The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-10-13

4 ~ she had just pulled out OF OF
Ro~ thumb and finger to see II
the loaf was thoroughly done.
''And I can go to Jessie Wells this
afternoon, can't L? You promised"
..No, Martha, I didn't quite promise. y
''But ran every step of the way,
indeed I did, auntie; and I made all
the beds and busted"
There was q tremor in Martha Park
er's voice, and the tears came almost
into her eyes.
"IlI tell you at noon. There, it is
ten minutes to nine, and you will be
late to school if you do not start this
Instant
"But, Aunt Patty"
"If you stop for another word, you
cannot 90 at all. How often have !
told you about answering back?"
Martha picked up her two books
and whirled herself out Of the door
like O tornado, without a word of
good-morning.
"The cross old thingr' she half
sobbed, as she went out of hearing.
s'She never does let me do anything! l
may try and try, and it doesn't amount
to-a row of pins. And ii can't go
to that croquet party I'll be just as
bad as ever can be-"
I think Martha commenced right
away. She climbed over the fence
and ran down into the lot for an apple,
and what with that and the eating of
it she was late for school.
"My aunt sent me to do an errand,"
she said to Miss Lewis.
"Well, you must bring note, then,
or lose a mark. I want you to under
stand that school begins promptly at
nine"
That made Martha still more cross.
She slammed the lid Of her desk and
then hurried out to take her place in
her class. 1t was spelling, and the
very first word she missed, and had
to go down one. And then she didn't
care' in real good earnest, and she
was a very troublesome child until
twelve o'clock.
When she went home to dinner she
found Grandma Fields sitting by the
open window in Aunt Patty's tidy
kitchen. Now Grandma Fields really
was not grandmother to anybody, but
she was old and sweet and pretty,
with a wrinkled face and snow-white
hair; a gown of soft drab, that, though
It was made in the fashion Of her
young days, had almost come round
again. 1t was gored, plain wasted,
and with coat sleeves: but it had no
rufles nor bugles. Then she had a
silyery- -colored kerchief crossed over
her bosom, and white lawn cap, and
altogether she was as attractive-look-
ing as any grandmother you would
wish to see. She had not relation
in the world, and vet everybody's
house was open to her, and she visited
about, sewing and knitting and darn
ing, and sometimes taking care of sick
people. She was seventy, but she did
not seem old. There was always a
great stack Of invitations ahead Of
her, and two months ago Miss Patty
Parker had sent for her.
"She does so enjoy harvest apples"
said Miss Patty, $50 let US have her
here right in the first Of them. And it
will give me a good start with all the
clothes and bedding and stockings"
Aunt Patty kept house for her
brother, Mr.. Nathan Parker. He was
a very comfortable farmer, widower
with three boys and one girl. A very
clean, orderly, upright woman was
Aunt Patty, but somehow
Nathan was SO careless, so dilatory.
The children were needles, impertinent,
idle, and, try her best, she never could
make anything Of them. She worked
very hard, and she used to get very
much discouraged. This was her side
Of the story.
Farmer Parker came in delighted to
see the placid, cheerful face of his
guest. Did I tell you she was a
Quaker? Well, she was, through there
was no Friends meeting within twenty
miles, so it wasn't her Sunday church.
going that kept her in such a tranquil
state.
Behind the farmer came his eldest
son, George, about seventeen. He had
been to the mill and the store that
morning, and put down the basket
Aunt Patty began to unpack at once
will that calico do? The other was
all sold. This is the same pattern
but it has pink flower instead Of {
lilac. I like it better
1T doesn't look like a good wasl
pink and Aunt Patty viewed it crit
ically.
But it was for my bed. and L
liked it," said George, with a depre
eating effort to smooth matters over.
"And it is not as good quality.
you can't do just what you are told
you had better do nothing. And 20,