The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-07
IN BLACK AND WHITE.

no denying it, She beautiful at any
time. but when washing dishes she was at
her best. As she stood at the sink in her
dark blue cotton apron the clouds of steam
circling around her, she might have been an
African princess engaged in mysterious
rites. Her hair. its fatal kink loosened by
tie steam. lay in soft damp rings on her
head; her black features were outlined
against the frosty window with fine cam
eO-iike effect.
Dishwashing was the one housewifely art
] had been able to teach Josephine success
fully Even Aunt Tilda was obliged to ac-
knowledge her faultless in it. With the wa
ter scalding hoe and covered with a soft
white suds. she deity twirled each dish at
the end of long mop and lifted it steaming
and shining without much as the tips of
her slender fingers having touched the hot
water / knew that it was dangerous TO
interrupt her, bur the temptation was ire
sistible. / had beer keeping house only five
months. l had nov learned that it was far
more important that he housework should
BE- done in an orderly fashion than that L
should be entertained by Josephine'j re-
marks.
Besides. there was the ever-present sense
that Aunt Tilda might at any moment open
the door and find me hobnobbing with my
dusky maid, and, like any child. was pos
sessed with a desire to do the thing / knew
she would disapprove of. So, as L sat at the
table stoniuS raisins. L began, Josephine,
how many brothers and sisters have your
Josephine, in the act of dipping hot water
from the boiler, stcppel, with .ler dipper
suspended over the edge Lem me see
said she Observation-Disclosures Sam, he's
dead. and there's Inez she's a-living: and
there's Dell, she's a-living; and there's 10,
my twin he's dead; and there's me, I'm a
living; and there's Moses, he's a-livins.
How many are there then, Josephine?"
That's all; just what L told you,' she
replied briefly.
Never could Josephine be IAade to admit
that she could not count Each day for the
last year she had been sent to the public
school But as yet she had brought away
only scraps of knowledge. Although thir
teen years old, she had been placed in the
primary room, and there she seemed likely
to remain until Providence should terminate
her academic career.
l was thinking of this and of the proba-
bility that she would be late to school" if
/ interrupted her again, when suddenly she
broke out in a shrill yell of delight. She
lifted the wet mop and cleared larger
place on the frosty window pane. "Oh,
Miss Annie, there's Miss Tilda a chasing
that ar big long-legged rooster. Hi-yil
There he goesr' she exclaimed, fairly jump
ing up and down with excitement.
Josephine, you will certainly be late to
school If you stop any longer" l retired
hastily to the pantry with my bowl of raj
SINS. There l was at least able to conceal
my interest in the chase, though l could not
Smut out certain snorts and explanations
from Josephine, who continued her watch
al the window.
Suddenly she appeared at the pantry door.
"Golly she's got him.'
Josephine"
Scuse me, Miss Annie / forgot-but
amt that just like her?" she said in tone
OF fatality returning to her DISTINGUISHING.
1t was. indeed, Just like her." Aunt
IIida was Johns aunt. | loved John so well
that l had thought nothing of giving up d
beautiful city home for very ordinary one
IN a country town, because John refused
TO be in any way dependent on his father
in-law. But Johns aunt was not John.
John had said to me, Il am sorry, Annie,
but Aunt TIlda must make her home with
US for a While. L cannot afford to set her
up in housekeeping by herself, and | don't
want her to go on teaching school any
longer. For Johns sake would nave
lived with Xantippe. So L acquleSced In the
arrangement that made Aunt Tilda mem
Der of our household.
Peeping through the blinds, / could see her
now as she made her way from the hen
house. Her long. scant skirts, twisted about
by the wind emphasized her peculiar walk.
which Josephine had once aptly and irrev.,,
erently characterized ''nippy-tippy-
Aunt Tilda was tall and spare, with arms
and legs very long in proportion to her body.
AS she habitually carried her hands claSped
one over the other just above the waist hne
and her elbows close al her sides, she was
Obliged to raise the shoulders TO make room
for the extra length of upper arm Ihis
combined with a natural inclination TO StoOp
gave her something of Urlah Heep attl-
tude, which was however, counteTdcteo ny
her thin keen face, where conscious recti-
tude of purpose mingled with look OF crit
zeal acumen. Even now, as she battled
with the unseemly wind. her race retalI Wst
its look of unimpeachable serenity. Yet
there was an indescribable something in her
ar which warned me that trouble was brew
began hastily sitting flour. determined
to meet the storm well fortified by a pre-
ViOus occupation. The Kitchen door opened
and shut with a click. Anna, the voice
Wa heavy and reproachful--.I should like
to see you when you are at liberty
Yes, Aunt Tilda. as soon as | hnish tLis
cake. / replied briskly though my spirit
was anything but brisk. Too often, When l
was al liberty" had l been summoned TO
Aunt Tilda's presence not to dread the COM
ing interview.
al last the cake was mixed and in the
oven Josephine had departed for school /
Tahbv. purring contentedly by the stove
The sun streamed in at the south WIN
doWs sending long shadows OF the tnrl1ty
Earaniums across the secured pine 1oor
IL was Il cheerful room, and 1t looked I'M
usually attractive 10 me as | turned my
back on il to go to Aunt Tilda-
I found her, seated by the WlndoW, sew
ing on a shirt for John. She Was just DIT
ing off a needleful of thread as ! entered
closing more firmly over the thread. She
nodded her head mournfully once or twice
over her sewing. and then began: Anna,
] want TO speak to you about Josephine.
That girl certainly gets worse ana worse
every day This morning | distinctly saw
her laughing at me as was LOOKING over
the poultry. She ought to be taught bet
ter manners"
oh. Aunt Tilda. you know Josephine is
So foolish She laughs at everything
"Of course" went on Aunt I1lda- as II
she had not heard me- Il know that ~ Is
not an easy thing to do, but If you hold her
right up to it, You can do 1T. | have seen
worse girls than she is completely subdued
Why at Nine. Carson's. where l taught
in Baltimore we had girls who would gig
gle constantly, but we We're firm with them
and gave them ten lines of poetry to learn
for each offense. and they were soon cured.
it only needs firmness. Just hold them
right up to it-um-m-m. She ended with
a curious little gurgle In her throat,
sound not TO be described on paper: IL con-
tanned mingled Self-approval and humility.
Aunt TilGa said | desperately as saw
her nodding her head preparatory to an
other exhortation, Il am afraid my cake
will burn if / stay any longer. You must tell
me about Josephine some other time, and
with haste made my escape.
I groaned in spirit as / opened the oven