The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-09-28


"And l can 90 to Jessie Wells this
afternoon, can't I? You promised"
mo, Martha. didn't quite promise"
But l ran every step of the way,
indeed l did, auntie; and I made all
the beds and busted"
There was Il tremor In Martha Park.
er's voice, and the tears came almost
into her eyes.
"Ill 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 go at all. How often have l
told you about answering back?"
Martha picked up her two books
and whirled herself out Of the door
like tornado, without a word of
good dmorning
sobbed, as she went out of hearing.
"She never does let me do anything. /
may try and try, and it doesn't amount
to-a row Of pins. And if 1 can't go
10 that croquet party I'll be just as
bad as ever | can be-"
| 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
1t she was late for school
MY aunt sent me to do an errand,"
she said TO Miss Lewis.
well, you must bring d note, then,
or lose a mark. | 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 n wrlnkled face and snow-white
hair; gown of soft drab that. though
1t was made in the fashion OF her
young days, had almost come round
again. 1t was gored, plain wnisted.
and with coat sleeves: but it had no
ruflies nor bugles. Then she had a
sllvery- kerchlef crossed over
her bosom, and n white lawn cap, and
altogether she was as attractlve-look-
ing as any, grandmother you would
wish to see. She had not n relation
in the world. and yet 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
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. n widower
with three boys and one girl. A very
clean, orderly. upright woman was
Aunt Patty, but somehow
Nathan was so careless, so dllatory.
The children were needles, impertlnent,
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 tell you she was
Quaker? Well, she was, through there
was no Friends meeting within twenty
miles, so 1t wasn't her Sunday church
going that kept her in such 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 mt once. |
"Will that calico dof The other was
all sold. This Is the same pattern.
but II has pink flower instead OF a
lilac. like 1t better"
"It doesn't look like good wash
pink" and Aunt Patty viewed 1t crit.
ically.
But II was for my bed. and L
liked IT," said George. with depre-
eating effort to smooth matters over.
"And 1t is not as good quality. II
you can't do just what you are told,
you had better do nothing. And you
didn't get lemon extractw taking up u
bottle.
'You said I might get lemon or
yanilla-Tom begged for vanilla"
"As II Toms wants were to rule the
household"
"And here Is a whisk broom. You
were saying that you needed one, you
know"
But what made you get red one?
] have told you several times. George,
that green whisks were always the
best And there was not the slightest
hurry about It. would rather have
chosen II myself"
And - Aunt Patty went through
the purcnases. Nothing quite suited