The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-01
Aunt Com forts Copy Book.

Aunt Comforts Copy Book.
Lyla had taken refuge behind the
tall clothes bars hung full of crisp,
white skirts and dresses and pinafOres,
and Great-aunt Comfort, sitting in her
basket-locker stemming currants for
tea, could hear now aud then a queer
little shifting. BY and by Lyla's tang.
led curls came In sight, and her blue
eyes somewhat clouded with tears,
peered around at Aunt Comfort.
Lyla expected Aunt Comfort to in
uuire into her trouble. She did, and
it came out that Sister Nettie had tile
prettier copybook, Lyla. thought. Net
lies had pale blue covers with pink
wild roses and humming birds, while
Lyla's were green, with pansies and
no birds.
"Fie! fier' cried aunt comfort, tuck
ing big luscious current between the
pouting lips. II wouldn't go tc
school with a red nose for such a trifie
This is pretty enough for a princess.
"Open the top drawer of my bureau
dear, and bring the little mahogany
chest you will find away back in tht
corner"
Aunt Comfort opened it, and there
among the lavender leaves and fadeC
roses lay the Keepsakes she had treas
ured up IN her long life, and from the
bottom Aunt Comfort drew forth s
little, odd looking parcel.
"That's my book-the first I eveI
had" said Aunt Comfort.
1t was queer little book, to be sure
about dozen leaves, tied together
at the back with blue tlaXen threads.
ut isn't like my paper" said
Lyla.
books with nice white paper leaves
we've not made when l was little girl
Mine is of berch bark. Father got il
from a white birch tree in the woods
aud mother peeled it into very THU
sheets, cut it square, and tied it with
some of the thumbs off the end of O
web of blue liuen dresses. You can
see although so old, it is nice and
smooth as silk.
"What pen do you suppose used to
write with?"
IA steel one, guessed Lyla.
"a goose quill" said Aunt Comfort.
ave used to strip off the feathery
part, and with knife the teacher
pointed us a pen. Sometimes, when
we wanted very handsome ones, we
let the feathers stay Oh and colored
them with indigo dye or wild Gran.
berry juice. For ink mother stepped
maple sprouts, put copperas into the
liquor and added bit of maple honey.
Little gourd shells futtened at the
bottom were our ink bottles.
Lyla had sidled around to the back
of Aunt Comforts chair, and hung
over her shoulder as if little asham.
ell of her red nose, while Amt Com.
fort read some of the faded copies and
laughed over them.
"'Have not thy cloak to make when
it begins to rain.' You see, dear, the
school teacher Dame Perkins, knew
our little sins, and with these little
proverbs, written over and over in oul
books, tried to help US mend ourselves,
I was rather needless child, always
putting off tasks and never being
ready when I ought. This copy was
for my benefit.
"He that licks honey from thorns
pays too dear for it, read Aunt Com:
fort.
"Ah, yes, that's true. I was often
ready to undertake mischief for little
fun, and generally got the thorn in
my tongue. Dame Perkins knew that,
too.
"But here is another, Handsome is
that handsome does. You wouldn' It
guess now, Lyla, that your old Aunt
Comfort was once pretty little girl.
But was-and vain, too, of my long,
yellow curls. Well one n0ontinie
Dame Perkins plated a crown Of beau
tiful wild flowers to be worn the rest
of the day on the head Of the prettiest
girl in school. With my usual vanity,
| expected to carry off the crown, )
and combed my curls very smooth
with a clear puddle for a looking
glass.
"I'm afraid that I had tried Dame
Perkins patience that morning. for
had mispelled my my words, hemmed
my pillowcases wrong side out we
used to take sewing to school then
and put grasshopper down the neck
of Molly Shaws frock. Molly was
little, plain girl with humpback.
who never made any trouble and tried
to please us all.
"When school commenced in the
afternoon Dame Perkins came along
toward my bench with tue crown
{ shook back my curls and reached
forward to have it put on; but to my
establishment she stepped just before
me, and let it fall on Molly Shaw's
head, saying:
"I want you to remember, children,
hat handsome is that handsome
loes.'
"Oh, the modification of it! The
boys giggled and pointed fingers at
ne. The girls tossed their heads as
nuch as TO CAV If servps you rjpht