The Winslow mail., 1898-04-30
! AUNT LEAFY,
BY e. L. Vincent.
ST BELIEVE I'll do it. John has beer

." BELIEVE I'll do it. John has been
urging me to go. really am
tired. John can take his meals out FOR
few days. and maybe l will feel
stronger when l come back"
She did not wait to take her big apron
off, but sat down at the desk and drew
out paper, pen and ink.
There was little flush on her cheek;
but it was no wonder; she had been fly
ing around all the morning and was
tired. Someway she tired easily those
days. Johns salary was small, and
they kept no help in the kitchen.
"Pity if 1 can't do the work for us
two!" she had said, and John, thought
less fellow, had let it go with the
thought that not one man in thousand
had such q jewel for a wife. 1t was
pleasant sitting at the table looking
across at Molly, and no one else near:
1t was long time before he began to
wonder why Molly's hand trembled SO
when she poured the tea. Then, he
could nat help noticing that there was
little pink spot on each of MoHy's
cheeks, which were unRaturally white
| otherwise.
When he did notice these things,
! though, he made such fuss about it"
as Molly herself said, that she had at
last made up her mind that she must do
something about it to keep peace in the
family.
Just then dear friend came quite op-
peFtunely to the rescue, and sent Molly
| such a warm invitation to come out into
the country for a week or two, that
John had said he would carry her away
bodily if she did not GO peaceably.
"Dear Cynthia" so the letter began,
and thus it ended.
The stage drew up at the door, and
the drirer game down to help some one
out.
'Who in the world"
Molly's dream of the country flew
away on eagle wings, as she looked out
of the open window at the little old
woman, who was slowly trying to get
her feet down on the walk
"No one / ever saw, anyway. Prob
ably she has made a mistake; but I'll
go down and talk with her minute.
can write my letter adj right after /
CONG back"
1t was q clipper, bright-eyed, old
lady, who took hold of Mary's arm to
steady herself from the stage.
"Are you Johns wife?' she queried,
peering into the sweet, young face,
when at last she stood on the walk.
Eyes, yes. I would have known you
from the picture he sent me, You don't
know me, but I do you: I'm Aunt
Leafy,n
Molly had heard John speak of her,
"Wei1, Aunt Ieafy, WE are glad to see
you; that is, 1 am, and know John will
be, too"
"Do you really think he will? don't
know about it; don't know about it. /
amt much account in the world any
more, seems to me. I'll Just hold on to
your arm little as we go along, just to
stiddy me. I'm gittin' old and shaky.'
we'll all be so some day, maybe,
Aunt Leafy. You lean just as hard as
you have mind to, and We'll get along
all right. I'm good and strong, and
thankful for it."
''Be ye2 Well, we all ought to be
thankfuller than we be. I don't often
complain; but settin' cramped up in
that old stage so long got kind of stiff.
I'll be better pretty soon. I'm real
smart for one of my age. You know
no you don't, either, but I'll tell ye'
I'm in my eighty-ninth year. Born in
the year 1906, in Connecticut state"
'What long time ago!"
NCac. ~ IooS coa,,1 n eron6 while An
I've seen q good deal ia my day. What
a pretty house you've got! [ shall en-
joy it here, L know. An this porch;
what a nice, deep one, and so shady
Anybody could sit down there and rest
to their hearts content"
1--WE think our home is pleasant
one, Aunt Leafy."
They were now in the CHEEKY wes1
room. How still and cool it was. Aunt
Leafy slowly took off her old, old bon
net; old in fashion and old in material
and the thin, gray shawl, and dropped
into the easy chair which Molly drew
forward. Molly brought out a fan
which Aunt Leafy used quite vigorous
ly for moment, and then dropped
into her lap.
you wonder how / came to visit yol
without askin', don't doubt; but II
tell you kind of gradual. l don't fee
like sayin' much about it now. 1t hurts
me when think of it,
nThen I wouldn't think of it, Aun
Leafy."
81 can't help it, child, can't help it
and l want to tell We all about it some
time, yeu an John. What good bo,
John is! Always was. So differen
from Ciliab; that was his half-brother
older than him. Ciliah himself was I
pretty good boy; but arter he got mar
ried. someway he changed. 1t doe
work that way with some men. I gues
it's cause they git wimmen that dom
help 'em any. Nobody can ever sa.
that about me. I always done my part
if DO say it's
81 don't doubt it, Aunt Leafy."
"Ciliab's wife had such temper
She had a good deal to put up with
nine children, and me in the bargain
You don't wonder she got cross some
times, do We? nor I, neither. But if tha
had ben all, / never should have sal
word. Ye see, when Josiah-that'
my husband-died, he left me quite
little property. We was always careful
an savin', an done my part. After
! rama fhoro I;lr,4 70 he nv