The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1913-04-24
AUNT Annals ANXIETY
ey LUCILLE CUMMINGS.

that when i received letter from
Aunt Anna asking all the family
out to the farm for New Years day
l did not think the invitation needed
TO be taken seriously.
She wrote to me because she
wanted me to change the gloves l
had sent her for Christmas. They
were several sizes too small for her
and she appeared to think 1t would
be an easy matter for me to exchange
them for the right size. They are
gloves that Carl Bates brought me
from Europe two years ago, and
though they are beautiful they are a
little too tight for even my small
hands. l thought, Of course, that Aunt
Anna would simply put them away to
keep for one Of the children. That
is what she should have done instead
of insisting that / take the trouble
to change them.
Ones responsibility for a present
ought to cease when the gift Is made,
but Aunt Anna is one Of those terribly
thorough-going persons who never let
a matter rest until 1t is settled to
their satisfaction. l shall have to buy
a pair Of gloves, l suppose, though /
have resolved to be as economical as
possible this year.
Arthur knight had invited me to go
down to one Of the hotels and see the
old year out, but when / inadvertently
mentioned II before father Saturday
morning he Immediately vetoed the
plan.
But. daddy" I told him, at will
be awfully dull for me to sit drearily
at home the last night of the year
when one always expects to have q
little fun" The disappointment was
so great that couldn't keep my tears
back.
We'll" said father, IF you are dreary
in the midst Of your own family ask
some Of your friends in and have a
quiet celebration by your own fire.
side"
/ acted at once upon this sugges-
ton and when / called up Arthur
knight he said he was glad Of the
CQanSe Oh pan.
81 don't believe you would have en-
] yed the downtown celebration as
much as you thought you would" he
said, laughingly. Your father Is
quite right We shall have a much
better time at your house."
Although l am really fond Of Arthur,
l think he is rather foolishly strait.
laced In his ideas.
was fortunate in finding a num-
Der Of friends who had no engage
ments for New Years eve and so 1t
was a congenial party that gathered
to watch the dying of the old year.
/ think every one was a little sur.
prised at the somewhat elaborate hot
supper we had just at midnight.
managed things so we'll that it was
really very little trouble. got Cousin
Fannie to prepare In advance creamed
chicken for me to serve from the chat
ing dish and have the coffee ready in
the percolator so Betty could preside
at that.
This careful prearrangement OF
mine made 1t possible for Cousin Fan
ME and mother to stay in the kitchen
and fry the fresh mushrooms, fill the
patties and make the hot biscuits. In
the morning grandmother had made
some of her old fashioned molasses
cake that the men always rave over
/ should have suggested 1t absolutely
fresh, but when l suggested 1t mother
Immediately objected.
Blanche" she said, ut would be
preposterous for you to keep your
grandmother up till after II o'clock al
night merely to bake molasses cake.
why, l believe she would like tc
do It," / answered. Grandmother II
such q wonderful woman that late
hours never feaze her. I'm always
Dragging about how young my granny
is"
This pleased grandmother 80 much
that / think she would have stayed
up all night to bake the cake II tha
had been necessary, but still mother
would not let her do as l had sug
gested. Mother really ought to le
grandmother have her own way more
| We we're In the midst of our gay
little feast when the bell rang. Father
emerged from the library and found {
telegraph messenger boy at the door
why, what's this?" he exclaimed
when he had glanced at the message
from Aunt Anna: why didn't you
come? Is any one i'll? am terribl!
anxious"
Blanche" said father, calling mi
out in the hall, do you know any
thing about this?'
Il suppose she expected US out a
the farm today" I replied.
"Why should she expect us?" in
quired father.
well, she wrote me asking us al
out for New Years. She said she''
expect us IL she didn't hear to tn,
contrary. OF course / knew that non,
of US would care to go and in tn
excitement of getting up this part,
that you wanted me to have l forgo
to write her."
Forgot" exclaimed father in a yer,
unkind way. Blanche, without excer
ton, you're the most rattle braine,
person I ever knew. Now sit dow
and write a telegram apologizing TO
your inexcusable negligence"
I was really shocked that fathe
should start the new year by speaking
a. A-k,