Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-04-18
AUNT DURGIN'S TEA.

aUNl DO liza.
You never heard about Aunt Dur
gins teaa Well, it was a very impor-
tant tea to me; it was the turning
point of my whole life.
You see l was young, about l6, and
Aunt Durgin was quite old and queer.
She had plenty of money to live on,
and do a good deal for US girls-a lot
of us there were too. She was really
fond of US, / know now; but she was SO
worrying, always lecturing us and
finding FAULT that we didn't love her
very much, I'm ashamed TO say. Her
money was in an annuity which ceas-
ed with her death, SO what she did for
us must bedone during her life. Every
year she gave some special advantage
TO n of her nieces; and it seems
though didn't know it-that she had
about decided to G We me the benefit
that year.
II had known but it wouldn't
have made any difference; it took a
shock to teach me.
/ remember every moment of that
day as If it We're yesterday; the result
of it seemed t. burn every smallest
event into my brain. l can even re
member the pattern of forget-me-nots
on the dress / wore.
Mother was going out that after
noon, aud as she stood with her hand
on the door, she said:
BE sure to get to Aunt Durgin's in
time"
''Oh, Of courseI" | answered care
lessly.
You know she's very particular;
and I'm especially anxious to have
you please her today" she went on.
why today more than usualH !
asked. I've been trying to please
her ever since | wore bibs; but | don't
think l shall ever do it unless | get a
charm to turn myself into an old wo-
man at once"
She's more fond of you than you
think, said my mother and l remem-
Der we'll how careworn she looked as
she started down the steps-'though
she doesn't show it."
"Humphl l should think not" l
said, standing in the door. She names
me 5pt to-blame."
well, mind you give her no cause
tonight" said mother, opening the
gate: land OIL did you remember to
get those pebbles of the roof for my
Chinese ~lilies2"
'No, I forgot" I said, but I'll do it
before | go OUT" and the gate and the
door closed at the same instant.
But can't guess" / said, as Invent
slowly up the stairs again. whats up
tonight in particular.
With my mothers unusually serious
injunction in mind. | went up to my
room and laid out my one nice dress,
to be sure tina. the rufdes were in order,
and nothing should be wanting to de-
lay me at the last minute. l even look
ed at my shoes to see that the buttons
were all right, for Aunt Durgin had
an eye like an eagle for anything out
of place.
There was still two hours before il
was time to dress, and those l intend
ed to give to my practicing, for l had
one grand passion" and that was for
music. My father-dear, impractical
nan that he was, with a soul full of
poetry and music-lacked the push"
to get on in those days-or, in these
either, for that matter. So he spent
his life trying to drill music into stupid
pupils; and of course, with his head
in the clouds, he made little money.
We were always poor, always needing
something: but, thanks TO his gentle
ness and my mothers sweet DISPOSE
ton, we were always happy.
But | was ambitious. | was my fa-
theirs best pupil, and at that moment
the desire Of my heart was for a year
of lessons from a great master abroad.
II | could only get the finishing
touches from that master, and the eclat
Of his name (which goes a good way,
you know, / felt sure | should march
on Ia fame and glory. Such was my
modest opinion Of my abilities; and
my thought by day and my dream by
night was to bring this TO pass.
2 But how TO do It'll There was the
rub! When / think that if it hadn't
been for my own carelessness-
Well, WE'LL let me tell my story
straight
At the end of my two hours practice
/ closed the piano and started for my
room 10 dress for Aunt Durgin's tea.
On the way I remembered the Chinese
lilies, so / passed ON up to the roof,
where there were always loose pebbles
from the gravel. Above the third
sorry was q low garnet. As | reached
up 70 unlock the trap door from the
third story into this attic, on which we
I'D put a spring lock after a burglar
ksd scared us by coming down that
nay, there came into my mind, with
61nost ominous distinctness, my 10
tAer's caution.
Nov, remember" he aid, 'Lever
10 into the attic without putting some
hing under the door, 20 that Il can't
iall and lock you out, whatsoever hap
psns."
Ipaused. 1 had nothing 10 put an
-. l glanced around the attic-noth-
lng was there. I should have 10 70