The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-10-19
OUR BOYS AND GIRLS


her Jelly and putting in into the
glasses: she had a troubled look on
her face, and when Ph6mie asked how
{ many potatoes she would pare, she
spoke in sharp way and said, Il
should think you'd pared the potatoes
long enough here to know, without
| asking" So the little girl put what
she thought would be the right number
in the Kettle.
such a bothering time as I've had
with the jelly Aunt Matilda spake
out, its enough to try the temper OF
saint. | never had such job of 1t
before in my whole life
Somehow Phemie thought Aunt
Matilda meant that she was to blame
for it in some way. because it was the
! first time she had ever been there at
the felly making.
Uncle Jacob came in, but he did not
say much Phernie had noticed that
he never did when Aunt Matilda had
off-days.
After the dinner work was done uD
Phemie went to her little bedroom
over the kitchen, and got her doll.
She had named the doll Sarah, after
her mother.
Sarah she said, eve will go out to-
gether and sit down under the lilac
bushes by the parIor window. You've
been shut UP here all day. [ was busy
with the work, or l should have taken
you down before. Aunt Matilda is in
awful trouble about her jelly.
1t was o. sunshiny place under the Ii
lac bushes: the lilac blossoms had
gone long before. but there We're some
yellow artichokes in blossom, and at
the right hand side Aunt Matfldas gay
bed of phlOx made the place very
bright.
I'm very lonely, Sarah spoke
Picnic. in low tone of voice, so
very lonely today. It's one of Aunt
Matilda's off days Uncle Jacob says,
and / mustn't mind it. | tried to do
everything / could to please her, be-
cause off days. suppose. is some kind
of sickness. and folks can't. help sick
ness. I'm glad Uncle Jacob don't have
that kind of disease. though: if he had
it. too | couldn't bear it here, Sarah,
know | couldn't. 1t don't seem to be
a catching disease, and L am glad of it.
[ wouldn't like to get it.
Aunt Matilda seems so unhappy
when they come, those off-days. But
We'll do the best we can, Sarah, for
this is the only home we have on earth
now. You know Aunt Matilda made us
both such nice clothes to wear. and
gives us enough to eat, but you don't
have to eat, Sarah.
Then Phemie Rugged Sarah close to
her heart as she buried her face in the
dolls fiaxen hair, and said: "Oh, what
a comfort you are to me. I love you
lust as Uncle Jacob loves me; he never
has off-days."
While Phemie was talking to her doll,
Aunt Matilda was putting her jelly
away in the china closet near the win
dow The blinds were closed, but the
window was open. and as she stood by
the closet shelf she heard what Premie
said
Aunt Matilda was really kind of
heart. but she was one of those per-
sons who unfortunately keep their best
feelings in reserve. 1t had not Oc-
Cured TO her that she had Off-days;
she knew when upsetting things came
she felt much irritated. 1t was true,
she acknowledged to herself, that the
upsetting things overcaTne her, instead
of her overhanging them. She sat down
in the large easy chair by the fire
place. --A-----
Living so quietly. she had not given !
out love as she ought to have done; |
she had lived too much within herself. [
She began to realize Phemie's lOneli- I
ness. her sweet obedience and patient |
work in her new hccne. 1t is love the |
child wants. love that shows itself; and /
Matilda quickly went out of the parlor |
and opened the back kitchen door and |
called: Phenle, HneElle uedI- WHSle |
are you?"
Phemie jumped up in surprise. |
.ePhemie dear'' She had never called |
her in that way before, and she SPOKE /
the 'Phemie dear" in such a kind, |
loving tone.
The little girl came as quickly as she |
could. but before she stepped across
the threshold of the door, Aunt NATL I
Ga. caught Phemie in her arms. kissed |
her. and smiled in such a loving way.
Aunt Matilda never had any more OFF,
days. Phemie wondered if she had /
taken some medicine that had cured /
her
When Phemie was riding on the
wood sled up the mountain side, one
cold winters day, with Uncle Jacob,
she said:
Aunt Matilda is just as good to me
as-as you are now, Uncle Jacob, and
really think she loves ne; and oh. am
so very. very happy