The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1921-09-30
AUNT WIN


my dress. You ought 10 know better.
This isn't any time of day 70 be. me-
to take you up: dishes n0t>wa she'd.
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 milestone
Tom" she said and | Ought not 10
be. for that was az good >erman 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 music
box"
sudden knock sounded at the
door was followed by a girls voice.
Its only Molly Aunt Win" Then
when the frail little lady drew the
bolt, the young voice exclaimed:
why, / never knew you TO bolt the
door at this time of day. Are you
sick?"
Molly rushed across the threshold,
gave Aunt Win 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 mite for dinner"
"Slt down. child" Aunt Win an
swered quietly, II was just talking
with Tom and wondering what the
matter was with me-"
THAT was tip-top sermon. wasn't
1t. Aunt Win? 1t just made me sit up
and take notice, but you didn't need to
take II to heart" Molly said, patting
her listeners cheek.
Dear child. that's just 1t! OF
course" Aunt Win explained, "when 1t
comes to making a loaf of cake or
knitting, TO help my church l do my
mite. but" pause emphasized by
the solemn ticking Of the tall clock,
and then, "but. Molly, when It's a case
Of dollars and cents / haven't any TO
give. and yet l love my church and
what IL stands for as dearly as any
one In this place. Why shouldn't l?
1t has helped me when everything was
swept from me, and isn't that test?
l have found my faith fit to live by
and expect to die by 1t 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, l know"
A sudden CLEAN fitted across the
shining tops and seemed to bring an
illuminating thought to Aunt Wini-
fred. She choked back n sigh and half
sob, then sank into the nearest chair
while Molly put on fresh logs. In
trembling voice the little lady said:
These are very precious andrOns.
they are more than 100 years old and
were given 10 my great-grandmOther
in payment for teaching Maria Hus-
seys children at Cent school.
Scent SCHOOL," repeated Molly in
surprise. What on earth was a Cent
SchOol?
"That was long before your genera
taught the tfree Rs by dear old ladies
and carried their cents in corners Of
their handkerchefs TO pay. | set my
eyes by these andirOns." She muir
INJURED as If alone in the room, "Can
do It? Can l make up my mind TO DO
II"
Molly glanced up suddenly at Aunt
Winifred. Was she just right in her
mind? she wondered.
''Oh, don't worry, I'm not out of my
head, child, but these andirons have
preached me a sermon, too. Do you
know Mrs James has been wild TO
buy them, and now I've made up my
mind I'll sell them for S15-would you.
say?"
Fifteen? -nothing of the kind.
Why" exclaimed Molly, you're not a
bit of a trader They are worth $50
But, oh. dear, how can you part with
them? What wiz you do without
them? How keep warm?~
Have a fire In the alright and
forget them Fifty. do you say? Then"
Aunt Win added breathlessly, I'll give
$50 to my church and $50 70 the Red
Cross IN memory Of our VIII, dear,
dear boy"
Then fell the first tears as Aunt
Wins thoughts sped across the seas
to lonely grave in the Argonne.
81 just hate. dear Aunt Win, TO have
you give them up" murmured Molly
once more.
ASh-not a word! I'll just go to
work and rid up these dishes"
EYES," interrupted Molly. "and IL
you really mean II I'll have John take
them over TO Mrs James this after
noon or tomorrow"
"No. no, the quicker the better :"
Aunt Winifred hustled around so brisk
ly that Molly felt the spirit Of the
hour and said:
"rH slip away now, before John goes
| for the afternoon"
She appreciated the situation, and
by 4 O'Clock the andirons of blessed
memories no longer shone on the
hearth. but in Aunt Wins hand at the
close OF the day lay check for $50,
and wiping away the unbidden tears
she murmured:
More precious than my andirons Is
my Faith. and all that IL has meant