The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-08-03
AUNT WEALTHY'S VISIT

AUNT WEALTHY'S VISIT
A rainy day in April Leafless rose
bushes tapping sepulchrally against
the window-shutters; gusts of spiteful
sleet driving into your face every time
you ventured to open the door; snow
drops and hyacinth blades shrinking
hopelessly back into the black mold,
as if convinced that they had made
mistake and that spring was as far
away as ever; mamma with cold in
her head and the twins fretful because
they couldn't go to school; the butcher
forgetting to call, and the chimney
persistent in smoking-could there, by
any possibility, be more disagreeable
confederation of circumstances?
looked dolorousty at Fanny. Fanny
looked -dolorously back at me.
"And letter from Aunt Wealthy,
to say she is coming to make us a
visit!" cried l, as l opened the morning
mail
"Deliver us!" cried poor mamma.
"And we in the midst of house-clean-
ing! The best chamber all damp with
whitewash, and not carpet down in
the house, and that horrid painter dis
appointing US in this unprincipled
way! Oh, deari oh, dear! what shall
we do?"
Commit suicide!" darkly suggested
Fanny.
"Gfve up in despair" said I, wiring
ing my hands tragically.
But just then in came Tom as cheer
e,,J = H. l, IL A,r
and there were no such horrible in
cubus as housekeeping in the world.
"Don't do either one thing or the
other" said Tom, catching up the
noisiest twin in his arms and tossing
it halfway up to the ceiling. Tele-
graph to her not to come until next
week"
"But perhaps the telegram won't
reach her in time" suggested Fanny.
9Risk it." said Tom.
"And at this rate" added mamma,
who was naturally disposed to take an
influenza-tinted view of life, "with
Mrs. Reirdon's broken arm and that
painters reckless disregard of moral
obligations, we shall be no better of
next week than we are now"
ayes, we SHALL" cheerily assented
Tom "I'll finish the whitewashing
and l can put up the shelves as wei
as any carpenter that ever handled
plane, and III do the planning my
self"
"You?" cried Fanny and in chorus
The idea of our Tom, college tutor,
at home for his easter holidays, max
| inc a Observation-Disclosures of himself IN
this unexpected manner, rather took
US by surprise.
"Yes, l." nodded Tom, cutting Ut
the quietest twins breakfast for hin
and keeping an eye on little Billy the
while. "Why notP"
"But you don't know how, Tom"
"I'll show you whether do or not,
said Tom, laughing.
So when he took the telegram TO
Aunt Wealthy Wickes to the villag
he brought back a whitewash brush,
pot of paint and a pair of overalls.
Somehow his merry acceptance o
the situation, his CHEEKY way of max
ing joke of everything, brightene'
us up like a CLEAN of sunshine, spit
of chill, raw winds, dripping rain an
the great discomforts consequent ol
house-cleaning. Mammals cold grey
better; Fanny laughed in spite of tn
gushes of smoke that came ever an
anon down the east chimney, and
caught myself singing even while
realized the fact that Bridget had lei
as without an hours notice to atten
the funeral of some forty-sixth c6usi
who had, unluckily, bethought herse
of shuffiing off this mortal coil just {
this emergency.
"Dear, dear" said mamma, "whs
blessing it is to have a son liz
Toni"
"Won't he make a jewel of a hu
band to some girl, though" said
polishing away at brass stair rod.
Don't say word," added Fam,
mysteriously, "but there's the sweete
photograph up in his room; and Laul
bikes says he's in love with prett
little New York heiress, who came
the college commencement and W;
introduced to Tom. And she know
Aunt Wealthy, and"
"Our Tom will never marry an hei
ess," said mamma, mournfully.
"Why not?" said l.
ave nevsr had any luOk-"
"Tom is luck enough ior any fa1
ily," said 1. "Just listen.E
And the fute-like hS~e of Ton
whistle came floating down to us fro
the "best room" upstairs, where To
was even then trying his luck as
? amateur paper-hanger on the top of
tall step-ladder.
"If the New York heiress could S
him now she couldn't help falling
love with him, know"
But the next day,.just as we had g
one-half of the great chamber painte
there came a tremendous ring at t
door-ben.
"Hello!" said Tom, whose aerial pc
CHANGED to be near the window.
"Who is it, TomP" asked poor ma
ma, all in futter.
"Fanny was right about the telegra
not arriving in time" said Tom. 81
Aunt Wealthy, bag and baggage,
= it's some preposterous old woman
other, with her head tied up in fls
Il nels and fur-edged silk cloak wrapp
around her like funeral pail"
St "What shall we do" said Fanny.
ic "Make her welcome, of course" S,
Tom.
"But there is nothing but cold corn
beef and cabbage in the house for d
u6T! Sl0u0u WIN was, l.
Martha of old, troubled about ma
things"
-, "I'll go to the village for some o
;, ters," said Tom, "and you shall
l6 what a stew can get up"
"But how are we all looking?" CT
Fanny. "And who is to go to
doorP"
Il will" said Tom.