Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-27
1E WOMAN THOU GAVEST ME ~ Rx 9A4s cA 9 71

| invalid, my father invited Aunt
Bridget to come to his house as
houSekeeper and she came, and
brought her children with her.
Her rule from the outset had been
as hard as might have been expected
from one who prded herself on her
! Self-command "a quality that covered
everybody, including my mother and
me, and was only subject to soften-
! ing in favor of her own offspring.
Aunt Bridgots own daughter
year older than myself, was a far
child with light gray eyes. round
cheeks of the color of ripe apples, and
! long yellow hair that was carefully
combed and cured. Her name was
! Betsy which was extended by her
mother to, Betsy Beauty. She was
usually dressed in a muslin frorS
with sash OF light blue ribbon, aud
being understood to be delicate, was
constantly INDUCED and nearly NJ
ways eating. and giving herself gen
/ orally the airs of the daughter of he
/ house.
Aunt Brdgets stepdaughter, ten
4 years older, was a gaunt, ungainly
girl with rcd hair and irregular fea
/ lures Her name was Messy, AMI
/ having an instructive sense of her
/ dependent position. she was very
humble and subservient and, as
Tommy the Mate used to say, "as
smooth as an old threepenny bit to
/ the ruling powers, which always
meant my aunt, but spteful, nso-
| lent and acrid 10 anybody who was
outside my aunts favor. which usual
/ lv meant me.
/ Between my cousin and myself
I there were constant feuds in whic1
| Messy Macleod never failed to take
| the side of Betsy Beauty while nv
poor mother became target for he
shafts Of Aunt Bridget. who said /
was wtllful wicked. underhand liz
| tie vixen, and no wonder, seeing how
I disgracefully / was INDUCED, and how
/ shockingly was being brought up.
4 A Foolish Climax.
I These skirmshes went on for
considerable time without conss
[ Quences. but they came at last to
I foolish climax which led to serious
results.
4 Even my mothers life had rs
/ CLEANS Of sunshine, and flowers were
constant joy to her. old Tommy,
/ the gardener. was aware of this, and
/ every morning sent up bunch cf
| them, freshly cut and wet with the
dew But one day in the spring he
could not do so, being out in the dubs
of the Currsgh cutting peat for he
fires Therefore | undertook to supply
the deficiency, having already with
the large solemnity of six. begun to
consider it my duty TO take charge
Of my mother,
Never mind, nanny; I'll setch
some showers sor wou," | said every
/ being an in those days., and
armed with pair of scissors skip
ped down to the garden.
had chosen a bed of ANIMALS be
cause they were bright and fragrant,
/ and was beginning to cut some gil
vers" when Messy Macleod who had
been watching from a window. came
bouncing down on me,
Mary O'Neill how dare your
cried Messy. you wilful, wicked.
underhand little vixen, what viii your
| Aunt Bridget say? Don't you know
| this is Betsy Beautys bed, and no
! body else Is to touch it,
| began to excuse myself on the
ground of my mother and Tommy the
Mate, but Messy would hear no such
explanation
Your mamma has nothing to do
with it. You know quite well that
/ your Aunt Bridget manages every
thing in this house, and nothing can
be done without her.
Small as | was, that was too much
for me Somewhere in my little heart
! there had long been secret pang of
mortified pride---now born | do not
know-at seeing Aunt Bridget take
| the place of my mother, and now
| choking with veXatiou, but without
saying word. swept OFT the heads
of all the flowers in the bed, and,
| with my arms fun of them ten times
more than ! wanted--l sailed back to
nay mothers room.
Taken From Mother.
Inside two minutes there was a
fearful tumult. ! thought | was
doomed to punishment when ] heard
the big bunch Of keys which Aunt
Bridget kept suspended from her
waist come iingling up the stairs but
it WAS my poor mother who paid the
penalty
Isabel cried Aunt Bridget, Il
hope you are satisfied with your child
az last"