Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-01-29

Fanny. I'll wet the bandagc every
now and then with it. just YOU re-
main q1itt, dearie and don't butacr
yourself about anything. You have no
grip
No, CHILD" Mrs. Henderson said,
I've cannot afford to keep one.
III get uncle his dinner" an
nounced Fanny.
l-get-George his dinneri'
repeated Mrs. Henderson.
Fanny noticed the incredibly in her
tone. laughed prettily and SAID:
Why shouldn't I9 If YOU will allow
me 10 skirmish around I'll manage to
fluid things. However, it isn't near
dinner time yet. When | went to the
kitchen for the basin | saw you had
sprinkled the clothes. Shall | iron
them?"
She saw the odd smile that came to
her tired aunt's lips and correctly in
terpreted it.
May be you think l can't iron?" she
pleasantly said, Just you wait aud
Sco''
But the dress you have on. Miss
Atwood? tt
WAS selected for service" COM
pleted Fanny. "Of course. I'll put on
one OF your aprons"
When George Henderson returned
! from his errand he heard some one
singing chceriIy in the kitchen. He
| stepped in and saw his niece ironing
| away as deity as if she had spent the
best part of her life at it. She made
such a pretty picture that he stood still
and looked at her.
How do you do uncle?" twinkle
| Of merriment in her brown eyes; then
| she went and kissed him, standing on
| tptoe to do so.
''rm glad you've come, Fanny" he
said with heartiness. Il suppose Mat
tie explained why [ did not meet you
at the stationP But why are you IRON
| ingP Where is Matte?"
She is lying down, uncle. She fell
and sprained her ankle"
Mr.. Henderson stepped into the
| sitting-rOom, a look of concern on his
| face.
Why, DEAR how did this happen?"
ooh, how does anything happen?"
| she replied, little querulously.
Through my own awkwardness. no
doubt. | almost tainted, the pain was
so great
Does it pain you now, dear?"
Il am glad to say that it DOESN'T
IN battle it in a little sugar of lead
water" he said. There is nothing
| better"
Fanny has already done that" re-
piled the wife. ut was her own sug-
gestion.'
Oh" calculated Mr.. Henderson,
with increasing appreciation Of his
niece.
And she insists upon ironing, A
nice mess she'll make of it"
Well, may be not" Mr.. Henderson
said, in quiet tone. Il watched her
Il little while. Matte. you are good
| ironer, but she is your equal"
oh, nonsense, Georgem exclaimed
his wife. Reared in the city, as she
! has been"
Didn't necessarily make her lazy.
| silly, novel-reading imbecile," inter
rupted her husband. Perhaps we
haven't been just to Fanny. | think
she is solid, energetic, capable sort
of girl, and it is lucky that she
| came"
We'll, l hope it may prove so, y
there's the butter!
I'll churn that" he said. "We'Il
get along. Just you keep your mind
at ease. You will get about much
sooner if you do"
Fanny Atwood prepared dinner, now
and then slipping into the s;tting-room
to wet the bandage and to chat in her
| CHEEKY way with her patient.
On the third day Mrs. Henderson
was able to hobbIe to the Kitchen
where she found everything ia most
| excellent order.
Look at my currant jelly" Fanny
proudly said, as she held up one of the
| glass jars to the light. 1t was translu-
cent and bright as ruby tinted wine.
1T is very nice" Mrs. Henderson
said. How much sugar did YOU
take?"
Pound for pound" replied Fanny,
| Il wasn't eXtrayagant, was l?"
| You were wise" her aunt said, with
a smile.
SIC opened the door leading into the
cellar.
Fanny, did you whitewash the
stairway?' she asked, in surprise
Yes, auntie. 1t needed it. [ knew
YOU meant to do it, for | saw you had
siaked the lime Isn't it nicely doneP"
Very nicely" Mrs. Henderson said.
But it wasn't right for you to do it.
Surely your hands"
Look at them" Fanny said laugh
| inc. They are as soft and white as
any Iady's. put gloves on, and then
have q sort of dainty way Of working.
can do it we'll without pitching into
| it all over. | have knack, as mother
calls it. If it was right for you to
whitewash the cellarway it was right
| for me to whitewash it. | came mere
to help and to spare you; to ride the
horses, to 90 to the mill with Uncle
| George, and to make myself useful and
welcome. If you are not going to
let me work or have any fun, why, I'll
90 right back to New York"
She spoke with voluble earnestness,
her gestures rapid her dimples dane
| ing.
Mrs. Matte Henderson sat down in
a chair and cried.
why, aunt, what is the matter?"
asked Fanny. her brown eyes widen
ing. 81 hope didn't say anything to
No, dear. you didn't" replied Mrs.
Henderson. ina broken voice. Il am
CRYING because | am ashamed of my
self-because have been so unkind to
you in my thoughts. | supposed that
you would annoy me and hinder me;
that you would be helpless. selfish,
fault-inding; that you-n
But you think more kindly of me