Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1894-08-16
A VACATION MORNING.
Aunt Hetty and the College Girl
just Home from School.

just Home from School.
Out under the rose-arbor in the
pleasant front yard of the parsonage,
Betty Dexter, the minister's only
daughter, and her roommate at col
lege, pretty Rose Houston, in their
fresh summer gowns are chatting mer-
rily with Mamma Dexter while they re-
ieved great dish Of strawberries of
their stems. 3
Betty, college senior now, was
scarcely beauty, though her hand
some, smiling brown eyes made one
forget any little irregularity of fea-
ture. And though every one in college,
atleast in the upper classes, knew that
she was only a minister's daughter,
and though any girl with half an eye
could trace the TRANSPORTATION prog
ress in her hats and dress. and knew
that she could never give really
handsome spread, yet no girl within
the college gates was so popular as
Betty Dexter. No girl had so many
invitations for vacation, so many en-.
gagements to walk, drive, row and
go into the city; but nearly all of her
vacations were spent at home with the
ever-busy mother and the delicate
father, who made many self-denials
in order to meet the slender college
bills. With her this summer, by spe-
cial request of the mother, had come
her roommate, little Rose Houston,
the orphan heiress from New Orleans,
who loved Betty better than she loved
anyone else in the wide world.
ours is tiny dot of home," said
Betty, sand mother and do most of
the work together; but you will have
a royal welcome, dear" And Rose,
being genuine, though very desul-
A tory sort of girl, by reason of her long
years of orphanage and years of trav-
cling about with a maid and her guar.
dian, had been more than glad to
come.
On the little table in the rose arbor,
besides Mrs. Dexters working basket,
was volume of "The Vision of Sir
Launfal," which the ladies had been
reading in turn.
''There is such a musical swing to
those last verses" said Rose, that one
is forced to remember them:
"'Who gives himself with his aims feeds
Himself, his hungering neighbor and NO."
but really" said Betty, ''it is only
the purest selfshness to be kind and
generous to others, for the reward is
SO sweet
And here comes over the hill re-
ward for two busy young housekeep-
I M,~S 10 VT
the sound of a tally horn from the
coach of neighboring mountain re-
sort was heard rolling in peculiar Ca
dence among the echoes. 1T is a
charming day for coaching party
A nearer sound, however, attracted
their attention before the coach could
reach the gate-a sound of the queru-
lous, high, cracked voice of an old
woman in gown and bonnet that may
have been bravely fashionable fifty
years ago. .... -........-
80 glad to find you at home, Betty,
and your ma, too. Walked all the way
from Chatham Mills on purpose to see
We and hear all about the college. l
hain't seen we in a long time, and I
have been longing for sight of your
sweet face"
They gave her cordial greeting, this
old Aunt Hetty from Blake's Corners,
and Betty kissed, with genuine affec-
ton, the withered face, once outward
ly beautiful and now shining with in
ward goodness, which action Rose no.
ticed with a bit of jealousy; for Rose
expected her friends to be very loyal
to her, and loyalty, from her stand
point, meant caring much for her and
little for others. 1t was part of her
education and perhaps no one could
blame her. Indeed, onereason why she
had SO gladly accepted the invita- ton
to the parsonage had been that she
wished to have Rose all to herself. At
college some one was always seeking
her; but here she thought it would be
otherwise. Yesterday, however, there
had been Sunday-school class to en-
terrain, and here was the old lady.
The coaching party would take them
both away, no doubt, and certainly at
Mrs. Dexter's age, she, and not the
daughter, would be the proper one to
entertain Aunt Hetty. So Rose settled
the affair in her own mind.
It was gay company on the great
coach, with little grig of bugler
and twenty young people on top, while
the chaperons were snugly bestowed
inside. II you doubt whether so many
could find space on mountain tally
no, just present the problem and the
coach to party of that size, on fine
summer morning, and they will speed
lily prove the truth of my statement.
Two smiling young men, in summer
flannels, and cheeks Redeemed by
the brisk drive, were on the ground
before the coach had time to stop, and
were making their salutations to the
ladies and their request to Mrs Dex-
ter They were going to Eagle Cliff
for days outing; party well chap
eroned, horses and driver absolutely
reliable. Could the young ladies join
them? And a chorus of girlish voices
added their entreaties, while the boy
bugler blew delicately suggestive
little songlet out into the air by way
of tlattering invitation.
Aunt Hetty's old eyes filed with
tears of disappointment but she brave
ly winked them back before anyone
could see them-so she thought.
SCOT up at five o'clock, did all the
work, tramped over to Zene Lucas to
catch ride on his milk-cart, and then
walked three miles more from the
mills in the hot sun, and all for moth
ing,' she was thinking. s'But, dear
me! I was a pretty girl once myself
and had my good times, too" So it
CHANGED that what she said, in all sim
certify and earnestness, was almost
convincing. DO go right along, Bet
ty. l shall be over again in few
days, mebbe, and this will give me
nice chance to visit with your ma
And by avoiding Betty's eye the old
lady considered that she had made q
very neat thing of her hard task.
Rose turned eagerly to Mrs. Dexter
and waited; but Betty took the old,
withered hands that were nervously