The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-08-20


called her mother fho know that he
felt particularly tender toward her.
She knew ho was thiukIngoi the time,
| years before, when their home had
been frightened Tor "a few short
months by tho presence Of baby girl.
who had never learned 90 speak ihe
word $50 dear 20 "a mothers heart n
was Uncle Eph's delicate way of show
ing his sympathy for his wife after
they had ceased 90 openly mourn their
loss; it was his loss a. well, but ho felt
shat her sorrow was the greater
Yes, Aunt sheba was lonely as
times, and Patty's coming had infused
d new brightness into an her life.
| How heartily she echoed her husbands
wish that they might keep herl but
she know IL was impossible, on ghe
could hope for was 30 go win the
girls affection az 90 make % yearly
visit possible. Was Patty fond Of
her? She louged iuezprcsibly 20 be
attractive in The girls eyes. And one
thing stood in the way. How could
/ the girl love an old woman like her2
! For Patty loved beautiful things. and
she could never be beautiful. Those
words of her niece ao thoughtlessIy
spoken often required 60 her mind.
| "it would weigh ON my spirits 90 live
| with anyone downright h0mely
| Was sho downright homclyg" In
| her self-depreciation Aunt Sheba felt
that she was. She was old and
wrinkled aud gray, and then her skim
She had never thought much Of It be-
fore, but how very dark aud brown IL
looked beside Patty's fresh complex
ionl But there was one thing she
could do-fx up o little like Uncle
Eph. He never came to the table now
with his shirt sleeves rolled up, and
only once since Patty had been amen
Der of the family-the day that ST
Jennings got the best Of him tradin
off the COW and got him sorter worked
up-only that once had he forgot to
put ON his necktie.
This resolve once taken, Aunt
. Sheba determined to lose no time, and
, the next day found her turning over
the contents Of o box, bits Of inery,
treasures Of her young days, in search
. OF something that might make her
more pleasing 60 her niece. She
smiled as she turned over the bits OF
ribbon and lace, for each had a story
connected with it. This pink bow, for
instance, how well she remembered
the first time she had worn it!
r Ephraim had told her he would rather
look at her than at any other girl he
[ knew, so the bit of pink ribbon had
been cherished as marking the begin
ming of their little romance.
: ''No, can't put that on, !" said Aunt
= Sheba to herself. pink is a color
for young folks, sorter bright and rosy
like them. But there must be some
thing in here that'll do" The next
, minute she laid a trembling hand on a
crushed red rose, the sight of which
called up food of tendermemories.
3 Glow the baby did act that day If
t the minister hadn't come all the way
{ from Five Corners just to baptize her,
we wouldn't "a had it done. She
= wouldn't stay with her pa, so 1 had to
hold her all the time, and Ephraim
! stood there lookin' so awkward, and
r feelin' awkward, too, he toldme after
. wards, with nothin' in his hands-and
nothin' would pacify her but the rose
e in my bonnet, and she KEEP a-playin'
$ with it and pulin' it, till just at the
most solemn moment, when the minis
: ter laid his hand ON her head and be-
n gan Elizabeth, baptize thee' she
k ierked away from him and gave great
- pull ct the rose, and when / looked at
r her she had the whole thing in her
4 hand; it was a wonder 1 had bit of a
i. bonnet left on my head. How every
t body laughed, and Ephraim told me !
n had roses in my cheeks il didn't
S have them on my head" And Aunt
Sheba smiled as she wiped her eyes
a which had grown dim at sight of the
o torn rose, so wildly calling to mind
/ the baby Elizabeth, whose early death
q had left void in her life, which moth.
ing had ever seemed to fill.
RI Gust think, she'd been almost as
n big as Patty. Well, there's no use il
v repinin'. I won't look at these things
It any longer. I've got Ephraim, and
a TIL be thankful for him, and for Patty
l. too, while she's here. If she'd only
k come every summer, I'd most feel as
.e if I had daughter Of my own. be
d lieve I'll put on this lace collar O
mother's-she used to look nice in i
It and this pin that Ephraim gave me
% so long ago. There, that does lool
ID better. If can onlyplease Patty, III
Of be satisfied" Aunt Sheba replaced
A. her treasures, and went out to prepar,
II supper and see what the effect Of he
e. experiment would be. She was NOR,
ID than satisfied with Patty's, GLOW mic,
,e you look, Auntie!" and Uncle Eph'
n. look of approval as he took his seat a
h. the table.