The Opelousas courier., 1893-05-20

1ANhO AAtkhy SSAS ~ -
small torpedo.
"Dear aunt, have you not heard of
Hercules's sweeping the Augean stables in
one day2 They contained three thou
sand head of cattle, which hadn't shad
any, clean straw for thirty years. Well,
I dare say he began with his mothers
parlor, and trained his muscles thus" ]
caught the broom and performed a series
Of gx mnastics, throwing it back Of my
head, and twisting my neck in and out
of the loop, till the shade of the student
lamp began to tremble.
My aunt yielded with many cautions.
the f.. 80, adu sweep the corners,
ia shake the table cover and the rug;
and don't lift the broom high SO as to
make a big dust"
Enough, madam, my aunt. a.. You
will soon see how accomplished in such
matters l am. Wait a minute. Even at
such a trying time, aesthetics must not
be forgotten"
+ I ran up stairs and reappeared with
my hair done up in a white null 'fchu,
fastened at the side with d bunch of
m~ignonette; my dress skirt pinned back,
and covered with a large spron, trimmed
with red bows.
"Beauty and the Broom" said I, as I
saw my black eyes and dark cheeks un-
der the soft white turban, in the small
mirror. "Grace Brown, l have seen you
with less becoming Surroundings. Now,
aunt, exit please. The curtain rises
upon the first act"
My aunt well knew that rambling in
the woods after flowers and insects was
my delight, and that / regarded house
work as a necessary evil, which, like
duties in a custom house, let those shirk
who might. l spent weeks in this
charming country home every summer,
in preference to visiting any Of the fash.
ionable resorts, simply because | had
enough of fashion the rest of the year
and because | was, with all my short
ings, Aunt Kitty's ~favorite niece. Father
and l lived all alone; or, rather. he
lived with his grain elevators. He was
very good to me. might go anywhere
/ liked, or stay at home and invite COM
pany. So l joined a Shakespeare Club to
improve my mind, and took lessons in
free hand drawing. Or course, I had to
60 a great deal to the dressmaker's, for
a city girls wardrobe takes time and at
tention. l had a dog cart and pony,
and / took one of the girls every pleas
ant day to drive in Central Park.
As for housekeeping, we had thts best
OF servants, and | only had to decide
whether it should be beef or mutton for
Inner. No wonder Aunt Kitty regarded
this freak as |: new and startling de-
velopment of my character. But she
left Inc with:
"Don't sweep the dust into the hall,
but to the hearth, and"
l actually kissed her and pushed she
dear soul out of the room, and shut the
door in her face.
Now / threw open all the windows
and blinds. A food of beautiful sun
shine came in. Dark rooms are an in
vention of the Prince of Darkness-but
teen folks in the country are awfulIy at.
tached to them. Never mind, I have all
out doors to live. How lovely those
roses are this morningI l climb over the
sill to the veranda, and pick a large
bunch of Baltimore Bellies, which I pin
TO my throat. A sparrow has her nest
in that h~oneysuckle vine. Oh, she is
sitting, and I will not disturb her. ]
almost wish I had gone for a walk.
But, Grace Brown, you shall Tot
be tickle. You are going to sweep |
this room; SO climb in again. This
small round table shall be the starting
point. "A good beginning IS work hall
DONE" The carpet is a modest tapestry.
! will take it, one breadth at a time,
narrowing ever the horizon of dust and
dirt, the hearth my radiating point, en-
the area of brightness, till all is
Enter Dust Pan, and per-
form thy mental but useful oficel
The table is pretty and quaint, GOV.
cred with an embroidered CLOTH tlat [
worked and sent last Christmas. On it
lie a handsome piece of coral under
glass, some rare aud beautiful shells,
and an illustrated book, s'Poems of the
Well do know the sad story en-
here. Fifteen years ago, Arnold
Wood sailed on his last voyage. He was
Aunt Kitty's lover, and a fine seaman.
But Aunt Kitty would have no sailor for
. husband. and he agreed that after one
more voyage-he had just been pro.
noted to be sec md mate he would
'estle down to farming. She could not
that he should 90, but
ne was jubilant. New lands
o see-rare and pretty things
@ bring back to the prettiest bride In
:own-it was but right that he should
lave n more taste of the wild, free
life; and sadly she let him go. For
everal weeks letters came regularly.
The last was from Calcutta. No one ever
,eard OF that ship again. As months
Aunt Kitty grew pale and silent,
With a wistful look on her face. Peonle
talking when she went by, and
aid under their breath, .Poor things!"
last she took to her bed with a slow
ever. That's what they always call
hese broken heart troubles. But she had
strong physique, and did not die, as
eemed likely, but after weeks Of illness
ook up the burden of her life again.
yell Tor her, perhaps. that her father
'as growing too old TO Took after The
arm, and, as he died soon with q stroke
{ apoDlexy, she assumed entire control
+ the business. Then her mother grew
seb'e, and they cared for her ike al
lla..E. She could nnlu helm herself