The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1896-02-07
GRANDMA'S CUSTARD CUPS.
By ELIZABETH WEsTYN TDdLow.

By ELIZABETH WESTEN TDULOW.
Patty regarded a visit to grandmam-
ma as a little glimpse into Paradise.
At home there was such flock of chill
dren, of whom she was middle man"
that it was delightful to be the only
little one in the large house, and have
all her grandparents attention cen
tered upon her.
Grandmamma had fascinating
home, with its wide, central hall and
great rooms. Her father had been a
sea captain, and the whole place was
full of curious furniture, piles of Won
derful seashells and great branches Of
coral. Queer stuffed birds peered
down from tall cabinets; feathery dried
grasses from South America nodded
in stately blue jars; quaint japanese
curiosities and odd Chinese toys, Won
derful music boxes, and tables that took
all apart, carvings and screws and dark,
rich hangings, all these made the
great dim parlOr, especially, a dream
Of strange delights to six-year-old
Patty.
She was dainty, careful little body,
SO no one ever felt obliged to say to her:
'Don't touch" She had never been
known to break or injure anything,
therefore she was allowed to handle
anything she liked, and she always re-
placed things exactly as she found
them.
This winter Patty had not been very
we'll. and the doctor advised sending
her to the country for six months.
Grandma was quite as delighted to have
her little pet granddaughter as Patty
was to 60.
One OF her chief amusements was to
so with an older cousin, who lived
near, to the little district school, which
was very new experience after her
city kindergarten. 1t was quite walk
from grandma's to the little brown
schoolhouse, so the children carried
their luncheOns and ate them, picnic
fashion, clustering around the rusty
box stove. This was the widest ex-
element for Patty, for grandma put
her up such dainty little luncheons, and
itseemed so grown up to start off with
her primer tucked under her arm, and
her little wicker basket firmly grasped
in her hand.
One day when grandma was out,
Patty, being alone, went roaming
around the pariors for amusement.
She listened at the seashells and dec
Grated herself with the strings of queer
beads which lay heaped up in a cabinet.
She set all the music boxes going at
once, She played with the carved
ehessmen and slowed them all away
again in their quaint little box of sweet
smelling wood. Then she wandered
over to a wide, low cabinet, decorated
with carved dragons and grifhns.
She opened the lower doors and sat
down before them. The shelves were
filed with china; cups and saucers like
eggshells; cut-glass dishes, flashing
back the light; all rare, curious and val
uable. Patty was more or less familiar
with these, for they always decorated
the table on state occasions. so she
pushed them aside with gentle fingers
to see what might be behind them. She
knew grandma would allow her to in
vestigate in this way, for she was al
ways careful.
ooh, oh" cried Patty, presently, in
the course of her explorations. Il don't
b'iieEe grandma knows she has these!
I've never, never seen them before"
She had discovered, in a distant cor
neF, a set Of queer little cups without
sauceTs. They were of brown. glazed
ware, with wreath of pink rosebuds
around them. The shape was very
graceful. with twisted handles on each
side.
''How beautiful" sighed Patty, in
admiration, drawing one out. what
cunning little handlesi PdliI1e to drink
outof it."
They were really little cups Tor bai1-
ing custaFds in; but as grandma had
another set. which she preferred to use,
she had no occasion to get these out
Patty surveyed the cup on all sides.
How nice it would be TO take to
school to drink out OF, instead of that
OLD tin aipper," she thought, suddenly.
Il don't blieve grandma would mind.
Iii just ask her when she comes home. -
Patty put the other things back in
sheiF places and carried the little cup
10 her room, instead Of putting it back
as She should have done. Then she ran
sslssh &c the sunny kitchen where good
1atlsssd Roxy was always ready to talk
sr aud tel Ter stories. When
sssia esnS home t5s little girl Aali
s5s5ztea III bout fae eup