The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-08-04

il before, but how very dark and brown
it looked beside Patty's fresh complex
ionl But there was one thing she
could do--fix up little like Uncle Eph.
He never came to the table now with
his shirt sleeves rolled up, and only
once since Patty had been member Of
the family-the day that 81 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, Amt Sheba
determined to lose no time, and the
next day found her turning over the
contents of box, bits of finery, treas
ures of her young days, in search of
something that might make her more
pleasing to her niece. She smiled as
she turned over the bits of ribbon and
lace, for each had story connected
with it. This pink bow, for instance,
how well she remembered the first time
she had worn it'll Ephraim had told her
he would rather look at her than at
any other girl he knew, 30 the bit of
pink ribbon had been cherished as
marking the beginning 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
crushed red rose, the sight OF which
called up a flood of tender memories.
"How the baby did act that day If 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, 80 l had to hold her
all the time, and Ephraim stood there
lookin' 30 awkward, and feelin' awk-
ward, too, he told me afterwards, with
nothin' in his hands - and nothin'
would pacify her but the rose in my
bonnet, and she KEEP a-playin' with it
and pullin' it, till just at the most sol
emn moment, when the minister laid
his hand on her head and began Eliz-
abeth, 1 baptize thee; she jerked
away from him, and gave great pull
at the rose, and when l looked at her
she had the whole thing in her hand !;
it was a wonder had bit of bonnet
left on my head. How everybody
laughed, and Ephraim told me | had
roses in my cheeks if 1 didn't have
them on my head" And Aunt Sheba
smiled as she wiped her eyes which
had grown dim at sight of the torn rose,
80 wildly calling to mind the baby
Elizabeth, whose early death had left
void in her life, which nothing had
ever seemed TO fill.
"Just think, she'd been almost as
big as Patty. Well, there's no use in
repinin'. l won't look at these things
any longer. I've got Ephraim, and I'll
be thankful for him, and for Patty,
too, while she's here. If she'd only
come every summer, I'd most feel as
if had daughter of my own. be-
lieve I'll put on this lace collar of moth
er's-she used to look nice in it-and
this pin that Ephraim gave me 80 long
ago. There, that does look better. If
l can only please Patty, I'll be salts.
fed" Aunt Sheba replaced her treas
ures, and went out to prepare supper,
and see what the effect of her expert
ment would be. She was more than
satisfied with Patty's, "How nice you
look, Auntie" and Uncle Eph's look
of approval as he took his seat at the
table.
After that many little improvements
were noticeable in Aunt Sheba's dress,
while she and her looking-glass were
on terms of greater intimacy than they
had been for years, as she needed it's
assistance daily in the adjustment of
the various collars and bows that now
formed part of her afternoon toilet.
But the mirror reflected not only the
pretty and becoming neckwear, but
also held up to view all her defects,
chief of which was the complexion that
was source of no little anxiety to
Aunt Sheba. 1t seemed to grow more
muddy each day, and if she herself no.
ticed it 30 much, how very disagreeable
it must appear to Patty. 1t was with a
resolve to try to remedy this that Aunt
Sheba one hot day in early July found
herself in the one drug store Of Brown
vile, little village about two miles
from the farm, where Aunt Sheba did
her shopping.
"Good mornin', Mis- Hawley," said
the clerk affably as she entered.
"What can I do for you to-day? Some.
thin for the skin? Yes'm, certainly;
was down to the city last week and
brought up some new goods. This is
Cream o. Roses; sounds as if it ought
to be good and make any one fine com.
plected, but they told me the best thing
in the world for tan an freckles is this
here Beautifier. Just the thing fol
your niece, though, pom my word
shouldn't think she needed anything o
the sort, but them city girls can't stand
freckle or two like county folks
And the young man ratified on volubly
while Aunt Sheba stood in great dis
tress at this allusion to her niece, fol
her honest soul revolted at anything
like deception.
Seeing her confusion, he fastened Il
her assistance.
dispose these things amt quite ir
your line, Mis- Hawley, but if were
you I'd take the Beautifier; you dom
have to use 30 much of it, only two o.
three times week, and one applica
ton will last for several days." con
Guiding with quotation from thu
wrapper.
"Well, guess this'll do; if it dom
suit"
"She can try the other. Any tim,
she comes down I'll be happy to SHOW