal and soul-harrowing and OBJ
scure the more dotted upon it. l
was particularly fond of those pas
sages which referred in vague terms
to early death, though could not
have explained what there was about
them that gave me so much pleasure
bic pain. l only knew. as have said,
that was delightfully."- miserable.
had tried to be as much like my hero
ines as possible. A copious supply of
chalk. cloves and slate pencils. in
which | INDUCED my appetite secretly,
had aided me in it so far as to cause
me to grow quite pallid. My features
were near enough to the regulation
type not to be a source of anxiety to
me; and hair and eyes being black as
the ''raven's wing and a '.sloe," in
dividually, / considered it unnecessary
to attempt any improvement on nat
ure In the former, while the latter I
simply penciled about the eyebrows in
order to make them more lustrous.
AS consequence my countcnance at
this time was quite striking. So it
pleased me much to see ,ha, had al
tracted attention to my decline
The next few days wsr. ucc..pica in
Preparations for my departure to Aunt
Becky's. The suddenly awakened
family solicitude at my condition was
evinced by indulgence in all the
luxuries-fruits and other delicacies-
which could be procured, while young
or children were repeatedly told to
wait on sister Rue while she is here:"
and the ambiguity of this command
was as gratifying as the constant
attendance which all danced upon me-
Tor those few days
''She can hardly last through an
other winter" one GALLEY said. .to an