The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-09-05
By Imitation.

1t was very early for callers, but Mrs.
Marsh knew that the maiden aunt
needed help, so she left the baking
and went to her cheerfully The aunt
| looked quite worn out, and very near
ly distracted. But what can you ex-
pect when person without previous
/ experience steps IN and tries to take
care of four healthy children for six
weeks? The aunt had been there only
two weeks, but such weeks!
What is the reason" said the aunt
almost tearfully, that yours are so
good, and mine are so bad? Why, do
you know, the twins were actually
fighting this morning. and Edith is so
/ horrid and selfish. She won't let Ed
ma touch a thing, and Edna cries when
nothing at all is the matter"
Cant you give them something to,
do?' asked Mrs Marsh.
But what?" said the maiden aunt.
/ "Oh! anything. If they suggest any
thing, let them do it if you possibly
can. If not, you suggest something.
If your invention runs out, you might
look out of the window, and see what
mine are doing"
She beckoned the aunt TO a window,
A hum Of busy voices arose from thel
lawn below.
why, they're washing"
! yes, it's the doll clothes, and the
/ boys, not to be behindhand, are wash
ing their baseball suits
/ But they will get their clothes SOIL
ed"
yes, they're bound to do that In
any case. They have on their rom
pers and bingham aprons, so it won't
matter. After the washing is dry,
there will be the ironing so you SEQ
they will be busy all day"
TN going right home, and ask
mine if they want to wash things"
They will want to- And then to-
morrow if you can't think of anything,
you might telephone over, and find
out what We are doing
The aunt departed with hope in her
bearing. Her young charges agreed
to the wash-day program with the en-
thusiasm of children who have been
depressed for two weeks. She took
off the pretty clothes in which she
had been keeping them, and searched
out the despised rompers. Then the
children, with arms full Of doll clothes,
went out to the back lawn and wash
ed themselves into state of quist
good nature. The dinner hour was
absolutely peaceful The aunt took
them upstairs afterward and told
them stories. Then it was time for
the bath and bed.
The next day a cautions inquiry
went over the telephone, What to-
day?"
They're working in their gardens"
was the answer
children, have you any gardens?'
said the aunt.
They had had some. but investiga-
ton showed that they had disappeared
under the onslaught of the weeds. The
aunt, who was really clever person,
clothed the retaining work in the
guise of battle against insidious drar
gons that wanted t" eat up the lovely
flower maidens With their little tools
and watering pots the children worked
with a will When a plot was nicely
cleaned the aunt transplanted some
blooming petunius from the mothers,
garden. The petunias stood the trans
planting nicely. They were too thick
in the garden anyway. and besides tho
children now had immediate results
to show for their work
The next days inquiry showed that
Mrs. Marsh's children We're playing,
milkman with a tub of water and ALI
the measuring cups in the house
you'll find that children will play
anything that allows them TO splash in
the water" said Mrs Marsh. For.
this you'd better put on their bathins
suits"
This can be a lesson in mathemat-
les, too" said the aunt as she gave
them gill, pint, quart, and gallon meas
ures.
On the succeeding days there were
trips to the woods, playing in bathing
suits under the garden hose. a day OF
Indian camp in the back yard, rainy
days when they rearrauged their post
card albums strung beads. and used
water color paints, they gathered up
their despised blocks and laid out an
artistic village on the sand pile. they
organized a telephone system in tho
back yard and gave a circus with the
aid of the dogs and cats of the neigh
borhOOd
The remaining four weeks slipped
away quickly and happily, and tho
children's parents returned. Great
was their wonder, and many were tho
compliments the aunt received upon.
her management.
why" said the mother, they're
| heartbroken to have you go, and they
do nothing but talk of the delightful
times you had together never
thought you could manage children so
well. l was really afraid that YOU
would fairly hate each other by tho
time l got back"
The aunt visited Mrs Marsh before
she went away. She thanked her
quite extravagantly. ut was you who
saved me from ignominious defeat"
she said. And I have one golden
fk,t