The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1921-04-08
AUNT WIN


|
Want to get up, Tom7 This is the
tenth time you have brushed against
my dress. You ought to know better.
This isn't any time of day to beg me
to take you up; dishes not washed,
nothing done. But come along!" And
the frail little lady suited the action
to her words and lifted the sturdy
maltese into her lap.
Il am just as blue as q milestone,
Tom," she said, "and / ought not to
be, for that was as good serman as
ever heard preached. Just boiled
down common sense, and there ought
not to be any dregs left to worry my
soul. You can't say anything, can you,
Tom, but you're purring like a music
| box"
| A sudden knock sounded at the
door, was followed by girls voice.
Its only Molly, Aunt Win" Then
when the frail little lady drew the
bolt, the young voice exclaimed:
"Why, l never knew you to bolt the
door at this time of day. Are you
! sick?"
Molly rushed across the threshold,
gave Aunt Win a hearty hug, then
looking at the table in the living room,
with its barely touched food, said:
"YOu must be sick for you have not
eaten a mite for dinner"
"Sit down, child" Aunt Win an
| swered quietly, II was just talking
| with Tom and wondering what, the
matter was with me-"
THAT was a tip-top sermon, wasn't
it, Aunt VIM 1t just made me sit up
and take notice, but you didn't need to
take it to heart" Molly said, patting
her listeners cheek.
Dear child, that's just it! OF
course" Aunt Win explained, when it
comes to making loaf of cake or
knitting, to help my church 1 do my
mite, but" a pause emphasized by
the solemn ticking Of the tall clock,
and then, "but, Molly, when it's case
of dollars and cents / haven't any to
give, and yet 1 love my church and
what it stands for as dearly as any
one in this place Why shouldn't I?
1t has helped me when everything was
swept from me, and isn't that test?
1 have found nay faith fit to live by
and expect to die by it when my call
comes"
/ perhaps this dreary dark day has
upset you," suggested the girl, ''but
you aren't ever blue. Let's pile on the
wood. Oh, these beauty andirons You
polished them yesterday, 1 know"
A sudden CLEAN fitted across the
shining tops and seemed to bring an
Illuminating thought to Aunt Wini-
fred. She choked back sigh and half
sob, then sank into the nearest chair
while Molly put on fresh logs. In q
trembling voice the little lady said:
'These are very precious andirons
they are more than 100 years old and
were given to my great-grandmothel
In payment for teaching Maria Hus
sey's children at Cent school.
Scent school?" repeated Molly In
surprise. What on earth was a Cent
schoolT'
THAT was long before your genera
ton, dear, when little children were
taught the tliree Rs by dear old ladie:
and carried their cents in corners Of
their handkerchiefs to pay. / set m!
eyes by these andirons." She muir
INJURED as if alone in the room, "Can
do It? Can I make up my mind to d.
it,"
Molly glanced up suddenly at Aun
Winifred. Was she just right In he
mind? she wondered.
: "Oh, don't worry, I'm not out Of m!
, head, child, but these andirons hav'
, preached me sermon, too. Do yo'
know Mrs. James has been wild t.
|, buy them, and now I've made up m!
mind I'll sell them for $15-would you
| sayr
"Fifteenf-nothing Of the kind
Whym exclaimed Molly, "you're not {
bit of q trader. They are worth $50
But, oh, dear, how can you part Wit
themf What will You do withou
them7 How keep warm7"
"Have a fire in the alright an
forget them. Fifty, do you sayf Then,
Aunt Win added breathlessly, "Tn Civ
$50 to my church and so to the Re
Cross In memory Of our VIII, deal
dear b0yT
Then fell the first tears as Aun
Wins thoughts sped across the sea
to q lonely grave in the Argonne.
"I Just hate, dear Aunt Win. to hav
you give them up" murmured MOL
once more.
"Sh-not a word! I'll just 60 {
work and rid up these dishes"
EYES," interrupted Molly, land
you really mean 1t I'll have John tax
, them over to Mrs. James this after
noon or tomorrow"
= HNo. no, the quicker the better
I, Amt Winifred BUSTED around so brisi
Nv that Molly felt the spirit OF tn
hour, and said:
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