Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-04-14


small torpedo.
"Dear aunt, have you not heard Of
Hercules sweeping the Augean stables in
one dsyl They contained three thou
sand head of cattle, which hadn't had
any clean straw for thirty years. Well,
l dare say he began with his mother s
parlor, and trained hi, muscles thus"
caught the broom and performed series
of G, 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.
"Don't break anything, but move ou'
the furniture, and sweep the corners
and shake the table cover and the rug
and don't lift the broom high 50 as to
make big dust"
Enough, madam, my aunt. You
will soon see how accomplished in such
matters | am. Wait minute. Even at
such trying time, aesthetics must not
be forgotten.
l ran up stairs and reappeared with
my hair done up in a white null tichu,
fastened at the side with a bunch OF
mignonette; my dress skirt pinned back,
and covered with large spron, trimmed
with red bows.
Beauty and the Broom" said I. as
saw my black eyes and DARK cheeks I'M
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"
Ny aunt well knew that rambling in
the woods after flowers and insects was
my delight, and that | regarded house
work as 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 l bad
enough Of fashion the rest of the year
and because was, with all my short
Jngs, Aunt Kitty's favorite niece. Father
and | lived all alone; or, rather, be
lived with his grain elevators. He was
very good to nue.. might 90 anywhere
liked, or stay at home and invite com.
pany. So joined Shakespeare Club u
improve my mind, and took lessons in
free hand drawing. Or course, had to
go great deal to the dressmaker's, for
city girls wardrobe takes time and at.
tention. had dog cart and pony,
and took one of the girls every pleas
ant day to drive in Central Park.
AS for housekeeping, We had the best
OF servants, and l only had to decide
whether it should be beef or mutton for
dinner. No wonder Aunt Kitty regarded
this freak as new and startling de-
velopment of my character. But she
left me with
"Don't sweep the dust into the hall,
but to the hearth, and"
actually kissed her and pushed the
dear soul out of the room, and shut the
door in her face.
Now | threw open all the windows
and blinds. A flood of beautiful sun.
shine came in. Dark rooms are an in
vention OF the Prince of Darkness-but
then folks in the country are awfully at.
tached to them. Never mind, l have all
out doors to live. How lovely those
roses are this morningl climb over the
sill to the veranda, and pick a large
bunch of Baltimore Bellies, which pin
to my throat. A sparrow has her nest
in that honeysuckle vine. Oh, she is
sitting, and l will not disturb her.
almost wish l had gone for a walk.
"But, Grace Brown, you shall not
be tickle. You are going to SWEEP
this room; so climb in again. Thi!
small round table shall be the starting
point. A good beginning Is work hall
DONE" The carpet is modest tapestry.
will take it, one breadth at a time,
narrowing ever the horizon of dust and
dirt, the hearth my radiating point, en-
larging the area Of brightness, till all i!
clean-when, Enter Dust Pan, and per
form thy mental but useful officel
The table is pretty and quaint, GOV
cred with an embroidered cloth that
worked and sent last Christmas. On i
lie handsome piece of coral unde
glass, some rare and beautiful shells
and an illustrated book, "Poems f thu
Sea-"
Well do I know the sad story en-
shrined here. Fifteen years ago, Arnold
Wood sailed on his last voyage. He WA
Aunt Kitty's lover, and fine seaman
But Aunt Kitty would have no sailor fo
husband, and he agreed that after on,
more voyage-he had just been pro
NOTED to be second mate-be would
settle down to farming. She could moi
bear that he should go, bu
lie was jubilant. New lands
to see-rare and pretty thing
to bring back to the prettiest bride il
town-it was but right that ne should
have one more taste of the wild, fire.,
life; and sadly she let him go. Fo
several weeks letters came regularly
The last was from Calcutta. No one eve
heard Of that ship again. AS month
passed, Aunt Kitty grew pale and silent
with wistful look on her face. Peopl
stopped talking when she went by, ant
said under their breath, "Poor thingsl'
At last she took to her bed with a sloy
fever. That's what they always cal
these broken heart troubles. But she ha
astrong physique, and did not die, q
seemed likely, but after weeks Of Hines
took up the burden OF her life again
Well for her, perhaps, that her fathe
was growing too old to look after th
farm, and, as he died soon with strok
OF apoplexy, she assumed entire contrt
Of the business. Then her mother gre
feeble, and they cared for her like a
iniaat. She could only help herself
little by rolling her chair about. o