Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-10-21
AUNT WIN
BY LUcRETlA M. oARDNER

80 - - ~ hAAOW -
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.
II am just as blue as a milestone.
Tom," she said, "and l ought not to
be, for that was as good a serman as
l 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 a girls voice.
IT'S 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 Via an
swered quietly, 81 was just talking
with Tom and wondering what the
matter was with me-"
-1Tbat was q tip-top sermon, wasn't
1t, Aunt Win? 1t just made me sit up
and take notice, but you didn't need to
take 1t to heart" Molly said. patting
her listeners cheek.
"Dear child, that's just It'll OF
course" Aunt Win explained, when 1t
comes to making q loaf of cake or
knitting, to help my church I do my
mite, but" a pause emphasized by
the solemn ticking of the tall clock.
and then, but, Molly, when it's a case
of dollars and cents l haven't any to
give, and yet l love my church and
what it stands for as dearly as any
one in this place. Why shouldn't II
1t has helped me when everything was
swept from me. and isn't that a test?
l have found my 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. l know"
A sudden CLEAN fitted across the
shining tops and seemed to bring an
Illuminating thought to Aunt Wini-
fred. She choked back a sigh and half
sob, then sank into the nearest chair
while Molly put on fresh logs. In a
trembling voice the little lady said:
"These are very precious andirons,
they are more than 100 years old and
were given to my great-grandmother
In payment. for teaching Maria Hus-
sey's children at Cent school.
Gent SCHOOL," repeated Molly in
surprise. what on earth was a Cent
School?'
"That was long before your genera
ton. dear, when little children were
taught the ttree Rs by dear old ladies'
and carried their cents in corners OF
their handkerchiefs to pay. / set my
eyes by these andirons." She MUIR
INJURED as if alone in the room, "Can l
do 1t? Can l make up my mind to do
ft?"
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 car you part with
them? What will you do without
them? How keep warm?"
"Have q fire in the alright and
forget them. Fifty, do you say2 Then"
Aunt Win added breathlessly, "Tn give
$40 to my church and $40 to the Red
Cross in memory of our Will, dear,
lear boy!"
Then fell the first tears as Aunt
Wins thoughts sped across the seas
to a lonely grave In the Argonne.
81 lust hate, dear Aunt Win, to have
YOU give them up" murmured Molly
once more.
"Sh-not a. word! I'll just go to
work and rid up these dishes"
Eyes" interrupted Molly. land II
YOU really mean it I'll have John take
them over to Mrs. James this after
noon or tomorrow"
mo, no, the quicker the better J
Aunt Winifred hustled around so brisk
ly that Molly felt the spirit OF the
hour and said:
sTll slip away now. before John goes
for the afternoon"
She appreciated the situation, and
by 4 O'Clock the andirons of blessed