Los Angeles herald., 1892-06-05
CLEVER AUNT KATE.

JtuIllc-uC . udA A1ko OWA way IOuuU
here continual for more'n thirty years.
an you'll jest hev to give in; no use
talkin at him. IT only make him wuss. y
Poor little Mrs. Olcott had been &C.
customed during the whole of her mar
ried life to '.jest give in" and her only
chance of peace was in yielding to her
selfshly determined husband and allow
ing him to carry his point without op-
position.
Jennie was differently constituted.
She inherited her fathers strong will
and he had, much to his surprise, sud-
denly discovered an opposing force in
his youngest child.
She had been away from home for
nearly three years-this pretty brown
haired girl with the determined face and
graceful carriage, and the father secretly
admired and almost feared her.
A wealthy and childless aunt in the
city had besought Jennie to share her
home, and Hiram Olcott's pretty daugh-
ter, though clinging to the farm with
all its dear memories of childhood and
childhoods joys, chose wisely when she
yielded to her aunt's request.
1t was better, far better for her, for
even after her departure there were
plenty of children to keep the miserly
old farmer in perpetual grumble about
money matters.
1t was May and the country wore one
glad smile, and Jennie hailed with de-
light the prospect of visit to her home,
assuming very willingly the RESPONSE
bility of housekeeping while her two
unmarried sisters attended the wedding
of cousin in distant town.
This morning she was cooking, and
with her sleeves rolled above her elbows
stood beside the kitchen table. In one
hand she held an earthen plate, while
the clip, clip, clip of fork sounded
noisily as she whipped some eggs to a
froth.
eyer sisters he'd to marry to suit him."
walled the nervous little woman, 'san
you'll have to too; eff you don't there be
awful fuses, so you'd jes' better give in"
That morning the father had spoken
to Jennie of young farmer, whom he
termed ''likely CATCH" She had ex-
pressed her opinion of him in so decided
way as to alarm Mr.. Olcott for the
safety of his much priced authority.
He was wont to speak of himself as
marvellous example of the patriarch.
"Make 'em mind" he would say. "Keep
yer household beneath your feet; govern
'em well, an they'll git along"
Jennie's boldness in opposing his judg-
ment SO stupefed him that his anger had
not yet had time to blaze forth but Mrs.
Olcott knew it would come, and so after
her husband had left the kitchen she
pleaded with the girl to ''give in" Jen-
ME had been very thoughtful during the
little woman's appeal, but now she was
resolved, and it was the Olcott in her
nature which spoke. 81 wouldn't marry
Jordan Moggs though father should
threaten to murder me-"
The eggs were stiff now, and as she
set the plate down on the table she turned
from her mother and busted herself
among the ingredients for cake baking
which were before her. Jennie was
blushing as she began softly, ''There is
some one in Poole l like very much,
mother, and he's coming out here too"
"He needn't mind comm" said Farmer
Olcott grimly, as he quietly stepped into
the kitchen. His face wore cunning
leer, and his wind Redeemed cheeks were
distorted by the sneering curves of his
hard lined mouth.
Seating himself on one of the painted
wooden chairs, he drew the bootjack to-
ward him and took off his heavy shoes
with calmness and deiberation which
warned Mrs. Olcott that he was thor
oughly aroused. The poor little nervous,
broken spirited woman had learned that
this particularly quiet and inoffensive
manner of removing his footgear always
preceded burst of passion.
Hiram Olcott set his cowhide boots by
the stove to dry, kicked the jack under
the table and, turning toward his daugh-
ter, shouted;
"Don't let me ketch none O. yer city
fellers comm to see you. Eff they do I'll
talk to 'em; not a word now, he growled,
shaking his long finger menacingly at
Jennie, as she essayed to speak.
"Fm master in my own house and
you'll not talk till such time as Pm done.
You've been away an kinder forgot how
things is run here, but you might as well
get broke in now. I tell you won't
have any city fellers a-follerin you, and
if l ketch your Aunt Kate maxim
matches for you I'll just fetch you home
from bein fine lady down there and
set you workin."
Before Jennie could speak he had gone
into the dining room, slamming the door
behind him.
Tears Of modification and rage stood
in her brown eyes and hot words leaped
to her lips, but as she glanced down at
the agonized face of the little woman
beside her the fierce mood changed.
She bent to kiss the pain drawn lips,
''lurmuring, "Never mind, mother dear;
II be patient for your sake"
''Thats a good girl, Jennie" replied
Irs. Olcott with sigh of relief; ''try
and git along peaceable like, an jes' give
in for the sake of quiet. Yer pas gettin
wuss and wuss."
Jennie wrote a partial account of what
had occurred to her Aunt Kate. and
this was the answer of thsI clever
woman:
"MY DEAR NIECE-Your father needs
managing and will undertake to do it
1 have written to him to come down tt
the city and advise me about the sale o.
piece of property, and you need no
he surnrised at ANYTHING that hanpens