The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1892-03-04

| proceeded W make herself ut home In
her brothers house after her own DO
culiar fashion.
Aunt Mitchell, rs she was usually
called by those who knew her well, was
of cold, taciturn disposition. She was
| distant and unsocial toward those who
were her best friends, and toward
strangers. or those whom she disliked,
she was frigid 20 the last degree. She
had "A l<nack of forming pretty correct
estimate of people on first sight, and
her first-formed opinion of Mrs. Batch
ford was anything but flattering TO that
lady's Christian character. Mr.. Batch
tord attempted TO make up TO her erratic
sister-in-law, but on each occasion met
with such a cold repulse that she soon
gave up the effort.
Aunt Mitchell preserved a quiet, cold
dignity in her department to her
brother and his wife, and avoided their
society as much as possible. When she
was forced into their presence, how
ever, she maintained the bearing of one
who is making strong effort To hold
herself in check. by her constrained
manner, she not only succeeded in
making an icy atmosphere in the house,
but she caused the household to feel
uncomfortable, and gave Hiram a spell
OF nervous fits. Every one felt that she
would not keep up this rigid dcport-
ment for many days, and they were as
sured that when she did break loose
there would be a terrible explosion.
fTh,,u for t..nnlr M;,,l,11
the family on the needles of suspense.
Mrs. Blatchford grew SO nervous in the
meantime that every unusual noise
caused her heart to cease beating.
Blatchford worked himself up to such a
point of uncasiness that he stood in mo-
mentary dread of some great misfor-
tune. As for old Mrs. Spiclklcr. Aunt
Mitchell knocked her clear out of the
ring at first sight. The icy bow and the
piercing look she gave that old lady
on the occasion Of their introduction
was sufficient to terrorize her for all
time to come. Mrs. Spickler was the
possessor of considerable spirit, and
many people had quailed before her
gaze, but she was not equal to Aunt
Mitchell's cutting glance. She tried to
avoid Aunt Mitchell's eyes after that
first meeting, and if by chance she did
catch a glance from them she wilted
and shranll until she felt that she was
but an atom of humanity-amere speck
of flesh and blood.
One morning the Blatchford house
hold were assembled at breakfast,
when Aunt Mitchell came in little
late. A glance at her face as she cold
ly nodded her salutation was enough to
reveal the fact that her feelings were
struggling vehemently to break loose.
She sat down to the table with snap,
and putting herself in the most rigid at
titude, preserved perfect silence.
Blatchford was detailing to his wife the
particulars of a plan for the repainting
and repairing of the church.
at can be done for n hundred dol
easily raised"
II should think So" replied Sarah.
"You will give something, | know"
Eyes, | have already subscribed
twenty-five dollars. Ten for myself,
ten for you and five for mother"
Aunt Mitchell said nothing just then.
but the corners of her mouth began to
twitch and she jabbed her fork into the
food viciously. Two or three minutes
passed in perfect silence, then Aunt
Mitchell laid her knife and fork down,
drew a long breath, and said:
Hiram, you're a fool"
The bomb had been discharged, and
its effect was wonderful. Hiram sat
Nvifh hic l,nifn IL,
with his mouth and eyes open, trans
fixed. Sarah turned all sorts of colors
and tremblcd all over. Mrs. Spickler
felt herself diminishing SO rapidly that
she thought sure she would disappear
altogether in little while,
Hiram, you're fool" Aunt Mitch
ell repeated after giving a contemptu-
GUS glance around. You're n fool and
worse. You're n fool to think that
you have got any religion. You're a
fool to be led by the nose, and you're
worse than fool to turn your home
into an asylum for these Pickles while
your own child is an outcast in the
world, without friends or money. tell
You, Hiram Blatchford, you haven't got
as much religion as buzzard. and
you haven't got as much heart as n
stone"
"Why-why, Mitchell" Hiram STAN
mered having recovered little from
his establishment.
Don't why me, Hiram" Aunt
Mitchell went ON. ~ know what I'm
talking about, and you know do The
idea of you giving money to convert the
heather and paint the church and all
that sort of thing, when your own child
may be starving for food. It's shame