The record-union., 1898-02-25

AT last the cake Was mixed ana In the
oven. Josephine had departed for
school. l was alone in the quiet kit
chen. except for Tabby, purring con-
tentedly by the stove. The sun streamed
in at the south windows, sending long
shadows of the thrifty geraniums across
the secured pine floor 1t was a cheer
full room, and it looked unusually at
tractive to me as / turned my back on
it to go to Aunt Tilda.
l found her, seated by the window,
sewing ,on a shirt for John. She was
just biting off needleful of thread as l
entered. 'Sit down, Anna" she said,
her teenth closing more firmly over the
thread. She nodded her head mourn
fully once or twice over her sewing, and
then began. Anna, I want to speak to
you about Josephine That girl GER
tainly gets worse and worse every day.
This morning distinctly saw her laugh
ing at me as l was looking after the
poultry. She ought to be taught better
manners
''Oh, Aunt Tilda, you know Josephine
is so foolish. She laughs at everything
''Of course" went on Aunt Tilda, as IL
she had not heard me, Il know that II is
not an easy thing to do, but If you holo
her right up to it, you can do 1t. nave
seen worse girls than she is completely
subdued Why, at Madame Corson 5,
where 1 taught in Baltimore, we had
girls who would giggle constantly, con-
stantly. But We were firm with them,
and gave them ten lines of poetry 10
| learn for each offense, and they were
| soon cured. 1t only needs nrmness.
Just hold them right up to it-um- M -m
| She ended with a curious little gurge IN
her throat, a sound not to be described
on paper. 1t contained mingled self
approval and humility.
Aunt Tilda" said l desperately as l
saw her nodding her head preparatory
to another exhortation, Il am afraid my
cake will burn if I stay any longer. You
must tell me about Josephine some other
time' and with haste l made my es-
cape.
/ groaned in spirit as I opened the
oven door and peeped in at the cake.
It was soft and light, and beginning
to brown-just what cake should be,
in fact. So simple thing was suffi-
cient to raise my spirits; and as |
took the broom from it's nail and pre-
pared for the weeks sweeping, Aunt
from my thoughts. Only deep down in
my mind was a worthy resolve to keep
Josephine's misdemeanors from Aunt
Tilda's knowledge.
But fate was against me. I was
busting the dining-room, smiling llt-
! tie to myself at the thought of Johns
dignity at the head of his own table,
when Aunt Tilda's voice sounded down
the back stairs:
."Aana,"
Yes, Aunt Tilda" I laid down the
duster with sigh, and went to The
foot Of the stairs. What had Josephine
done now?
''Will you come up here?" said Aunt
Tilda, peering over the banisters, only
a shocked countenance visible.
What do you think of that?" she
demanded dramatically. waving her
hand toward the open door Of Jose
phine's room. On the floor lay 4 large
| black valise, its contents spread out to
view-one Of Josephine's petticoats, a
soup ladle and mince pie.
I looked at Aunt Tilda. Her eyes
were fixed mournfully on the incongru-
Gus assortment in the bag. The sight
was TOO much for me.
Anna" said Aunt Tilda solemnly, 81
see nothing amusing about it. At Mrs.
Grahame's, in Philadelphia. servants
We're often discharged for less offences
than this. Why, she evidently stole
that piei'
Il am afraid she did, Aunt Tilda. i
will call her to account for it when she
| comes home. l only hope 1 snail be
oh 70 fo 81, iob< nh
she explains how it came into her pos
session.
Without another word Aunt Tilda
wheeled about and left the room, dis
gust too deep for words in her very
back
Her departure took away half the fun
of the situation. The bag with it's ILL
assorted contents remained staring me
in the face. What should ] do with the
child? She was absolutely without
moral sense. Aunt Tilda had recipes
without number for developing unim-
peachable integrity. But l shook my
head after her own skeptical fashion as
L thought of trying them on Josephine
| No, she could be reached only through
her emotions. She was quick to imi-
tate, too-perhaps an atmosphere Of
| truthfulness might in time develop a
| dormant sense of honesty. If only Aunt
! 11lda would be out of the way when
| she came home from school / might
| perhaps make a little impression on her.
| But Aunt Tilda was in the kitchen
smoothing some laces when / heard the
! back gate slam and saw Josephine COM
ing up the walk. My heart sank The
mere sight of Aunt Tilda always put
| her into state of smouldering insub-
ordination
| Josephine" said I, as she passed
| quickly through the kitchen. Don't
| go upstairs to take off your things;
| just lay them in the back entry, and
| then see that the table Is laid for lunch.
/ 1t is late''
There. Miss Annie said Josephine,
| in an aggrieved tone, beginning slowly
to draw off her jacket, Il just knowed
| you'd find me out. l can't never do
nothing without you do"
Il just knowed you'd find it out" she
| repeated in a tone of fatalism You
| see 1t was just this way, Miss Annie >
| The pathetic black eyes We're fixed
| trustingly on my face. THE sleeves
to that other waist is too short. l grow
| so pow'ful fast. and them chil'un call
| me:
Niggy, niggy my,