The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-01-27
Continued from page %
THE STORY OF AN ORPHAN.

sS5sss5fle had walked up. from the sta |
ton in preference to taking car, |
) she explained as she sank into chair
after depositing box, umbrella ana
svalisea on the floor. She was great
for docking lat houses and places as
she went along, and it gave her a
chance to compare them, too. Her
survey had proved to her that her
nephew, Bill Read, had as fine a
House as any on the street.
Imagine the surprise that awaited
Mildred and Lucy to find the old
lady they had seen on the street sit
ting in the parlor when they came
in half hour later.
Were going to have a lovely time
with her around" complained Mil
dred to her mother, after her first
interview with Aunt Phoebe. She'll
keep us busy yelling ourselves hoarse
to make her hear. | wish she'd take
her umbrella and junk and go home
where she belongs"
At supper that night Mr.. Read
| asked his aunt if she had ever tried
| any remedy for her defective hear
ing, to which she made answer that
she'd tried every cure known, but
| she'd be blessed if there was any
thing that seemed to help her pc
culiar case.
And as Mr. Read shouted, Mildred
and Bert laughed and made remarks,
all of which Aunt Phoebe heard just
/ as we'll as anybody at the table. She
observed, too, how lady1ike and kind
| Lucy was to her, and how she re-
Trained from laughing and talking
| like the other two
Neither Mrs. Read nor the chill
dren, Lucy excepted, refrained from
| talking about the old lady in her
| presence. Once Lucy demonstrated
with Mildred for something she said
| about Aunt Phoebe, and Mildred eX
claimed, 90, what's the difference,
she's as deaf as post
Eyes, but she may suspect that
you're making fun of her, and it's a
shame to hurt her feelings" went
on Lucy. And not word of the
conversation, nor indeed of any con-
Versation, was lost on the old lady.
| She observed, too, that the little
| orphan was imposed upon and treated
! with little or no consideration by the
household, with the exception of
Jamie, who, following Lucy's good
example, was very polite and kind to
his aunt.
why don't you let that child go
| to school same as your OWN" Aunt
| Phoebe asked Mrs. Read one day, as
Mildred and Bert started off, leaving
Lucy at the breakfast dishes.
: well, you know, aunt, I'm quite
| delicate and really not able to do any
work unassisted," said Mrs. Read,
not exactly pleased at this outspoken
| query. Besides, / don't think that
Lucy cares particularly about school.
Anyway, she'll have plenty of oppor-
tunity for an education yet She
still young, you know"
"Humph!" Aunt Phoebe shifted.
"You don't seem so awful weak an
| sickly, Hannah. Pears to me you
CAD about heap, and keep runnin
to that there club you're always
talkin about, And fur's that child's
/ concerned, she's not asked much
as l kin see, nohow." This speech
made Mrs. Read mentally decide that
Aunt Phoebe was a regular busy
body, and she felt greatly incensed
toward the old lady.
During her three weeks stay, Aunt
: Phoebe received nothing but rude
treatment at the hands of the Read
children, who. mimicked her way OF
i speaking, talked about her style OF
dress, and showed their utter lack
, of good breeding. Not once did the
| old lady reveal the fact that she
a plainly heard everything they said
F But she was very much attached
to Lucy and her little ally, Jamie
for they made up by their kind atten,
tons for what the other children
lacked.
One day Aunt Phoebe asked Mil
: dred and Lucy if they would not like
7 to go to the moving-picture show
r I'm goin' away in few days. she
said, IAN I'd like to give you little
treat afore l leave" She had otter
> brought home candy, fruit and dain
Il ties to the children whenever she
+ went down town, and had listened tC
: fun that Mildred and Bert made OF
, her gifts, while they ravenously dis
? posed of the same.
8 Lucy at once thanked Aunt Phoebe
for her invitation to the theater, anC
said she'd love to go. But Mildred
said she didn't think she wanted tt
go just then.
Then she expressed herself freel!
e to Lucy, not dreaming that her aun
e heard it all. would you go to thu
: show with herr" she asked. "Why
/; she's show enough herself withou
going down town to one | bet sh'
wouldn't know enough to blu!
+ tickets, and she'd try to rush in ant
y take seat anywhere. And tht
s looks of her. Why, I wouldn't b.
! seen on the street with such sigh
: for anything"
Well, I'm going with her. Luc.
a answered ''She wants to be nice tt
j, us, and it would be shame not t
o go. Besides, Mildred, she knows how
i -