The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-12-23

$500 Thought it was
regularly un-
derstood, Ma
ria, that you we're a boarder here!"
"Well, I am, brother" Miss Maria
rejoined, in all good faith. II pay my
Sc every Saturday night OF my life. :"
eyes! l guess that's about what
there is OF it," Mr.. Bascom hid a
smile in his handkerchief. Don't these
Conways ever do any work, Maria?
suppose you took Inland in the wash
ing, Monday, didn't your"
To his astonishment his sister be-
gan voluble excuse:
"It was the first time, Joseph; up
on my word. OF course, I've hung
them out, We know, mild weather, an
like that; just to get tn things out O.
tn way. But this week Miss Conway
had company comm, an I'd just as
lieve. There really waren't no rea-
son."
"Maria Bascom amt overly
smart" the neighbors used to say in
cruel, country bluntaess; but that
any human being could impose upon
such dociIe trust and childlike limo
cence had never entered her brother
brain to believe.
| He stood staring at her in grieved
surprise for moment, and then, with
| the air of q man used to his own way
and to much management, announced
his decision.
cpl tell you this, Maria: "You 60
upstairs and pack your trunk, and
tonight we 60 back to New York to-
gether l guess our house is big
enough to hold my sister, and you
won't have to do any washing there.
Go on!" he waved her to the door.
''I'll settle with the Conways, and
they'll learn a little wisdom before
they're many days older, I reckon"
Poor Miss Maria, used always TO
obedience to some stronger will, scarce
ly knew how it came about, this sud-
den transplanting from her old home
and it's dear associations to Joseph 8
awe-inspiring city house. Probably
Mrs. Bascom, who was somewhat her
husbands superior, and the Misses
Bascom, who went q little further up
the social ladder, did not welcome
this addition to the family with a
great enthusiasm. But, being the
st-hearted folks in the world, they
made Aunt Maria as comfortable as
possible, gave her pretty room, and,
human, too, did not very much regret
that she stayed a good deal in the
room they gave her.
Indeed, the newcomer found herself
sadly at a loss in an establishment
where everything went by clockwork,
where her own service was in no way
needed, and where there were no chill
dren-the little Conways had been
many. She was most at ease with
the servants, and soon made great
friends with Molly, the second girl,
who was from what Miss Maria called
cover our way" and whose Yankee
acuteness had not been long in gaging
the little old woman's capacity
Alright.
9TH folks upstairs" she said to
the cook, "act like they thought their
aunt was same as them. What she
wants is to be treated childish, and it
only illustrates 'er, their maxim out
she's grown up as anybody. 'Tain't
right, they ought to understand.
The cook assented to this.
'What dye spose she's frettin'
about now!" Molly queried, flourish
ing a dishcloth. "She says to me
this mornin': why says she, here
tits tn middle o. November, an ]
amt heard word O. Chris muss yet!
Don't they make much O. Chris muss
in New York, Molly?"
"What did We tell err" asked the
cook.
"Oh, SEE, tn Bascoms INT in tn
way O. dom much; JUS plum puddin'
for dinner, an a turkey an couple
O. dollars apiece t. you an me. n tn
rest. They don't make no presents,
sez I; an she looked all took back. l
declare / was sorry fer tn ole lady.
Says she, why, t. tn Conways there
was always great time; all them chill
dren a-talkin' about Senty Claus, an
| udISAA uR IuOlI OCOCAu1 % V0 oil
hung up our stockin's t. tn Con-
ways SEE she, it was reel pleasant
too. Things seem diff'runt, some
way, that come out O. a stockin', O.
course'-an' then she drawed 'erseli
up, and tried to look very dignifed.
OF course SEE she, call sech talk ez
Senty Claus is foolish, an don't
know ez children ought t. be en-
couraged in it, but it sounds kind o.
good, too, t have 'em goin on about
tn RENDERS. like t. hear it. T"
"Poor ole soul" unused the cook,
ri got 8 soft spot in my heart for
Miss Maria since she made that mus
tard plaster for me, as if was her
own flesh m blood. She's worth all
the rest of them put together"
90 course she is" Molly thought
there were no two opinions as to that
"Do ye mind how she busted tn par
lors that time had the run around!