Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-30
Aunt Caroline Sum
Jamie Hamilton Donne!I.)

'NioSo liS Va q IlolAy N"o iSiP
ing Mr.. PARIS hired mar saw wood.
Mr.. Parr says he's equal to Abner
any day"
"Humph!" breathed Aunt Caroline.
then "Humph," again-once for the
little mothers first remark, once for
the second. Aunt Caroline often said
"Humph" when it was Morris they
talked about especially, when the
proud little mother boosted Of his in
dustry.
And Mrs. Parr says she never saw
such a willing little fellow to run err
rands-he's always ready. The PARIS
think a good deal Of Morry."
This time the little ejaculation did
not escape Aunt Caroline's lips; she
held it back. But it was there in
dumb pantomime. The little mother
folded her work and got up. She
stumbled a little, she was so tired. 1t
takes more than a h%alf-hour's rest on a
cool veranda to refresh as weary a
woman as the little mother. Ever
since sunrise she had been stirring.
Presently Aunt Caroline heard a
nearer creak croak that quavered a
good deal as though the saw was not
going very steadily. Women can't
saw wood very well.
"Humph!" calculated Aunt Caro-
line. The word was plain enough
now. So the little mother of Morry
was saving wood? Next thing she'd
be split-yes there she was doing 1t!
1t was Aunt Caroline's turn to fold
her work and get up. She went pain
fully round the corner Of the house
toward the sounds Of saw and axe.
Aunt Caroline had never gone any
where except painfully for forty years
what in the world are you doing.
RoseT' she demanded.
The little mother Of Morry was
Rose. Getting supper" she smiled
breathlessly. Her thin cheeks were
flushed with exertion. "This wood Is
too long for the kitchen stove and
too broad, too-every stick has to be
sawed and split. There, I guess that's
enough to get supper with. I tell you
I've learned to economical! I'm glad
Morry can't see my bungling."
The water pail was empty and she
toiled to the pump and back, while
Aunt Caroline looked on and softly
to herself.
81 shall have time to feed the
chickens and call up Creampot while
the kettles boiling" the little mother
nodded, but she did not add-aloud
IF Creampot doesn't come up | be-
lieve I shall cry!" She was SO tired.
Sometimes Creampot had what Nor
ris called "the mischief" and failed to
come careering up to the pasture bars
at the sweet familiar call. Tonight
was one Of the times, and the little
mother Of Morry was obliged to
YEARLY over the uneven ground
to hunt her up. Naughty Creampot-
or wasn't it Creampot who was
naughty?
Somewhere a boy was whistling,
when Johnny Comes Marching
and the clear sound was sweet
the evening air. The little mother
There was Morry going for
Mr.. PARIS sows-Morry was such a
sweet whistler!
"Abner says all he has to do is say,
% dear me, it's cow time again!' and
Morry's off. He never thinks it any
at all and Mr.. PARIS cows are
hard to drive, everybody knows"
Aunt Caroline had to hobble to the
stove and put more water in the ket-
tie before the little mother of Morry
got home. When she did come she
was almost out of breath with hurry
81 never saw such a cow" she
scolded gently. Here I've been all
this time chasing her round! And
now I'm afraid I shan't have a chance
to make the Morry cakes for tea"
"Morry cakes?'
Eyes. because he's so fond Of them"
the tired little mother smiled. Nor
RVS the greatest boy for Morry
cakes!"
But there was time after all. The
puffy little cakes we're a golden brown
and the whole kitchen was spicy with
the smell of them when Morris came
Morry was tired, too. He had been
working hard.
"My, that old woodpile's a tough
he laughed. stretching his lame
above his head to rest them.
it gives a fellow a muscle-look
at my muscle. Aunt Caroline!"
MY" Aunt Caroline said, but it al
sounded like "Humph.' Then
with a queer little twinkle in her gray
eyes she sat looking at the hungry
boy eating Morry cakes. When the
fourth one vas disappearing she
spoke.
"Morry, can you put two and two
together?' she said.
"Me?-ad emp" choked astonished
Morry over his puffy brown cake.
What was Aunt Caroline thinking of!
Humph. when he was next to the
header in the algebra class! "I'm
studying algebra" he said abound,
stiffly.
"Oh, then you can do It." Aunt Caro-
line said quietly. Sometime I'm go
ing to yet you to do a little sum for
you're not too busy work
ing for Mr.. Parr."
"Morry's one of the best mathe-
matte boys in school" the little proud
mother said. THE teacher says she
can't puzzle him very often, and you
caught her once. didn't you, Morry?'
- 49,, H.