The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-08-28
.Onlv some soft slate. pencils / have

4
well, now, child, I'm going to take
them every one. I amt going to have
you Hggerin' one bit while you are
here" she shrewdly remarked as she
confscated my whole stock upon the
spot
tCloves, too. Why. Rue, your ma
must've sent these to me. Enough to
last housekeeper year. and want
some in my pickles tomorrow! IN
take them right out, because you don't
want your clothes scented up by them
sweet clover's best tor that.
could not say word; but won
dered how should keep up my pallor
without those condiments to nibble.
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 morningP should have to fore
90 this sorrowful happiness. or happy
sorrowfulness, with which my roman
tic imaginings filled 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 l dropped asleep-too ut
terly exhausted to answer her fire.
quent question: "Gone to sleep.
Ruep"
It 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 ma" r
She would not let me lie minute
longer, and had to obey; so l slipped
on the gingham dress, which was q
surprisingly good fit, and the thick
soled shoes, and folio wed her out into
the garden. sNsst
Now, Rue, there is any amount OF
work to,benone hmong the fower-beds'
and T.migSt .tottake. mornings to do
it in mostly, and l must have your
help. ~ At these yesterday just tor
you to t*6fk with. They amt heavy,
and wyd Better get Right to work for
/ pansy Yea 'Arst thing. I've got seed
enough for a big one, and they are
beauties too You dotei on pansies'
you know"
She had opened a neat box Of light
garden tools as she talked and now
handed me rake. l did dote on pan
sizes, and urged on by her example and
CHEEKY talk I 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 a min
ute alone and she had me read aloud
to her when wanted a book.
IL 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, I"
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 fowcr-beds
needed so much hoeing and scratching
AMI wedding. and the old pansy bed
4 opened up in such marvellous beauty
; that began to te quite worried for
fear the new one would not rival it,
SO renewed hoeing and wedding had
4 d be kept up Ihad to keep on my
thick shoes, for 1t was supposed tho,
the dog had carried of one Of my
slippers, and my hammock came to
grief and uselessness by the calls
chewing big hole in it; so that
really l 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 at
fnity, in the delight Of watching fol
the new faces which peered up at me
from the velvety blossoms, and wa
too tired when night came to moor
over myself, much less any Arabells
or Ethelinda, SO sound sleep visited mi
quickly.
About the time I reached this stat
and could outrival Aunt Becky il
> dressing and reaching the fowe
garden in the morning, she found tim
i to fix up her own bedstead and leav
!, me to my privacy again.
! 1t was late in the fall when she sal,
o to me one day:
well. Rue, do you think you lllas
r through the winterp''
7 "Last! Why, Aunt Becky, l wouldn'
do any thing else for the world!' wa
}; my convincing ans wer, for It actuall
d struck I. paug to my heart to think q
: dying. ei.l ~ 81. t
n "Well, 1 guess your folks want I
1t SEQ you home by this time;" and HON
y l went, Aunt Becky with me. -
3 They were all ready to receive me
u With pillows in the garbage an
! tender, sorrowing faces; she Mad don
!. all the corresponding, es did ~
y esto write letters aAA hSdhone i,
as she pleased. So. when 1 rushed !
d upon the family with my red ches1
and face as brown as q gypsy's, the
could not have been more astonishedt
n, I had risen frnm tha dead ff