Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-04-29
TELLING AUNT GRACE

When Aunt Grace went to visit her
brother in the little town which she
had not seen since ner marriage her
six-year-old nephew, Louis, was al
lowed to ride to the station in the
buggy with his father to aid in well
coming her.
When the buggy had started over
the familiar road toward home and
Louis had taken full stock of his
aunt's hat, travelling gown and purse,
while his father was impressing her
with an idea of the family's standing
and Importance in the community, the
boy remarked:
Say Aunt Grace, you ought to see
our furniture shine! Gee! 1t just
shines Ike anything"
His father coughed rather uncom-
fortably and Aunt Grace suppressed
smile over the hasty vanishing and
polishing of the furniture in her
honor.
"As | was saying" went on the
boys father, who had lost the thread
of his story in the excitement, that
back forty near the creek ought to
bring $85 an acre.
Say, aunt Grace" broke in Louis,
as a sudden idea struck him, Il got
a night shirt Gee! It's a regular
one-split up the side like mans.
You can see my legs"
Louis" said the father, you keep
no
ing with your aunt? Haven't you any
manners?'
"Oh, let the boy talk" said Aunt
Grace. HE hasn't seen me for long
time"
He doesn't seem to have acquired
any sense in the meantime" said her
brother.
When they reached the house Louis
kept close to his aunt during the fam
lily greetings, and when she went to
the bathroom to wash away the CRIME
of her railway trip Louis volunteered
to pilot her At the open door he
neered in, looked around with an air
of importance and then, running to
the top of the stairway, bawled out:
"Maw!"
What is it, LOUISE" answered his
mother from below stairs, clutching
her heart lest he should betray some
new family secret.
(Which towel did you say was for
Aunt Grace?". he demanded. Both
of these look pretty clean"
hoe
and banished Louis to the back yard
| while she graciously explained to
Amt Grace "the odd notions that
children get these days.
Before dinner his father sought out
Louis in the fartbest corner of the lot
and had a talk with him.
Nov, see kere, young man" he
began. 81 want you to keep your
mouth shut at the table this evening
No matter how much you want to
talk or what you think of saying, don't
saw it! Do you understand? Well
do all the talking that's necessary.
| Louis was duly impressed, and
ised to eat little, hear less and say
nothing. He struggled valiantly with
his desire to ask where the silver tea
not had come from, and he conquered
He eyed the dainty china cups with
wonder and got as far as Say, NAV,
when he was squelched by his fathers
large hand. which came down with 6
meaning pressure on his elbow.
However, the novelty of dessert or
a weekday was too much for him, anC
proved his undoing.
He watched Aunt Grace closely
when she had apparently finished hel
meal. and when she placed her knife
and fork on the plate Louis was in {
fever of excitement lest she should
abandon her place too soon. Just a:
his mother was in the midst of ar
explanation about the necessity for {
rood woman's club in every commu
nity. Louis saw his aunt fold her nap
kin.
Say. Aunt Grace" he shouted
don't go yet. There's pie!'
He was carried off bodily by his out
ragged mother. His father looked a
Amt Grace for a moment and thel
grinned 1t was useless to be indig
nant.
"a fellow has a fine chance to pu
on airs with that kid around" he said
Aunt Grace pretended she didn'
/ j.poy what he was talking about. Wis
.t-i~ ..lways do in such cases.