St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-03-27

dDOul 81 HluSIi. NV jim Dldck ne
goes off and CANDLES all night long,
and Sarah. his wife, jis' picks up de
baby an runs off too an leaves de
house all by itself. l tell you chile,
hit won'tdo. Desc folks don't watch
things like | do"
But Aunt Susan" put in little
Charley, suppose Uncle Jack should
fall asleep some time when you go
away, or leave the house for some
little time. Wouldn't that be a good
chance for tramps and runaway con-
victs to steal?'
"Blessyo'heart uf you, chile" said
Aunt Susan, who'd yer fought on
SIGH as dat? You so smart. I'll
give Jack his orders soon as | gifts
home never never, never to go out
o sight o. my house when | amt
dar," and with this she bid the little
boy good night and stepped off the
kitchen gallery.
The nextmorning while Aunt Susan
was arranging dinner down at the
house Uncle Jack escorted Elder Lucas
over to the church. The latter was
obliged to be there early because he
had to visit some of the members of
the church, particularly those dwell
ing in the immediate neighborhood,
and beside, it was always his duty
when he came to take charge of the
Sunday school. Aunt Susan had
spied the clergyman from her kitchen
window, as he passed down in front
of the house, and had shouted to
Uncle Jack (for she considered it IT.
reverent to yell at the minister),
lack, tell Elder Lucas I'll be dar
fore he gifts good under heqdw0 o
%preachin', an you be sure an come
back an hep me soon as YOU kim"
Uncle Jack did as he was COM
manded and on returning to the
kitchen was set to peeling potatoes,
a kind of employment he disliked
very greatly. When the peeling was
half finished Uncle Jack threw down
started out of the yard.
"Now Jack" said Aunt Susan, who
heard his remarks and appreciated
his intentions, "you's actually too
lazy to do anything. Instid o.
sneakin' off somewhar to lay down
you ought to stay here and hep me
git dinner. Don't you put yo' nasty
head on my rufied pillow slips, cause
| jes' washed 'em up las week fur de
preacher; an don't you git on dat
front Don bed, neither; dat's Elder
Lucas room. Uf you's too lazy to
do anything else 'cept lay down you
go back in de shed room and go to
sleep on dem ar corn sacks"
90 S,.o- oI.Jo +,1l-c ,+-a1,.
too much. Don't 1 pays fur all desc
things?" asked Uncle Jack, gaining
the corner of the house, while Aunt
Susan was still complaining of his
unwillingness to aid her.
"NO, o DON'T returned Aunt
Susan, with redoubled sharpness.
''You's smokin' my dcbacco right
now" But by this time Uncle Jack
was clear out OF hearing, jogging
lazily along toward his house.
Aunt Susan made all possible haste,
as she had done the previous evening,
and was through with her work in
just about one-half the time she
usually took on Sundays. She had
succeeded in engaging little Charley
to carry the dishes to the hall safe
for her, promising to bake him an
excellent cup cake the next week as
compensation. When the kitchen
was fixed up and everything made
ready for preparing Monday morn
ing's breakfast tho supperbeingeate
on Sunday eveninss), Aunt Susan
moved away in the direction of her
dwelling.
When she reached home what was
her surprise to find Uncle Jack cooled
up asleep in the middle of her front
room bed, the very M Elder Lucas
had occupied the preceding night.
Before disturbing him she walked
hurricdly into the shed room, which
was to serve as dining room for the
toward arranging the dinner table.
He had left everything for her to do.
Back she rushed in Il rage to the bed
whcreon he lay and showed him off
on to the floor. Uncle Jack soon re-
covered from the shock and, rubbing
his eyes with his clumsy fingers, turn
ed to see what he might text expect.
Dis is a putty way to do bust
ness said Aunt Susan, taking him
by the collar and shaking him vio-
lcntly as a preliminary Introduction
to what was to follow. "Nigger,
you needs Il good beatin', an uf |
had time I'd give it to you right now
wild a broom-stick."
Uncle Jack rolled his white ornea
to and fro and offered no resistance
whatever, for he knew he deserved
it. Aunt Susan, still holding Uncle
Jack by the collar, turned again
toward the bed and found that lack
had obeyed one of her injunctions,
that of removing the pillow shams
before lying down. Had it not been
for this the climax of this story might
not have been reached, for there is no
telling what might havehappenedt to
Uncle Jack if he had creased the
handsome pillows with his head.
Again, favorable to Uncle Jack, the
hour of the day was growing late and
Aunt Susan had to hustle herself to
make ready for the minister. When
she found the house in its present
condition she abandoned all hope of
hearing the ermo and wished only
to reach the meeting house before ser
vice was over. On condition that
lack would do his very best to help
her arrange matters for the clergy
man, Aunt Susan released him from
further punishment and they both
did good service III the dining room,
Aunt Susan out of ambition TO have
the table look as well as possible,
and Uncle Jack because he was over
to have gotten off so easily.
Mus l go an fetch de preacher
now, Susan" asked Uncle Jack,
when everything about the table
seemed to be in admirable trim.
NO" replied Aunt Susan, sharply.
1tI,u 90 arter Elder IIcAS myself