Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1897-08-19

deep and tender feeling, and when he
called her mother she knew that he
felt particularly tender toward her.
She knew he was thinking Of the time,
years before, when their home had
been frightened for few short
months by the presence Of baby girl,
who had never learned to speak the
word 80 dear TO q mothers heart. II
: was Uncle Eph's delicate way of show
ing his sympathy for his wife after
they had ceased to openly mourn their
loss; it was his loss as we'll, but he felt
: that her sorrow was the greater.
Yes, Aunt Sheba was lonely at |
> times, and Patty's coming had infused
g new brightness into all her life.
How heartily she echoed her husbands
WISH thst tle might keeE hektzkpt /
she knew II was impossible; all she |
could hope for was to SO win the |
girls affection as to make yearly |
visit possible. Was Patty fond Of
her? She longed ine1pressibly to be
attractive in the girls eyes. And one
thing stood in the way. How could
It the girl love an old woman like her?
For Patty loved beautiful things, and
she could never be beautiful. Those
words of her niece so thoughtlessly
X spoken often REQUIRED to her mind,
z 'It would weigh on my spirits to live
s with anyone downright homely.
& Was she "downright homely?" In
& her self depreciation Aunt Sheba felt
G that she was. She was old and
s wrinkled and gray, and then her skin!
& She had never thought much Of it be-
, fore, but how very dark and brown it
looked beside Patty's fresh complex
ion! But there was one thing she
y could do-fx up little like Uncle
w Eph. He never came to the table now
40 with his shirt sleeves rolled up, and
lo only once since Patty had been mem
- Der of the family-the day that ST
Ii' Jennings got the best of him tradin'
-, off the COW and got him sorter worked
i'o up-only that once had he forgot to
~ put on his necktie.
This resolve once taken, Aunt
il Sheba determined to lose no time, and
70 the next day found her turning over
,ht the contents Of a box, bits OF hnery,
,tv treasures of her young days, in search
At of something that might make her
Ia more pleasing to her niece. She
rao smiled as she turned over the tits OF
ns ribbon and lace, for each had a story
on. connected with it. This pink bow, 70,
lilo instance. how we'll she remembered
~, the first time she had worn 1t
for Ephraim had told her he would rather
,all look at her than at any other girl h'
ont knew, 80 the bit of pink ribbon ha'
been cherished as marking the begin
i'd ming of their little romance.
nIv "No, can't put that on" said Aun
nv Sheba to herself. ''Plnk Is colo
for Young folks, sorter bright and ros
like them But there must be some
nix thing in here thatll do. The ,leS
oco minute she laid trembling hand on
crushed red rose, the sight of whlc
oh called up flood of tender memories
,nse How the baby did act that day!
,ob+ the minister hadn't come all the wa
,ont from Five Corners just to baptize he1
we wouldn't "a had it done. Sh
var wouldn't stay with her pa, SO had
n.r hold her all the time, and Ephran
, stood there lookin' SO awkward, an
1oor feelin' awkward, too, he told me afte
fora wards, with nothin' In his hands-an
,o,o nothin' would pacify her but the ro:
tha in my bonnet and she KEEP a-playl
,;rTs with it and pullin' it, till just at Il
most solemn moment. when the mimi
ex- ter laid his hand on her head and b
:, -, gan Elizabeth, l baptize thee 81
look lerhea away from mn S,'i'
+;e2" pull at the rose. and when | looked
NV her she had the whole thing IN
SIGHT hand; it was a wonder | had bit OF
,aba bonnet left on my head. How ever
,bo+ body laughed, and Ephraim told mt
ar - had roses in my cheeks If | dldl
tb;s have them on my head" And Au
Sheba smiled as she wiped her e,
sor . which had grow dim at sight OF I
W ~ torn rose. SO wildly calling to mi
MI. the baby Elizabetl. whose early des
"a Lo had left a void in her life. which no
ing had ever seemed to till.
! 49,, Just think, she'd been almost
:, big as Patty. Well, there's no use
~ ,,r repinin'. l won't look at these thil
ss,-h+ any longer. Eve got Ephraim, g
~ I'll he thankful for linn, and for Pat
co,, too. while she's here. II she'd Q
a lax come every summer. I'd most feel
=, s,a if | had daughter Of my own.
,.brad lieye I'll put on this lace collar
mothers she usei 10 look nice il
a hr. and this PIN TIM: Ephraim gave
ned 10 50 ions ae '''"' -
book "a better. II ! Gan 0N's
.ead of oe saNShed. AiN' iep'"
~ waIl supper and see what the effect OF
= experiment would be- She was Il
than satisfied with Pattv's. How
.bo YOU look, Auu;le" and Uncle E
: roo-1 look Of approval IS he took his sea
i dish ne tan1e.
: MIN After that many -1ttle lInpgoveA
tongue were noticeable ID Aunt she
- the dress, while she -Ad her looking {
, Uncle were on terms q greater ineiI
posses. than they hai teen FOR years, as
figure, needed It's assistance daily II the
o;.a- ,ns.,nan. nf TIE xarlous collars