The Clio messenger., 1913-02-14
AUNT ANNA'S ANXIETY
BY LUCILLE CUMMINGS.


| out to the farm for New Years day
| did not think the invitation needed
to be taken seriously.
She wrote to me because she
wanted me to change the gloves
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. 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 l take the trouble
to change them.
Ones responsibility for present
ought to cease when the gift is made
but Aunt Anna is one of those terribly
thorough-going persons who never let
matter rest until 1t is settled to
their satisfaction. shall have to buy
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 1t before father Saturday
morning he Immediately vetoed the
plan.
But, daddy" / told him, "it will
be awfully dull for me to sit drearily
at home the last night of the year
when one always expects to have a
little fun" The disappointment was
so great that couldn't keep my tears
back.
WELL" 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"
l acted at once upon this sugges-
ton and when / called up Arthur
Knight he said he was glad of the
change of plan.
II 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 am really fond of Arthur,
I think he is rather foolishly strait
laced in his ideas.
/ was fortunate in finding num-
ber of friends who had no engage
ments for New Years eve and so it
was a congenial party that gathered
to watch the dying of the old year.
/ think every one was little sur
prised at the somewhat elaborate hot
supper we had just at midnight.
l managed things SO well 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 80 Betty could preside
at that.
This careful prearrangement of
mine made II 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
some of her old fashioned molasses
cake that the men always rave over.
| should have suggested it absolutely
fresh, but when l suggested 1t mother
Immediately objected.
Blanche" she said, 1T would be
preposterous for you to keep your
grandmother up till after IL o'clock at
ioh 10 hol lxn Al lo
why, / believe she would like to
do it," l answered. Grandmother is
such a wonderful woman that late
hours never feaze her. I'm always
Dragging about how young my granny
is"
This pleased grandmother so much
that think she would have stayed
up all night to bake the cake If that
had been necessary, but still mother
would not let her do as / had sug
gested. Mother really ought to let
grandmother have her own way more
We were 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! l am terribly
anxious"
Blanche" said father, calling me
out In the hall, do you know any
thing about this?"
II suppose she expected US out at
the farm today" / replied.
why should she expect us?" in
quired father
well, she wrote me asking us all
out for New Years. She said she'd
expect us If she didn't hear to the
contrary. OF course knew that none
of us would care to go and in the
excitement of getting up this party
that you wanted me to have forgot
to write her"
Forgot" exclaimed father in very
unkind way Blanche, without excep-
tion, you're the most rattle Drained
person / ever knew. Now sit down
and write a telegram apologizing for
your inexcusable negligence"