The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-02-22
AUNT
PATSY'S
NEW
GLASSES
By ROSE WILLIS JOHNSON.

y Nf NA1N RAt%AA W. w ~ ANA q
Jabez demanded grimly-Jabez, the
younger, who had tried and failed. 1T
is useless to try to live with her-it
can't be donel Milly was patience it,
self, and the children never opened
their mouths before her. She's a reg
lar old catl / toted her back to the
hollow, with meal and what not
enough to keep her awhile, and left
her to boot with the owls. But it
won't dol The neighbors will cry
shame If we leave the widow Of our
Uncle Jabez to die alone. If they
knew her as we do"
The rest Of the sentence was lost in
a growl. Sufficiently strong language
was forbidden Deacon Watkin, shin
ing light Of little Mount Zion.
John, his brother, stood whiting,
making a litter on the neat hearth.
His daughter, slim and still, was wash
ing dishes at the sink, taking no part
in the family council, but ever and
anon her bright eyes darted eager
glances and her lips trenbled with de-
sire. 1t was in the days when young
people waited permission to speak.
John gave a final dirt to the bit of
pine stick and shut his knife. There,
wife, I've made a mess for ye-all on
account Of Jabez' widow. / don't
know what we can do. She sha'n't
! come here again-not by a joyful! But
I'll do my part by the old lady. We
three boys can afford to keep her, and
we can afford to pay a girl to stay
there with her. We can get one for
six bits a week"
You'll have to get a new girl every
Saturday night" Jabez grunted.
There amt a girl atop O. earth as is
goin' to put up wi 'er tantrumsr
And then Lyonette spoke, paling
sensitively: Let me go, mother! Let
me try Aunt Patsy!'
There was astonished silence, and
then her father whistled.
You try your Aunt Patsy, Trotkinsl
Well, I'll be groomed!"
mo, sir" soberly. But I've always
liked Aunt Patsy, and I'm sorry fol
her. l believe | can get along with
her-alone. And l want the six bits
She made the admission gravely
She was so exquisitely truthful bel
motives never clouded themselves, moi
took on false colors. Was it silly t.
long so ardently for the trifes deal
10 girlhood-ribbons, laces, soft brighi
garments to adorn her young pretti
ness? Sometimes she gathered ferns
and flowers, twining them in her hair
clasping them to her bosom. her eyes
bright and innocent as the eyes OF {
self-admiring infant. If vanity urged
her, surely the sin was not unpardon
able.
None OF this at home, however. Sh,
wore her holland and homespun ant
was staid and sensible, a little maic
for staid, sensible parents to trust anc
cherish.
1t took some time to win a grudginl
permission to TRY her hand" Blu
once given her spirits rose. She wa
optimistic, perhaps e bit s%elf-conident
But it seemed to her that she shoul,
succeed-that the lonely old heart ha,
a hidden key, which it was possibl
to find. She meant to try.
Aunt Patsy" was d local figure
For years-for half a century-sh
had terrorized the community. Al
though poor and ignorant, her vii
: was absolute and not to be questioned
Children whispered the word witch
She was a cross the Watkin brother
found hard to bear.
R Still, they tried to do their duty, 70
Uuncle Jabez' sake. They paid tn
tax on her little place, contributed t
her support and would have made he
j one Of themselves had her vile tempe
permitted,
One bright June morning six week
later a stranger approached the house
He lifted bis hat.
May l see the lady of the house?
he queried.
"Yes-if she'll let you. I'll ask,
answered Lyonette the truthful, an
her clear young voice rang out insis.
emily: 'Aunt Patsy-Aunt Patsy! d
you want to see a man, Aunt Patsy?
A tall, bent figure appeared in tn
doorway.
"A mani" she said. what does h
want, Lyonette?'
The man spoke for himself:
Il have spectacles here, grandma
won't you look through a pair? / al
sure you need something better tina
the things on your ~nose--they al
nothing but window glass"
Patsy shook her head. NO money,
she said. How should I Euy specti
cles, who am alone, always alone, an
too old to do aught but knit? But
can knit Ask the whole countrysid
who makes the best socksl"
"But a knltter-the best knItter 1
the country-needs glasses, Think {
dropped stitches, grandma. Here.
won't cost you anything to have YOU
eyes tested. Let me show you viii
you are needing"
The old lady submitted and IN
few minutes he had selected a pal
and induced her TO try them. The
were douhln niaasns iulph.foe and fl