The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-11-30
miscellaneous.
MOTHERS ROCKING CHAIR.
BY HELEN FOREST GRAVES.

IL was a rainy MONDAY morning.
one of those proverbial 'blue
Mondays" when everything went
wrong, and even inanimate things
seemed as it they were possessed by
an evil spirit to set their dumb bulk
persistently against the current of hui
man effort.
The hired man had oversight him,
self
Cant nobody expect Teller to get
up ef there amt a ray O. daylight in
err. Il tell yeou these ere dark Octo-
Der mornin's du beat everything. :"
The red cali had got into the winter
wheat the Old turkey was dragging
her late brood through acres of tall,
berry bushes the pin of the garden
gate had somehow got loose, and it
was swinging on one hinge while the
speck led rooster and his flock of hens
scratched and clawed exultantly in
the vegetable beds and among Mrs
Parleys's Seeding verbenas and slips
of geranium.
The children were clamoring for
their breakfast.
We'll be late for school, mother, as
sure as the world" said Jenny, the
eldest.
Mother, can't find my slate pencil
and school ma'am says she won't give
squeaked little Joe.
II hain't no idee what done with
the key to the barn." said Ozias, peer.
ing first in one corner, then in another
"Ain't breakfast most ready, moth.
y liftla Kofo ~ l.,
cycling the clock, which. with its por.
celain face half covered with aspar.
agus sprigs, appeared to be winking
balefullv at her
And, to place the final capstone OH
all this temple of tribulation, there
came a soft tap at the door, and Miss
Mix, the perambulating dress-maker
of the neigh borhood, made her ap.
arm, and Il pair of silver spectacles
bowed over her nose.
81 hope don't inconvenience we,
Mrs. Parley,' she began, in ingratia-
tory fashion, ''poppin' in this away,
but Mrs. Squire Migrants got a niece
come Unexpectedly from the West,
lated on ; SO I've come here instid."
MTe. SbOOu
OF all gossips and newsmongers,
Miss Mix was the most inveterate, and
to be caught thus of Monday morn
| ing, with the floor unswept, the break.
fast half cooked, the children in their
very worst stages of Righteousness and
demi- toilettes-she we'll knew that
this was a death blow to her reputa,
ton as model housekeeper.
1t was true that circumstances were
against her but what did Miss Mix
know about circumstances
Cant | help We with the break
fast ~ said Miss Mix, with ready Of
ficiousness.
Mrs. Farley shrank from the seem,
ing amiability of the offer. She had
no desire that this spy should discover
the secrets of cracked china, puttied
bowls, handleless clippers, and such
other makeshifts the country house.
keeper consistently hides within hel
| breast.
Pm obleeged t ye," said Mrs. Par
| ley, "but--"
At this moment, just as she was lift
ing the stone pipkin of oatmeal off the
stove, the little cherrywood rocking
chair, with somewhat of that almost
| human malevolence which pieces oil
! furniture will sometimes deliberately
assume, caught her dress in one of it,
rockers, and rip-rip-ri-i-ip it went
infiicting a jagged and hopeless rent
down the skirt.
Bother that old chair - said Mrs
Farley, sharply. I've bore with il
long enough won't bear no longer.
It's all sprung out o. shape and warp
ed to pieces. and it was only yesterday
Jane caught her apron in one of it.
splinters and tore it most off her.
shouldn't "a stood it as long as hey
if it hadn't belonged to Parley's moth
err, and he set store by it."
''Old Wilder Farley was dreadful
smart woman, as I've allays heard,
said Miss Mix, who was taking off hel
black silk bonnet before the little
windows.
Heard !" sharply calculated Mrs
Farley. Pm sick to death hearin' o.
me more more than any other piece o
furniture in the house. Farley
mother is dead and buried, but sht
haunts ME worse than any ghost, anC
always has ]"
She caught up the offending rock
ing-chair as she spoke and whisked of
with it into the open shed, which il
common with most other New Hamp
shire houses, had door of communi
cation with the kitchen, for convent
ence sake.
mercy ON u.s." said Miss Mix
what be you doin' Mis- Farley p
Pm maxim kindlin' wood of thi:
ERE cherry wood rocker" returned
Mrs. Farley, who had taken up TIN
Ratchet and split the offending rookie
off, and now flung it on the pile o
kindling and dry tirewood beyond
II won't be bothered with it no long
err"
And then, with round, red spot OIL
either cheek and a nervous quicknes
of step, she returned, gave little Joe