The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-05-03
SELECTED STORY.
Aunt Mary,s me-COming.

-
hard-hearted ungratefulness of her re
lations, and the sad ending of that long
aud busy career, there is strange and
sorrowful feeling that touches the heart.
Her life was one of servitude. For
morejthan half century she worked by
the week, doing kitchen work, from
place to place. Her wages thus earned
were given over to her sisters husband,
little by little, and nothing given in re-
turn to show for it. What's the use to
give notes? It's all in the family, and
you can have it any time-yes, any
time" said Bob Scratcherd, who en-
joyed the reputation of being Tighter
than the bark on tree"
"You'll have a home with us when
you get SOS you don't care to work."
her sister said. "Give us your money
and we'll save it for you. Bob's in need
of money now to improve the farm.
You can spare it and it will be a help to
u.s." Thus Aunt Mary was coaxed by
the most subtle cajolery, and in her
kindness of heart she gave up her earn
ines as fast as they accumulated.
1t seemed there was something wait
ing for her money as fast as she earned
it. After the farm was brought under
cultivation, new house was wanted,
and of course Mary would help, as she
would live with them eventually. When
the house was completed, a fine car
rage was almost a necessity, and a
hundred dollars would be very accept
able.
Then the girls in the Scratched fam
lily became young ladies, old enough to
go into society, and must be educated
Aunt could not refuse the loan Of her
money, which she was not needing,
and, besides, the dear girls would soon
teach and pay her interest on all she
loaned them.
SO Aunt handed over her hard. earned
wages without murmur. An organ
was bought, and again she was impor-
tuned to help pay the music teacher.
She gave over cheerfully, for she said:
1T did me good to listen to the dear
children play. | never had a chance,
but want them to have, and they are
such good girls" Thus it happened
that Aunt Mary saw her earnings melt
away. Yet, in her generosity she felt
she was doing what was right. Her
acquaintance sometimes re monstrated,
saying: "You ought o take mortgages
on Bob Scratched for every dollar you
loan to him. He'll refuse to pay you;
now see if he don't"
son, no." she would reply, "you
see I'm to live with them when l get too
old 10 work out, and then Pm not afraid
of Bob; he's all square,"
And thus matters passed for years,
and after she had reached her seventy
fifth milestone she saw that she could
no longer command high wages. She
was obliged to work now for only
little over her board, and this meager
pittance was duly appropriated by Pet
Scratched, the youngest hopeful of the
family, who looked on her as an old
woman who was good for nothing eX-
cept to pass over dollars to him, which
he quickly converted into powder and
shot. AS he was the baby" of the
family, Aunt looked on him as
being who had to have his own way,
and was not to be thwarted in any wish
or desire.
The girls were young ladies now, but
instead of teaching, one was gong to
be married soon, and the other one
was spending every dollar she could
coax of Aunt Mary in advancing her
self. Nothing was ever said about pay
ing her back, and as she was of proud
and sensitive nature, she scOrned the
idea of asking it of them.
After severe winter, in which she
had exposed herself greatly, she found
that her strength was failing, and she
was. at last, compelled to 90 home to the
Scratcherds and ask them TO let her
stay awhile.
1--WE can't have Aunt here; she's
always where she's not wanted. Pm
sure nobody wants her poking her nose
in their business, and she'll tattle all
she knows and more" said Lii, who
was just then busy with her trous-
seau
"Well, she's not able to work and
she's 20 home" said Mrs. S. in mild
apology.
Well, why in creation didn't the
old thing get married and have home
and not De nuisance to US" said the
irate Lii. "There's one thing certain,
Pm not going to have her here when
the wedding comes off; you've got to
do something with her."
So Mrs Scral cherd set to work to plan
a way by which she could rid the house
OF the unwelcome presence of Aunt
Mary.
She consulted with her husband, and
as he was owing her considerable money,
and felt in no wise inclined to pay her
at present, and as the old saying goes,
" The folks you do the most for love you
the least" Bob fell in with his wife's
suggestion that they remove Aunt Mary
TO the pOor-house.
Accordingly she was asked if she
would like to drive over to Mrs. Mains
who was the overseer's wife-and a
friend OF hers. "You can pay her a
visit, Mary, as you are not able to work"
said Mrs. Scratched.
Poor Mary, suspecting nothing wrong,
was ready and eager with anticipation.
Bob Scratched went up TO the farm the
next day, and then the next the three
got in the carriage-which her money
had bought-and without thought of
the wicked scheme, she went away, glad
to get ride along the road, which was
now freshened with the signs of early
spriug.
Mrs. Main received them kindly, ask
ing Aunt Mary to lay off her bonnet