The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-07-26
PATTY'S EDUCATION.
How MIR. Budd Became Converted
to Modern Ideas.


1t was tea-time. The sun had gone
down behind the mountains. The COW:
were milked. The bacon and eggs hat
been set to warm in the oven. The
raspberries and the pot-cheese flanked
each other on the white table-cloth, and
Martha Budd watched on the porch for
her husbands coming Beside her stood
her little girl Patty, with her arm
about her mothers waist. 1t was hard
to believe that the woman had once
been as pretty as her daughter, for hei
fourteen years of married life had made
her so thin and sallow and hollow-eyed.
But people who knew her in her girl.
hood declared that Patty was Martha
over again. The soft, sweet, delicate
prettiness of an American girl fades
early, II fate is cruel to her, and hard
work and coarse food and lack of tender
ness unite to break her down.
William Budd was not a poor man
but he was hard, close-fsted one.
When he courted Martha he had fancied
she would inherit her fathers money,
but the old man had married again, and
six or seven little step-brothers and sis
ters had put that out of the question be-
fore the old man died. And the wife
had faded early and they were not con-
genial. She had mot much education
but she loved to read. She took q
paper, earning the money by selling
pot-cheese.
Even William Budd had not courage
enough to take that woman's per-
quisite away from her. That pot-cheese
money did q great deal, as well-saved
pennies will. And she had written one
or two little poems: ITO My Little
Girl" 1.-THE Old Farmhouse" and
Goodbye to Home" in those first
years of married life. They we're
copied into little red blank-book in
which she had also copied the 'cun-
ming" speeches of little Patty before
she was five years old. The girl was
her idol now. To give her good edu.
cation was hec great hope, and now
they were waiting for news which the
head of the family would bring. They
were waiting to know whether there
would be school in the place that
winter, for meeting was to be held
that afternoon to decide the matter.
The father was opposed to it; that
they knew, but he had only one vote.
Others wanted the school. Mrs. Nc
Laren, the Scotch lady they liked so
much, was ready to take it, and Patty
could go. She could not walk to the
next town, and her father would not
drive her there, or let her go down on
IL Il ;.-l%
other girls did. Fifteen cents day, he
declared, would be too great an extrav-
agance; but If the school were just over
there on the hill, in the disused church,
then, indeed what objection could there
be?
81 think they'll carry it," said the
mother; land then I'll offer to board
Mrs. McLaren. We've got plenty of
spare room; and you can ask her ques-
ton or two out of school hours, or get
her to tell you If you're studying right.
I'll make it up to her; and I'll take the
pot-cheese money and get you nice
garnet cashmere, and you can wear that
with white aprons, and brown
merino for rainy days; and rub
bers I'll get you, and nice thick cloak
and can knit you real pretty garnet
hood, and you'll have a good time learn
ing, and get on, / know. If was you,
Patty, Id set before me to be teacher.
1t must be real nice to have money of
your own, my dear; and sometimes l
sort of thing may be we'd do our duty
just as well paying some poor soul to do
rough work; somebody that had to live
that way, If God had blessed us with
talents to go beyond that, and you take
real comfort in teaching. guess If it's
a nice school, l think I'd set it before
me, if l was you, Patty"
"Yes, ma; / think it would be very
nice" said Patty; 'and not to have to
ask some man for every thing, and make
them angry. Oh! I'd rather go without
shoes than beg them OF pa"
Your pa gets anxious, for fear of pow
erty, you see," said Martha, mildly.
Now my pa used to ask me often
didn't want new aress, and
he | say: Martha, here's five dollars
when wasn't expecting it."
Why, mai" cried Patty, in delighted
''only to think! 1t was
like that with you at home, before you
That" said the mother, in u half
guilty whisper, that, guess, is what
has made your pas being just little
near harder for me to bear"
1t was sort OF confession that she
made her child, and they said no more
until the wagon came numbering over
the hill and Mr.. Budd's long, sharp nose
lEd little, straight slit of mouth were
in the space between the
coatcollar and dragged down
,at-brim that sheltered him from the |
Wind.
He descended from his perch without
glance at HIS "wimmen folk" called
he hired man tc see to the horse. and
ramped in. He fhrew his coat and hat
O his wife. kicked his boots off, and
Dared to Patty co bring his slippers,
nd. dragging his chair to the table,
egan to eat; and still not word did
@ utter In regard to the school. At
asst Patty could bear it no longer, and
he question OF her lips burst from
hem without her Will:
"Pa, are 'oe going TO have the
chool?"
His answer was short and direct.
mo, you mt. So there, now!'
Patty began to cry, hiding her face In
or apron. Martha cerld not keep back I
sigh; her husband turned upon her
well. now,' he said, .'what do you
ant one for? You've only got gal. l
ouldn't have no gal SO much as