Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1902-03-07
JFunt cHulda's
Good Time
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.


Piebald gets scarf at the steam piano,
and it costs quarter to put him up
in the hotel barn"
Let's GO said the boy, suddenly.
"Where?" demanded Aunt Hulda.
dropping her knife in amazement.
ITO the circus. Be my guest Eve
alenty of money-more than | shall
know how TO spend on my trip, and
ia like to take you to the circus. Wen
see 1t all-sideshows and everything
and We'll have real jolly time"
She stared at him stupidity a while.
The audacty of the proposition almost
todl her breath away. She saw he was
in earnest, however, and she glanced
from her coarse blue gown to his neat
gray suit with puzzled air. Strangers
had been polite to her before, but none
had sver offered to take her to circus;
nor indeed, anywhere else. But this
was boy; a nice boy, too. He had
risen to his feet and was standing be-
fore her, cap in hand.
do let's go,'' he pleaded
II can't" she answered.; i've got
to make the applesauce."
: "Let9t wait" he said, with a wave
of the hand ''the circus only comes
once a year"
There's the supper"
"I'll help you get it-and eat 1t, also.
And Ill help do the Dishes
There's the stock to be fed" she
continued. Her tone was growing more
irresolute, and he noted 1t.
1.-TWO of us can feed the stock In no
time" he declared; $50 come, please;
let's get to work at once"
IL don't know what Martin'll
think" she protested, as last resort.
But she rose from her chair, neverthe-
less, and stood with the pan of apples
under her arm, look of pleased anti
cipation spreading over her wrinkled
face He took the pan from her and
carried it into the kitchen.
"We'll surprise Martin" he said, cas-
lily; "but 1t will be easy to explain the
matter Pm sure he won't object to
your having good time"
"Oh, no, Martins real good to me"
she answered.
The next hour was bright and hap
py one to them both. Aunt Hulda' s
heart was not nearly so withered as her
face, and there was charm about this
youngster, who had taken direction of
her affairs in such a masterful way,
:; oli N
She was almost like girl. Her laugh
came freely and as sweetly as II she
had been eighteen instead of fifty, and
she answered his jokes with full appre-
citation of their fun.
The boy was enjoying himself. also.
He filled the kettle, helped set the ta-
BILE. cut the bread and talked contin-
ually. Then when the simple meal was
ready, and the apples were simmering
on the stove, they sat down opposite
one another at the rude table and
feasted merrily.
He afterward tied a checkered apron
around his waist and wiped the dishes
while Aunt Hulda washed them.
1--WE must hurry" he said, "for
don't want to miss bit of the fun.
Now for the stockf"
He carried water, climbed the loft to
throw the hay, fed the pigs and the
chickens, and did 1t all SO handily and
quickly that Aunt Hulda was amazed
Next he led out old Plebald, harnessed
him to the wagon, and had the equip
age waiting beside the apple tree be-
fore the woman had finished putting
on her ''best dress" and smoothing her
hair.
Il guess everything's tended to,
she said, as she climbed to seat be
side him. Il put your wheel in the
kitchen, and left the apples to slow
bile and put the lamp handy for use
when we come back, and fed the kit
tens"
80 there's nothing on your mind tc
keep you from having good time, he
commented.
They drove through the dusk to the
village, where the boy promptly pu
up old Piebald at the hotel stable
Then he walked with Aunt Hulda
down to the tents, where they first Wis
| tied the sideshows and saw the ia
| lady and the snake charmer and thu
| living skeleton and all the other won
| ders.
There was tremendous crowd. Ey
cry farmer and farmers wife for mile
around seemed to be there; and nov
and then Aunt Hulda would nod proud
ly and happily to an acquaintance, an'
delight In the curious looks that wer
directed upon her escort. They wer
all country people-all but the boy. Hi
appearance rendered him wholly un
like the others but he did not seen
to know 1t. He chatted gayly wit
Aunt Hulda, and called her attention
to everything he thought would inter
est her.
Then they visited the animals, an