The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-07-09
WHAT HAPPENED.

Aunt Patty awoke early with the
bright April morning, feeling sure
something was going to happen She
had heard High Top Calvin, the king
of the flock, crow nine times at mid
night; and Lympathy Limp, the lame
white pullet, was cackling before sun
rise. AS the moments passed, and Aunt
Patty begun putting on the garments
that lay so smooth and orderly on the
high backed chair, she felt surer and
surer her convictions would come true.
She put one stocking on wrong side out
the right shoe on the left foot, and
skipped three holes in lacing her stays.
She tried twice to put both arms into
one sleeve of her dress and buttoned it
by leaving two holes at the top with
no buttons, and two buttons at the
bottom with no holes. She could still
her reasoning no longer, but said, aloud.
Patty Prentice. are you a fool?"
Just at she had got the refractory
buttons into place, there came pro-
longed knock at the little porch door
below. "Oh, dear me!' she said, whats
coming now? Somebody must be dead"
Her thoughts and tongue ran swiftly
as she tried to unite the nightcap
strings that in her hurry had got into
a bard knot. "P'r'aps it's Deacon Hop
kihs's wife. Belinda Johnson said last
night, the doctor said she couldn't pull
through; or may be it's Martha James's
husbands mother; she's awful feeble.
Or what If it should be 10 Backus's
boy, Jim. He always throws a stone
at Sancho every time he passes here.
4 (Sancho is her dear, companionable cat)
They say Jm's likely TO get killed any
time"
Aunt Patty had conquered the strings,
and hung the cap on the bedpost. She
started down the narrow stairs, still
thinking of Sanchos prosecutor and
repeating, The Lord gave, and the
Lord taketh away; blessed be the name
of the Lord" She crossed the little,
low kitchen, and reaching the porch,
moved aside from the door the long
woodboX, with its pile of tin pans.
Aunt Patty had not the protection of
a man in the house, but tin pans could
make as much noise as a man, any
time she said, and perhaps were as
gdpd in protecting"
She slid back the little bolt turned
the wooden button, asking, in an anx-
iovs voice:
What is it? What is it?"
Mover wants you to come rite over,
Aunt Fatty" a childish voice says.
She's got inspected company. Don't
stop to get any bweakfast. / ain't had
ndne, never"
INSPECTED company, inspected conf
pany," repeats Aunt Patty. Il wonder
If the day will ever come when am not
at the beck and call of everybodys un-
spected company and piled-up mendlng
basket But she reaches down,
snoooths the tangled hair, and kindly
says:
We'll, you come in, Johnnie, and you
can eat some doughnuts while I'm get
tipg ready"
Her doughnuts are known to every
CHILD in the village; they are a gener-
oQs kind or as the children say, mot
ali hole" 1t is bright CLEAN of sun
shine in her lonely life that children
loye her, and many childish sorrows
ath wrongs are soothed by her ready
sympathy and the contents of the never
empty tin box in the little square cup
board.
Aunt Patty is soon ready, for she is
ndt precise old maid who must leave
eVkrything at an exact angle. She
often says there are old maids from
choice, and old maids from compulsion,
aIpf am sort of betwixt and between.
BOT many of the village people remem-
bef the lover Of Aunt Patty's girlhood,
ARID often over the teacups has the pre-
diction been given: They'll both get
tired of living alone, and make 1t all
un You see If they don't"
Johnnie feeds the hens while Aunt
PEty puts Sancho's breakfast under
the doorstep, with the always added
admontion, Now, Sancho, If you see
jim Backus coming, you run right un-
der the hen-house." She closes the
arnlfA nd utn 30
bush, and thinks of the purple plumes
so. closely hidden in those bright green
buds. How kind Nature is to all life
entrusted to its Gale. she says, aloud;
land II never makes a mistake" She
THINKS how sweetly the birds sing and
how much of life there Is In this bright
spring morning. She finds herself soft
lyssinging: =,
IF it were always May, sweetheart,
If 1t were always May"
She stops suddenly, remembering the
weight Of nearly fifty years. But she
csQnot close her eyes to the swelling
bUus and sweet awakening that shows
ateyery step along the roadside. They
crtss the narrow bridge, and Johnnie,
grpwing impatient, runs ahead and
caSls;
Lets hurry now, Aunt Patty for
m6Ner is waitin'."
She follows Johnnie into the house,
Though the long entry, and stops just
at$the sitting room door, to leave her
bqpnet and shawl. She hears the child's
v@ee;
II didn't tell, did t tell Now, I'M
Gig John, div me the candy"
Mrs. Hastings meets her at the door,
astd says, in glad voice.
"Uncle John has come back, Aunt
mi her 60.
ldhg day"