Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-25

sixty years of age, and therefore was
not the right sort to rear a child. But
Katie, being an orphan. had no choice
In the matter of home and guardian
and was very grateful to her stern old
aunt for shelter. food, clothing and
schooling. But sometimes she found
her home life very duh indeed. If she
sang and played about the house her
Aunt Maria would call out to her:
"Children should be seen; not heardP
And if Katie begged to be permitted to
go skating or coasting-or to particle
pate In any of the childish sports OF her
school associates-the prim old aunt
would shake her head emphatically,
saying: ut is wicked waste of time
to play. When you have finished your
school tasks and household duties you
should sew and mend, or read some
helpful book"
And so 1t was that the time not spent
In the school room was very tedious to
Katie, whose only companion was her
Aunt Maria. Occasionally her little
girl friends were allowed to make
formal calls upon her, but during such
calls Aunt Maria sat In the parlor and
helped her little niece to entertain the
company. And Aunt Maria's way of
entertaining children was to tell them
how much better and smarter children
used to be than now; to tell of her own
straight-laced youth and her superior
ity over the children of the present
generation.
The day before Halloween Katies
comrades at school planned Upon what
they called "a lark for the following
evening after supper, and as usual
Katie was invited to be one of the
gay party.
well, you know how Aunt Maria is
about such things" said Katie. But
maybe-if you'll go home with me and
ask her to let me join you she'll relent
a bit and consent. being as it's Hal
loween."
That evening Katies two most inti-
mate friends. Lucy and Grace, accom-
panied her home and very 'solicitously
asked Aunt Marias consent for Katie
to make one of their Halloween party
on the following evening.
Halloween party!" And Aunt
Maria threw up hands and eyebrows in
CONSERVATION. "Not If know myself"
she exclaimed. "Why, it's nothing but
roughness and rudeness, this going
about playing pranks with peoples
property. No indeed, Katherine doesn't
go a step out of this house after sup
per--if / know it. She's being brought
up as girls should be brought up, in
quiet. stay-at-home and mind-your-
own business manner No tom-boying
for girl under my roof. / can promise
you"
And so the Halloween matter was
settled so far as Katie was concerned.
And the little girls heart was heavy
in consequence. All that evening she
found her mind wandering from her
books while engaged in getting tomor-
rows lessons. She was continually
thinking of what the world would be
like IL all women were like Aunt Maria.
The mothers of her little friends were
SO different. Why, there was Grace's
mamma, as jolly as any of the children,
playing games with her little daughter
and her young friends. And how much
interest she always took in Grace's
parties and childish pleasures, too And
Lucy's mamma was the same way. She
would lay aside her work any time to
tell a story to an assembled group of
little folks; and it was not unusual to
see her out coasting with Lucy and
Lucy's friends of an evening, not only
keeping close watch that no one was
hurt in the sport, but enjoying the fun
as keenly as any of the younger ones.
And thus thinking Katie heaved
: deep sigh, sigh so deep that her aunt,
sitting at the opposite side of the table.
overheard 1t and looked up from her
sewing.
"Are you sick, Katherine, that you
make that horrible noise?" she asked.
sarcastically.
"No-o-o, Aunt Maria,' answered
Katie. Il was just feeling little sorry
That's ALL"
sorry about what?" asked Aunt
Maria, looking shocked at her nieces
daring to hint that she could possibly
have anything to be sorry about while
under her roof
"Oh, sorry that I can't go with the
girls and boys tomorrow evening to
celebrate Halloween. You know I'm
only IL years old, aunt, and staying at
home all the time gets bit tiresome."
"You are an ungrateful girl" said
Aunt Maria sharply. I'm bringing
you up just as strictly as I know how.
Why, TIM even more strict with you in
some things than my own mother was
with me when I was girl. You should
appreciate such bringing up. Kath-
arine." Then the offended old lady
arose, put away her sewing for the
nifrhf and excused Katharine from the.