Middletown transcript., 1903-07-04
THE OLD OAkEN BUCKET
By ADA BEERS FAY.

broWs, and shaded Dy long, oushy
lashes. They are wonderful
eyes. A rich, agate gray one
the next, either black,
blue or brown. 1t is impossible
to decide which particular color
nature designed them to be.
They vary with every passing
mood, and are not only the chief
charm of her beautiful face, but
truthful exponents Of her every
emotion. She wore a light, cool
looking print, with immaculate
collar and cuffs, and a pretty
white apron. There was a
feathery spray at her throat and
in her hair, and altogether, Mar
garet Percy was a picture not
often seen in a New England
farm house on a summer morn
ing.
Her reverie was brought sud-
denly to a close by the entrance
of a little, white haired woman,
with faded blue eyes, and a weak,
discontented face, who addressed
her daughter in sharp, querulous
tones as she desired the break
fast served at once, with a would
be air of regality, which sat
rather absurdly on her little,
insignificant person. Margaret
placed the steaming breakfast
before her, then busted herself
with the coffee. Five or ten
minutes passed in silence, while
Mrs. Percy, despite her vaunted
delicacy, took the sharp edge
from her keen appetite. Glanc-
ing across the table, she said
more pleasantly than before:
Well, Margaret, what do you
think of your aunt's proposal by
this time?
am strongly inclined to think
very favorably lit, with a bright
smile.
But it would make you a great
deal Of extra work through the
hot weather.
Yes, but it will be worth it.
We will have plenty of fruit and
vegetables, and with the milk
and eggs which we always have
in abundance, there need be but
little outlay, and as she says
they will pay literally for good
board, I see quite a little margin
on our side when summer is over.
I have felt just little troubled
about letting the farm, but if we
can make such use of those four
rooms, I think we will more
than make up for any loss we
may sustain in the farm manage
ment. You know I intended to
teach these two months, but this
will be far more remunerative,
and to me much pleasanter than
being shut in that little, sitting
schoolhonse through all this glor-
ious summer weather.
1t will be much better every
way, for then you will be at home
to attend to my wants. / can't
endure to be left alone now, since
your father is no longer here.
You shall not be left alone.
That is one reason like the idea
of taking Aunt Lizzie and her
friends. It will make it pleas
anter for you, I think. You
shall have none of the WORRY,
and Mary and I can manage the
work nicely.
Yes, yes, I know. But what a
shame it is that so much money
was thrown away en- your educa-
ton. A plain common school
education would have done well
enough in this barbarous com
munity. I should like to know,
now, how music and painting, for
instance, will assist you in the
concoction of pies and puddings
for you won't dare to leave
them to Mary, | can tell you.
That servant is the plague of my
life! 0, if only your poor father
was alive! she exclaimed with a
deep sigh, quite forgetting the
fact that for long years she had
continually mourned her wasted
life-the result of marrying a
poor, obscure farmer, as she put
it.
ThenI shall write Aunt Lizzie
that you have decided to take
them, mother?
Yes, if you can manage the
work without any more help in
the kitchen, and without annoy.
ing me. Can you?
I have no doubt of it, mother,
You must remember, Mar.
garet, that for a young girl who
has spent the last four years in a
fashionable boarding school, even
if she is a farmers daughter, the
task of looking after the wants
of d half dozen ariStocratc mhncc