The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1913-01-02
AUNT PATS PROPOSAL
BY JULIA GREENE.

II a never a strong advocate of tho
idea that women ought to propose"
said the ~red-headed man. Still, /
known woman who took matters
neglected by a bashful sutton into her
own hands and wound up the bust!
ness 80 neatly and in 80 novel a man.
ner that she plaudits from every.
body who ever heard the story.
This oma was known the coun-
ty over as Aunt Patsy Mitchell. Aunt
Patsy lived alone in a big red brick
house that was set down. in the mid
die of an immense yard. The yard
at n time was we'll shaded, but the
trees had been felled one by one until
nothing remained standing but a few
cedar trees and m monstrous oak!
This oak stood In a corner not far
from the front fence. 1t, was the
most perfect specimen of fine, sym!
metrical forest tree to be found in that
part of the county, and Aunt Patsy
Lad always been very proud of 1t. It's
a grand type of endurance she had
often beer heard to say. Why, pei
feet as that tree is, it ought to be
standing 500 years from now.' Know
ing those to be her sentiments. the
surprise Of the neighbors was un-
bounded when it was learned that
Aunt Patsy had sem for two wood!
cutters and had ordered them to
chop down the oak tree three feet
from the ground.
"a few days after the tree had been
felled and dragged away I was walk,
ing past Aunt Patsy's house with
Walter Craig. Craig was a man who
had managed my fathers farm for
several years. From the top of his
head to the sole of his foot Craig!
presented a very peculiar a%ppearanceI
but his most striking single feature
was his mouth. That organ was
kept wide open day and night, Sleep
ing or waking. AS we neared the;
house we saw Aunt Patsy standing
at the front gate. We went up and
stopped on the other side.
"'Aunt Patsy said Craig, 4 don't
want to be pryin', but I'd like to know
what you had that tree whacked over
for?' ,
"'I reckon she said, there's a
whole raft of people hereabouts d
like to know that very same thing
81 reckon said Craig, there is.'
WELL returned Aunt Patsy, d
don't wish any of 'em any harm, sol
3 do hope they won't hold their;
breath till they find out. Not but
what they're goin' to some day, for
they are, but they'll have to bide my
time"
Craig nodded respectfully. And
what you goin' to do with the stump,
Aunt Patsy?' he asked. You ought to
have that drug up by the roots.'
"I oughtn't do anything of the
kind retorted Aunt Patsy. I've made.
all my c~allations regardin' that
stump, and l certainly don't callate to-
have it drug out
THAT was in the fall. All winter
the oak stump stood in Aunt Patsy's|
front yard, bleak and drear, but
early in the spring two men who wereI
used to clearing Off were called in,
for consultation, and Aunt Patsy gave|
them instructions to burn out the
heart of the stump. A week later the,
only thing remaining of the prize oak
vas an outer shell about four inches
thick.
"'I'm goin' to get some bees said,
Aunt Patsy, when Craig and / stopped
at her gate Don afterward and asked,
her about the skeleton. I've always
wanted a swarm, and l cal'late to,
turn this stump into a hive for 'em.
I'll have the top rooted over, It.
seems to me it'll be a real handy place.
for en-
"The following day Aunt Patsy went
into town. She was gone a week, and.
when she returned she was provided
with a box full Of chise1s and other,
tools, Of whose use even the village|
carpenter vas ignorant. When the
first warm spring days came Aunt
Patsy began her work on the unique!
beehive. For two weeks she labored,i
cutting and chiseling the hard wood
with rare skill and patience. BY and
Wy IL OcCdI10 dppdIclI IudI Iu0 sue,
Of the hive facing the turnpike was
taking on the semblance Of a human
face. Aunt Patsy smiled grimly when
Craig leaned over the fence one night
and asked her whose portrait she was,
carving. !
sits the face of the man I'm goinl
to marry she said. .
THAT report spread rapidly and
thereafter Aunt Patsy's open-air
studio a %thronged with people anx1
ious to discover through the linea7
ments Of the sculptured face some.
clue to the identity of the intended
husband. l don't know anything about
the work Of professional sculptors.
but we saw before us, as If in life,
the squirting eyes, the faring ears.
the high forehead and the gaping
mouth of Craig. My bare feet scarce
ly touched the turnpike as I iran
home to tell the news. I found Craig
out back of the orchard blowing.
Craig l gasped, it's you. Aunt
Patsy has been carving your face. It's
you she's going to marry
Craig dropped the lines and his
mouth Qo-, ,-ll.- $500 AL--- |