Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-07-16

Their Aunt Clorinda sat in circle o
excited nieces. They were all marie
women in whose houses she had sc
journed from time to time, battere
about from one to the other like som
aged shuttlecock.
She seemed to be dressed for travel
ing She wore her best black gown
gown of considerable width, gathere,
full at the waist. Over this was care
fully pinned a little three corneret
shawl such as our grandmothers wore
On her head was Il small black bonnie
in the shape of poke. Her wrinklet
hands were incased in thrcadbare nit
tens, beneath which her fingers showed
like animateAringe.
Matilda, one of her nieces, drew he
chair closer to her before she began t,
talk for Aunt Clorinda was just lit
tie deaf.
aunt Clorinda." said she, her face
flushed to the roots of her hair. "fol
goodness sake don't go! Even If yOr
don't care anything for US. think lit
tie of the looks of the thing. The ides
of the aunt of four well to do women
going to the poorhouse! What will peo
PIE say?
Aunt Clornda looked straight ahead
Of her through the window at the dusty
road, along which she momentarily eX.
pected 10 see the wagon which was to
convey her to her destination appear
JNitlDr ehn 1anf fhan
or she had long ago passed that stage
Of existence in which she greved deep,
ly over what people said. Her express
sion did not change.
THAT time you staid with u.s." Matil-
Ga went on. Il know l was little
cross, but didn't mean to be-"
Here she waited for remark or q
gesture Of expostulation from Aunt
ClOrinda, but none came.
"And one of the children was sick,
and the cook got mad and left" she
continued, land you had to do all the
work while waited on the sick child.
But it wasn't my fault, was it?
couldn't help it, could II
Il am not complaining, Matilda"
said Aunt Clorinda gently. II haven't
said a word about it one way or the
other"
81 know you haven't" Matilda has
tened to affirm, but l was afraid you
would think l meant to put the work
on to you. l didn't. 1t was an acct
dent. If you would only stay here
now. everything would be different.
Stay! Think of what people will say!"
Aunt Clorinda shook her head, and
the second niece, Charlotte, took her
turn at persuading.
Aunt Clorinda," said she, "do you
know what this whole town will think
when they see you driving through in
that poorhouse wagon? They will
think we wouldn't take care of you;
that your own nieces wouldn't take
care Of you"'
Aunt Clorinda put up her hand and
pushed back a stray lock of white hair
into her bonnet, but she made no reply.
IF you will come with me-" contin-
ued Charlotte. II will take good care OF
you. l won't let the children say
word. The time you We're there before
] know little Sally said some disagree
able things about you being dependent
on US for the bread you ate, but she is
only child. Who pays any attention
to what children say? She won't say it
again. l will slap her If she does. l
am willing to do anything for you If
you won't go to that place. Come with
me, won't you, please? Don't you
know that the town folks will make
special trips out there Of Sundays to
look at you and talk about us for let
ting you go? OF course they will.
Won't you come home with me now?"
Aunt Clorinda took refuge behind
looking through the window, bending
her good ear forward so as to catch the
hrst sound of wagon wheels.
Sarah left her chair and stood by her
aunt.
Il know you will come with me. now.
won't your she asked coaxingly. Il
will be good to you. You can have the |
best room in the house. You can come
and go when you please and do what
you please. When you were there last, |
the house was full. That was the rea- |
son we had to put you way up stairs in |
that little room next to the roof. 1t |
wasn't because we didn't care for you.
And with all those visitors of course |
We had to ask you TO help little with
Tie busting and sweeping in the dining
room and sometimes in the kitchen. If
there hadn't been anybody around. we
would have had the contest kind of
time together. There isn't anybody
around now but just James and ne.
Come and stay with US. You can sit
from morning till night with yonr
hands folded in your lap for all | care.
You shan't have to darn or mend or dc
/ never wanted to make q
lrU6ge Of you. hope you didn't think
hat did you?"
Size waited in vain for an answer.
That talk about James not wanting
lls wife's poor relations to live with