Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-01-05
OUEENIE'S MOTHER,
A virginia silhouette.


the afternoon to catch the rattle OF the
gate which now reached her ears, but as
She hurried expectantly to the door and
looked out, shading her eyes from the July
sunshine, her face fell with disappointment.
1t was only Aunt Sally Adams who toiled
laboriously up the path to the doorway OF
the little cabin, between the two rows OF
struggling ''tech-me-nOts" and pretty
bv-nights" that formed Aunt Rhoda's
flower garden. As she approached, Aunt
Rhoda, noticing how drawn and puckered
her face was by heat and fatigue, strove to
Danish the eager expectation that absorbed
her thoughts, and calling out Hospitality
"Step in, Sist Adams, | sho' is glad to see
you," she wiped the seat of chair with
her apron and set it in the draught of the
shady doorway for her weary guest. The
latter dropped with a sigh OF relief into
the seat and taking off her bonnet, fan
ned herself vigorously.
'Fore the Lawd, it's hot she eN-
claimed, looking up into her hostess's face.
81 car es' now | thought II sartinly die
fore | got home, an ZEN see yo' do look
in so cool-like, an ies say, well, know
Sist Rhoda Thompson she's gwine let
po' ole oman set awhile in her cabin tell
She gits sarter rested so l jes come right
long"
"You's mighty welcome" Aunt Rhoda
assured her, but she said it absently, and
turninr She let her ewes wander again down
the bit of dusty road that could be seen
from the cabin door.
Aunt Sally looked round the cabin, sur
rrised by the unusually festive appearance
il presented s'You' specun' comp'ny,
amt vou?" she inquired curousy, and
Amt Rboda nodded impatiently: she was
straining her ears after a faint sound of
wheels somewhere in the distance.
~ thought So" continued the other,
shaking her head and speaking as if to her
self after a fashion she had. 81 les said,
sWhv. look ahyah. this we're room am DOW
'flv fixed no. flo les been washed. table
set so fine. wild white CLOTH an poun'
cake an aIl.' | les said, Now | know Sis
Thomnson she mus be spectin' comp'ny. :
Who be it vou's lookin' fo'?'
Aunt Rhoda's face relaxed into smile,
in spite of the fact that the wheels had
proyed 10 be only those of a steer wagon
which came slowly iolting round the
curve She seated herself. her elbows on
her knees. and turned more socially to-
wards her guest. "Queenie's comm >" she
said
"Sho' 'nOuqhI' exclaimed Aunt Sally.
"Well. now; amt YOU glad?"
Aunt RhOda nodded: 'Reckon | be! |
amt seen her fo' mon three years" She
moved her chair so that she could look
down the road. "Sbe wrote me a while
go as she was comm home long of I'm
Gle Austin's daughter. an she's comm tc
day. Her pa pass by N hour 90. going tc
the deenot. am he saw he'll bring Oueenie
long when he come back. Law! she been
comm so long, an done put off so many
times. | cyarn't sca'cely b'lieve she'll be
hyah vii.
81 know how YOU fee, :" said Aunt Sally
shaking her head sympathetically 'Wha'.
the place she been at? | done furgot the
name
"She's been studyin' at Hampton col.
-'lege:1 Aunt Rhoda spoke the name proud
w. 'But | reckon she stayed a while
with .Jnlia chats Uncle Austin's cir
what's workin' in NORFOLK fore she an
her stated home. But | dunno, | ain
heerd from her sence she wrote she guessed
she'd come home when Julia Gomez
"Huccome she amt been to see YOU be
fo'?n
.'She done smoke of comm mos ey',
vacation. but | didn't never have 'nougi
money to SEN for her." Aunt Rhoda stoot
up impatiently and stepped out of tn
door. st,Pears like they wont never come. ;
she murmured.
Aunt Sally rose stiffly. with deep sigh
"Well. Is boun' to be movin', though
wish | could STAY an see Queenie," sh
said ,Rnt it's some cooler now. so III
have to 90"
Aunt Rhoda tried to be politely regret
full, though she was in reality relieved whel
her guest had at last departed, and sh
was free to give herself up to the eager an
ticipation of her daughters return
How would Oueenie look? A fine lady
there was no doubt. After all this gram
education (Which was puzzling myster
to Amt Rboda for what could there he r.
learn that took so much labor and expense?
and after all the money that had been re
quired to buy her clothes during the pas
three years, what a magnificent creatur
Queenie must be. How envious would sh
make all the other girls in the neiehbol
hood; they had always been Jealous O
Queenie, with all her superior airs. Aun
Rhoda chuckled to remember how iealou
they had been, and how Queenie had car
tivated all the beaux before she left, whe