Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-03
POLLY.

Miriam, the eldest, IS; |, Madeline, Is;
and Babe, or more properly speaking, Ma
RE Antoinette, H. All three born and
raised under the old Priory roof, naturally
one would expect to find quiet, gentle
creatures. Nothing of the sort
the Prlory girls were the widest set in the
village.
Our father for years had been Rector of
/" All Saints" but now, suffering from over
work and study, was very kindly granted
a vacation, with an ample purse besides,
subscribed by the generous congregation,
to enable their beloved pastor to recruit
in the south of France, and thither he
went, accompanied by our mother, who
left us for the first time in our lives, under
the sole charge of Miss tombstone, the
goyerness, good enough woman In her
way, but way we girls did not like. One
very grave fault she possessed, and that
was a mania for teaching French, which
quite put my teeth on edge, but of course
coming under the head and considered one
of the leading branches of education, | had
to submit. Miriam tolerated it and that
was all, but Babe, strange to relate, liked
it. Yes, actually liked to speak that hor-
rid parlez vous Ugh how | hated it, and
couldn't for the life of me understand how
she, with the martyred Queens name she
bore, dared to confess such heartless fact.
Indeed. she had begged me. with tears in
her eyes, to call her by her proper name.
"Ob," she said, " if it is too long leave off
the Marie and just call me Antoinette, or
A t. oh Mir m
was quite willing, but I, out of spite for
the French, never would consent, which
caused great many ruptures in conse-
quence.
We three were seated in the orchard, or,
to be more explicit, | was lying full
length looking through the green leaves
and red, ripe cherries into the clear sky
overhead. Miriam, seated some two or
three yards distant, was vainly trying to
struggle through some French noun or
verb, whilst Babe had perched herself
high up in the cherry tree, and must have
been consuming cart load, judging by the
quantity of cherry stones which were fall
ing like hail-storm.
| had shifted my position number OF
times, but still they came pattering down.
/ groaned and suffered in silence until
one, larger and harder than the rest, fell
and hit Miriam upon the crown of the
head, and then with rebound struck me a
singing whack on the extreme end of my
nose. Then human endurance could stand
it no longer jumped to my feet with
tears of pain starting from my eyes, caused
by the shock to my nasal organ, fully i'll
tending to shake the tree and land her on
the ground, when Jennie, the maid,
handed Miriam letter.
ooh, Madeline letter from mamma, y
she cried, joyously, hastily throwing her
French grammar upon the grass.
instantly resumed my former recumbent
position, anxious to hear our mothers news,
and Babe still held fnll sway up in the
cherry tree.
Miriam had but read few lines
when / noticed tiny frown gather upon
| the smooth whiteness of her forehead
Then looking up suddenly she exclaimed:
"Here's pretty kettle of fshw
"Fish |" echoed Babe from the tree top
evidently not quite catching the full sent
ence. "Fish again then that's twice this
week. don't want any dinner"
"No, | should hope not, Judging from
the feed you have just had" | replied in,
instantly.
"Read that" and Miriam tossed the
letter towards me. | did so, and found
our mother had decided upon sending one
of her sisters to remain with us until her
return. We had never seen our aunt,
though our mamma had often spoken to
US about her favorite elder sister-a very
clever novelist.
"Miss Johnstone," wrote mamma, 81
am afraid, my dears, is little too lenient
with you"
"Lenientw when only that blessed
morning she had given us a whole hall
page of that heathenish French stuff
/" And So" ran mammals letter, " begged
your aunt to come and take mothers
care of you, and l shall expect you to
obey and respect her wishes as if it were
myself"
Then with a few more closing injunc-
tions, regarding our behavior towards our
aunt, mammals letter ended.
An aunt coming! This was, indeed
dreadful.
"a regular old maid,"' said Miriam.
"Yes; must be 40 or so; wears glasses
heard" taking cruel delight in torment
ing Babe, who | knew was listening, for
the cherry stones had ceased to fall.
"Yes," continued /, and writes. That
would be bad enough, but actually writes
love stories. Ugh nasty old blue stock.
ing"
Then there was a sudden scramble
amongst the leaves, and Babe, with a
naughty, petulant little French oath
slipped to the ground and stood before Us
the picture of misery-or gluttony would
perhaps be a more appropriate term
with her face and hands stained a deer
crimson from the effects Of the fruit so re
Gently devoured.
"Let us run away" she said. II dom
like aunts, and this one must be terror"
"Don't be fool" growled Miriam
Mamma has sent her, and we must put
up with her suppose" concluding with 8
sigh which would have done credit to 9
martyr.
when is she coming ~ asked Babe
with woebegone expression.
Tomorrow night"
And sure enough tomorrow night she
did come. But we had sulked off to bed
not even deigning to remain up until oul
usual bedtime to bid our aunt welcome.
But next morning our surprise can b.
better imagined than described, when
upon descending the stairs, we were con
fronted by our aunt-the sauciest, prettiest
youngest aunt imaginable-cla in thu
daintiest and .jauntiest of tailor-made Cos
tunes, and who gravely informed us, with
out smile, she had been sent to chap
eron us and put us through our PAGES"
Had the heavens fallen we could no
have been more taken back. She stood
quietly regarding us, with her head hardly
reaching to Babes shoulders, but with ;
suspicious twinkle of merriment in tn,
corner of her eyes.
At last Miriam spoke" Are you ou
aunt ?"
i Eyes" she said, Pm your Aunt Polly
! "And and do you write stories ?" asked
Babe.
"No. Never wrote ten lines in my hf
unless couldn't help myself"
"And," ventured, do you speal
French ?"
"No; l detest the beastly stuff" with
faint shudder.
We all three sighed in content, an'
then sort of Freemasonry instinct toll
us she was one of ourselves. Our Joy wa
so great that we simultaneously claspe'
hands, forming circle, with Aun
Polly in the center, and executed a genu
inc Indian war dance, Miss Johnston
standing at the dining-room door DUN