The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-08-28
By Imitation


It 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
" 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
| Won know, the twins were actually
fighting this morning, and Edith Is so
horrd and selfish She won't let Ed
ma ouch thing, and Edna cries when
nothing at all is the matter"
cant you give them something to
do asked Mrs. Marsh.
| Put WHAT" said the maiden aunt
oh, anything If Il ey suggest any
| thing. let them do il 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 10 a window.
| A hum OF busy voices arose from the
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 1t won't
matter. After the washing is dry,
there will be Ike ironing, so you see
| they will be buSy all day"
I'm going right home. and ask
mine if they want to wash things"
They will want to- And then to-
Llorrow 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
! reprcssed 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 quiet
/ good nature. The dinner hour was
absolutely peaceful. The aunt took
them upstairs af.erward and told
them stories Then It was time for
the bath and bed
The next day 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 q clever person,
clothed the retaining work In tho
guise Of battle against insidious dra-
CONS that wanted t" eat up the lovely
flower maidens. With their little tools
and watering pots the children worked
with will. When q plot was nicely
cleaned the aunt trausplanted some
blooming petunius from tho mothers
garden. The petunias stood the trans.
planting nicely. They were too thick
in the garden anyway, and besides the
children now had immediate results
10 show for their work
The next days inquiry showed that
Mrs. Marsh's children were playing
milkman with a tub Of water and all
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 bathing
suits"
This can be Il 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. day of
! Indian camp in the back yard, rainy
days when they rearranged 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 telephone system in the
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 the
children's parents returned. Great
was their wonder. and many were the
compliments the aunt received upon
her management.
why" said the mother, they're
heartbroken to have you go, and they
co nothing but talk Of the delightful
times you had together. never
thought you could manage children so
well. l was really afraid that you
1 ro,,,a fa;-1v hate oaeb ,%bor ~, a.