The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-05-17

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Old Aunt Susan's May-Basket.
Margaret and Mildred were sitting on
the floor of the sewing-room, in the
midst of heaps of fluffy tarletan, with
berry boxes and paste-board boxes of all
sizes and sorts scattered about in hope
less confusion.
"Mamma, let's hang a May-basket
for old Aunt Susan" said Mildred.
"Oh, yes, Milly, green one with cow
slips in it, eagerly cried Meg, ever
ready to help and always thinking up
some ones preferences. Now, Aunt
Susan was poor old women who lived
at the edge of Oldtown and quite alone.
She had lost her husband and sons long
ago and had lived by herself ever since.
She sewed, nursed, and in fact did most
anything one wanted done, and thus
kept the wolf from the door. She could
tell the most wonderful stories about
the little fairies that live everywhere
in the woods and in the green grass
right at ones door, and everywhere one
looks-good or bad, just as we feel.
ALI the children, far and near, loved
her; and Milly and Meg loved her very
dearly for they knew her very well.
Il think it would be NICE" said Mrs.
Lott, "to hang basket for Aunt Susan,
and very pretty idea to fill it with cow
slips, as she is so fond of them. Shall
you-oh, Harry, we were speaking OF
May-baskets; the girls will make one
for Aunt Susan" Said the son of the
house, barely eleven, "Why, mamma,
it's so silly! Why don't you have the
girls do something worth while. Bob
Train said today, he didn't know of
more silly thing than hanging May
baskets And this small man who
had lately begun to affect great scorn
for all old home customs, because Bob
Train, his chum, and whose mother
found little time to bestow upon him,
thought it "silly for boys to do such
girl baby things"
But Harry's mother found great
deal of time to spend with her children,
so understood them we'll, and she knew
that Harry, in spite of his fine scorn for
such ssilly" things as May-baskets,
thoroughly enjoyed hanging them. So
she wisely ignored the allusion to Bob
Trains idea of the matter and contin-
ued helping the little girls plan their
work. Meantime, our friend Harry
stayed in the sewing-room, probably
wondering if Bob Train was right after
all, for Harry had always helped with
the baskets, too, and it had been such
jolly fun to think UP some good joke for
somebody's basket.
II think we might place May "box''
as well as hang basket. We could put
in a package of tea and some coffee, and
wrap them in tissue paper and wrap
them lots, SO it will be such surprise
when she opens each one, mamma"
cS, McS, anu VIC COLL PuI III SoHC
of the black walnuts we gathered last
fall, too" said Milly. "And," contin-
ued mamma, potatoes, and some rhu-
barb, rice and little of several things
that she can use"
ooh, mamma, can't we give her the
little shawl she wants SO much? It's
only dollar, and it's such pretty
little brown and white one" "Well,
Milly, how much money have you in
your bank? and you, Meg?" Out they
few, upsetting work-baskets and what
not in their eager haste. Twenty
eight cents is all 1 have" ruefully ex-
claimed Meg. "And / have only thirty
SIX" said Mildred. Mamma, l will
have SO cents in mine after pay for my
foot ball, and we can just take that
don't want it anyhow" added Harry
carelessly. "Then that's settled said
mamma, accepting Harry's aid without