The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-08-04
SELECTED STvRY.
Aunt Sheba's Beautiller.

Mildred doesn't change a bit," said
Patty, carefully polishing off the glass
bowl she was wiping, "only. she gets
prettier every day. Really, Aunt
Sheba, she is lovely, and I'm not the
only one who thinks 80. I'm 80 glad
she u.s." the girl went on, "for love
to look at pretty things, and it would
positively weigh on my spirits to live
with anyone who was downright home
ly. Not that / have any beauty my
self" she added, with glance at the
little mirror over the mantel. "Who
would ever think we are sisters? Here's
an inventory of my charms: Item one,
pug nose; item two, green-gray eyes;
item three, what papa calls my
peaches nd.cream' complexion; it
wouldn't be bad if it were not for the
freckles, and 1 suppose that | shall
have more than ever now that I'm out
in the country"
"Never mind the freckles, child (;
theys real becomin' when you've only
got few-kinder like go many beauty
spots"
Patty laughed gaily.
"I'm 30 glad you think 30, but talk
ing of beauty, what delicious place
this isl"
1t was Aunt Sheba's turn to laugh.
"What, this kitchen2 l like it because
it's home, guess, but never thought
there was anything very edifyin' about
it."
"Oh, don't mean the kitchen par
ticularly, though it's nice and honey,
but just look out" and Patty put down
her dish-towel and stepped to the door
to feast her eyes on what lay before.
The hillside with its orchard OF bloom,
the rough stone wall, the we'll in the
foreground, all appealed to the girls
innate love of the beautiful.
"It's a perfect picture" she ex-
claimed; emily must come here on
her wedding trip, but it won't look the
same in the fall, will it, auntie?"
"Not exactly; l always thought my
self them peach blows was sight worth
seein'," admitted Aunt Sheba, not
without O certain satisfaction that her
surroundings should find favor in the
eyes of her city-bred niece on this her
first visit to the farm.
Patty had come to the country for
stay of several months preparatory to
settling down as homemaker in Mil
dred's place when the latter should be
married.
"Be just as much of little girl as
you cam" her father had said in part
ing, and Patty was glad to lay aside her
dignity, and forget the weight OF her
eighteen years. There was freshness
and freedom about the country life that
charmed the girl--a lack of convention
ality in those whom she met most re-
freshing to the town.bred maiden.
Patty had been at the homestead but
short time when change seemed to
come over the house. The sun looked
into the best room every day instead of
once week. the chairs had more
inviting look drawn away from the wall
and arranged with less military precis-
ion, while apple blossoms doomed in
doors as we'll as out. Nor was the
girls influence confined to one room.
In the kitchen, Aunt Sheba found dish
washing pleasure with Patty's nimble
fingers to help, and Patty's tongue
making lively accompaniment 10 the
rattle of plates and cups, while Uncle
Eph took new pride in his possessions
since a certain little figure, crowned
with large straw hat, often accompa-
MED him on his rounds about the farm,
and never failed to be interested in
what she saw.
Uncle Eph was jolly, good-natured
man, with a genial warmth of manner
that won him many friends; some one
had once said that "when Eph Hawley
WANT maxim jokes himself, you could
depend ont he was laughing at some
body else's." No one knew better than
his wife, however, that underneath this
fun-loving exterior lay sub-stratum OF
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 homo had
been frightened for few short months
by the presence Of baby girl, who had
never learned to speak the word 30
dear to q mothers heart. 1t was Uncle
Eph's delicate way of showing his SYM
pathy for his wife after they had ceased
to openly mourn their loss; it was his
loss as well, but he felt that her sorrow
was the greater.
Yes, Aunt Sheba was lonely at times,
and Patty's coming had infused new
brightness into all her life. How
heartily she echoed her husbands wish
that they might keep herl but she knew
it was impossible; all she could hope
for was to 80 win the girls affection as
to make yearly visit possible. Was
Patty fond of her? She longed mex
pressibly to be attractive in the girl's
eyes. And one thing stood in the way
How could the girl love an old woman
like her? For Patty loved beautiful
things, and she could never be beauti
full. Those words of her niece 81
thoughtlessly spoken often required Il
her mind. est would weigh on m.
spirits to live with anyone downright
homely." Was she downright home
ly2" In her self-depreciation Aun
Sheba felt that she was. She was oil
and wrinkled and gray, and then he
skinl She had never thought much o