Thomas County cat., 1889-09-05
..Onlv some soft slate-pencils I have

"Only some soft slate-pencils l have
With me-" l answered. family.
"Well, now, child, I'm going to take
them every one. / amt going to have
you 6ggerin' one bit while you are
here" she shrewdly remarked as she
confiscated my whole stock upon the
spot
Gloves, too. Why, Rue. your ma
must've sent these to rue. Enough to
last a housekeeper year. and l want
some in my pickles tomorrow! IN
take them right out, because you don I
want your clothes scented up by them
sweet clover's best tor that. .
l could not say word; but l won
dered how should keep up my pailor
without those condiments to nlooie.
Then, too, how was l to enjoy my
sentimental soliloquies which often
kept me awake far into the night and
left me so Interestingly wan-eyed in
the morning? Ishould have to fore
90 this sorrowful happiness. or happy
sorrowfulness. with which my roman
tic imaginings filed my solitary
hours, if Aunt Becky was to share my
privacy.
But she did not seem to dream that
she might be intruding. She chatted
on in her cheerful, quaint strain until
found myself laughing in spite of
me. She kept it up. too. far into the
night until dropped asleep-too ut
terly exhausted to answer her fire.
quent question:: ''Gone to sleep,
Rne?'
1t was FIVE o'clock when l was
awakened next morning.
Rue! Rue! It's time to get up.
Here is dress and pair of shoes l
want you to put on and come right
out with me-"
She would not let me lie minute
longer. and I had to obey; so l slipped
on the gingham dress, which was a
surprisingly good fit, and the thick
soled shoes, and folio wed her out into
the garden.
Now, Rue. there is any amount OF
work to be done 'mong the flower-beds.
and I've got to take mornings to do
it in mostly, and l must have your
help. l got these yesterday just for
you to work with. They amt heavy.
and we'd better get right to work for
a pansy bed first thing. I've got seed
enough for big one, and they are
beauties, too. You dote on pansies,
you know"
She had opened a neat box OF light
garden tools as she talked and now
banded me rake. l did dote on pan
sizes. and urged on by her example and
CHEEKY talk l raked away in the mel
low earth until breakfast time and
went in absolutely hungry.
Day after day she kept up this
course. She gave me hardly min
ute alone and she had me read aloud
to her when wanted a book.
81 haven't time and you mustn't
read much, the doctor says; SO we'll
have to carry it out together" and
she produced "Huckleberry Finn"
which she alternated with "Rudder
Grange" so that between the remark
able humorous adventures in the
former and Pomona's performance in
the latter had no time to think Of
love or sentiment except in the most
ludicrous light. Then the howor-beds
needed so much hoeing and scratching
and wedding, and the old pansy bed
opened up in such marvellous beauty
that began to be quite worried for
fear the new one would not rival it.
so renewed hoeing and wedding had
to be kept up. had to keep on my
thick shoes, for it was supposed that
the dog had carried off one of my
slippers, and my hammock came to
grief and uselessness by the calf's
chewing a big hole in it; so that
really was obliged to do nothing but
work out in the garden day after day
and how my flowers grew!
My pansies outrivaled the old ones.
and l forgot every thing, even my af-
fnity, in the delight of watching for
the new faces which peered up at me
from the velvety blossoms, and was
too tired when night came to moon
over myself, much less any Arabella
or Ethelinda, SO sound sleep visited me
quickly.
About the time reached this state
and could outrival Aunt Becky in
dressing and reaching the flower
garden in the morning, she found time
to fix up her own bedstead and leave
me to my privacy again.
1t was late in the fall when she said
to me one day:
well. Rue, do you think you'll last
through the winter?"
Last! Why, Aunt Becky, l wouldn't t
do any thing else for the world!' was
my convincing answer. for it actually
struck pang to my heart to think of
dying.
.'Well, guess your folks want to
see you home by this time;" and home