Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-09-09
MiscellauenMs.
HELPING AUNT MARY.


John Ramsey was working on his farm
his careless, loose dress displaying to ad-
vantage his tall, muscular figure, and q
broad straw hat shaded handsome face,
with large, dark eyes set beneath fore
head whose breadth and height indicat-
cd powerful brain. The hands that
guided the plough were strong hands,
but whittier and more delicate than such
pursuits generally allow.
Daisy Hale sat watching him. Her
dress was print, but made with nounccs
on the skirt and ruilles on the waist -
Her short, golden hair was curled into a
fringe carefully over her forehead and
gathered in longer curls into comb be-
hind, above which was a jaunty hat COW
cred with puffs of white muslin and
bows of blue ribbon to match the spots
upon her dress.
The face under Daisy's hat was gloomy,
not to say cross. A very pretty face, but
not pleasant, having n potted, spoiled
child frown and brooding discomfort 10
the large blue eyes.
Presently the farmer drew near her,
and, taking Of his hat, famed himself
with it, stopping his horses while he
leaned indolently against the plough.
"You look deliciously cool under this
great tree" he said. "And-hem very
much dressed for nine o'clock in tho
morning"
"ln a fve-penny calico !" she said con.
temptuously. when are you coming
in 2"
"At noon, to dinner"
at is too absurd" she broke out, an.
cry tears in her eyes, "for you to be
blowing and hoeing and milking cows
and doing the work of laboring man
| thought when you came home from
college you would do something besides
work on farm"
"And let the farm go to ruin ? That
would be poor way to pay my debts. p"
your debts !" she said, looking as.
tOnished "Do you owe debts 2"
Certainly You and are both very
heavily in debt, Daisy. think when
Aunt Mary took US in, poor little or
Phans-1 her nephew, you her second
cousin"
Third cousin" she interrupted,
"since you are so particular. | know
what you mean, but | am very sure that
Aunt Mary never intended us to drudge
on the horrid old farm"
"Do you know that the money she
saved 10 life of hard work was spent
upon our education Do you know that
she has nothing now but the farm, aud
that to take her away from it would
probably shorten her lifeT
"She always has taken care of it her
SELF"
"Are you blind that you cannot see
how the four years she has been alone
here have aged her, how feeble she is
While we were living at ease at college
and school, she has toiled for US until
she is worn out"
"But you could send her money if you
were in the city in some gentlemanly oc-
cupation."
Perhaps 80, ten or twelve years from
now To-day propose 10 work this
farm and see how many bushels of corn
| can raise on it,"
He took hold Of the pillow handles az
no spoke, started the horses and left her
eyes full Of angry tears.
"IIo might as we'll have said what be
meant" she thought, springing down
and starting for tho house. "IIe thinks
| ought to cook, wash, make butter and
work like a servant. when have studied
30 hard and tried TO make pyselfa lady
that he might not be ashamed of me-"
Yet, in her heart, she knew that he
was ashamed Of her, and that she de-
served IT, Ashamed that she could sit
in her room, selfshly engrosscd in max
ing pretty articles Of dress or reading
while her cousin, or, as she, too, called
her, Aunt Mary, worked in the kitchen,
the dairy, the poultry yard, from days
dawn till night
She was not all sclfshness and heart
lessness, though there had grown a thick
crust Of both over her better nature -
Her ideas Of ladies and gentlemen de-
pended largely upon clothing and pur-
suit, and she had not quite realized how
much more nearly Johns standard
reached the desired point than her own
As she drew near tho house the sting
Of Johns words penetrated more and
moro through tho crust she had drawn
over heart, until fresh stab met her at
the door. Looking in at the open door
she saw a white head bowed in weeping
a slight figure shaken by sobS.
Quickly, through all the seldsbncss
self-reproach struck at the girls heart,
and in a moment she was on her knees
beside the low chair, her arms around
tho weeping woman.
"0b, Aunt Mary, what is it2 Oh
please don't cry soY What has hap
pened r
"Why, Daisy, DEAR" through sob
that would not be checked at a moment
notice, "don't mind mo Pm only tire,