Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-06
THE BRISTOL BOWL
e. Nesbit In Black and White.

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e. Nesbit In Black and White.
My cousin Sarah and me lad only one
aunt between us, and that was my Aunt
Maria who lived in the little cottage up by
the church.
Now my aunt had a tidy little bit of
money laid by, which she couldn't in reason
expect to carry with ner when her time
came to go, wherever 1t was she might go
to. and houseful of furniture. old-fash-
iored. but strong and good still. So Of
course Sarah and were not behindhand in
going up to see the old lady. and taking her
a pot or so Of jam in fruiting season, or
turnover, maybe. on baking day, If the
oven had been steady and the baking
turned out well. And you couldn't have
told from aunt's manner which OF US she
liked best; and there were some folks who
thought she might leave half to me and
half to Sarah for she hadn't chick nor
child Of her own.
But aunt was Of a having nature and
what she had once got together she couldn't
bear to see scattered. Even IL 1t was only
what she had got in her rag-bag, she would
give it to one person to make big quilt OF.
rather than give it to two persons to make
two little ones.
money might come to either or neither Oh
u.s. but go to both 1t wouldn't.
Now some people don't believe in special
mercies, but 1 have always found there
must have been something out Of the COM
mon way for things to happen as they did
the day Aunt Maria sprained her ankle
She went over to the farm where We were
living with my mother (who was sensible
woman, and carried on the farm much bet
ter than most men would have done, though
that's neither here nor there) to ASK II
Sarah or me could be spared to 60 ana LOOK
after her a bit, for the doctor SAID she
couldn't put her foot to the ground Ior
week more.
Now, the minister / sit under always
warns US against superstition, which,
take II. means believing more than you
have any occasion to. And I'm NOT more
given to it than most folks. but stiii al
ways have said. and 1 always shall say
that there's a special Providence above US.
and 1t wasn't for nothing that Saran was
laid up with a Quinsy that morning. 80
put a few things together-in Sarahs nat
tin, / remember, which was handler 10
carry than my own-and / went up to the
| cottage.
Aunt was in bed. and whether Il was
the sprained ankle or the hot weather
don't know. but the old lady was canaan
kerous past all believing. ,
Good morning, aunt" I said when i
"Oh! you've come. have your she said.
without answering my question: ana
brought enough luggage to last you year;
| I'll be bound. When / was young. elri
| of boxes or the like. A clean shift and a
change of stockings done up IN cotton
| handkerchief. that was good enough LOT us'
| But now you girls must all be young iaoies.
| I've no patience with you"
| l didn't answer back, for answering back
| is a poor sort of business when the other
person Is able to make you pay Ior ever
| idle word. OF course, It's dinerent II YOU
| haven't anything to lose by IL. 30 1us'
said: S,,,
brought much; and what would you IKE me
| to do flrst? ,, /.
saws she. humping her pillows. na'
| there's not a stick in the house peen ous'-
| ed yet-no, nor a stair sweep
So set to to clean the house. wnicn wa
cleaner than most peoples already, ana l
got a nice bit Of dinner and took II up on 2
| a tray, But no. that wasn't right. for I'd
put the best instead Of the second best
:.The workhouse is where you'n end"
| says aunt.
But she ate up all the dinner. and after
sns ans ss and f ss IL. o to
I finished the stairs ana tidied up the
kitchen, and then 1 went to dust the parlor.
Now my aunts parlor was q perfect
marvel. / have never seen its like before
| or since. The mantelpiece and the corner
cupboard. and the shelves behind the door.
| and the top Of the chest OF drawers, and
the bureau. were all covered up with per
feet litter and hurry Of old china. Not sets
| Of anything. but different basins and jugs
| and cups ard plates and china spoons, and
tho bust of John Wesley. and Elijah feed
ing the ravens in q red gown and standing
| on a green crockery grass plot.
There was every kind Of china useless
ness that you could think Of; and Sarah
-. IL IL ~ Ht,.N rf-l l..Z
no chance Of getting on in life without she
busted all this rubbish once q week at the
least.
We'll. the sooner begun the sooner end.
ed" says I to myself. So / took the silk
handkerchief that aunt KEEP a purpose-an
old one 1t was that had belonged to uncle
and hemmed with aunt's own hair and
marked with his name in the corner
Folks must have had a deal Of time in
| those days. / often Think And / began
to dust the things, beginning with the big
bowl on the chest of drawers. for aunt al.
ways would have everything done just one
| way and no other.
You think, perhaps that might as well
have sat down in the arm chair and had q
had busted everything: but you must know
she was quite equivalent to asking any OF
the neighbors who might drop in whether
that drafted china Of hers was busted
properly.
1t was a hot afternoon and I was tired
and a bit cross.
"AuEts and uncles and grandmothers'
thinks to myself. "Oh! what a stupid ole
lot they must have been to have set such
store by all this gimcrackery. Oil II onl,
q bull or something could get in here fol
five minutes and smash every precious--Oh
my cats alivev
1 don't know how 1 did 1t, but lust as
was saving that about the bull, the bis
powl slipped from my hands and broke n
three pieces on the floor at my feet. ant
at the same time / heard aunt thumb
thump. humping with the heel of her boo
on the moor for me to go up and tell Ne,
what 1 had broken. l tell You / wishef
from my heart al that moment that IL VIZ,
me mat had had the quinsy instead o
l was so knocked all Of a heap that
c0ulont move and the boot went on thump
tnump. humping overhead. 1 had TO I'd
put was mustered to that degree that q,
went up the stairs l couldn't for the ma
Oh me think what should say
aunt was sitting up in bed and she shoe,
| ner INST at me as I went in
Out with 1T she said. Speak tn
, ruin. Which OF them is 1t? The vale
emma dish or the big tea pot, or the wed9
grandfather :" 'ou
And then all in a minute 1 knew what I,
say. Inc words seemed to be put I'm m,
Ihouth, IKE they were into those of III
Lord. aunt!' said, you give me quit
a turn battering on the floor that way
Wnat 90 you want? What IL it?''
What have you broken, YOU wicked
heartless girl: Out with 1t, quick"