The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-05-20
HOME GROWN DOMESTIC SCIENCE

Just as we drove into Bartlettsyille )
that warm, spring afternoon, the car
which had been limping all the way
from the Junction, gave out complet- |
ely, and the obliging young lris'lman
at the garage, said repairs would take
several hours. AS noticed the name
over the village post-offce | remem.
bered that Aunt Mari Stedman. OF
whom | had heard so much from my
trend Mrs. Fisher, lived only a few
miles away at North Bartlettsyille. |
How ] wished the hauling Ford had
managed to get that far! Perhaps
then could have seen Aunt Mari for
myself, and heard about her rheuma.
tlsm and her adopted" schOo-teacher
However, there was nothing now to
do but make the best Of it...and max.
ing the best Of it in Bart'ettsville
seemed to be to find comfortable
sunny corner on the long porch Of the
Tavern, fronting the main highway,
and v atch for whatever action or in.
terest the scene might present. The
big houses stood quiet and silent be.
hind their closed windows and drawn
shades, with only an occasional
friendly cat, purrlng in the sunshine,
to show any degree Of life about him.
AS | was idly reflect.ng on how many
unused rooms there must be in these
rambling, struggling New England
! houses, with the children OF each gen.
GRAFTON scattering far and wide over
the land | suddenly recalled Mrs.
Fishers telling me that Aunt Mari's
fayorite niece, Miss Ann Stedman,
! lived In Bartlettsvile. The sleepy
clerk in the office confirmed this,
pointing out to me. the large, three
stored red house. cat-a-cornered
from the Tavern, where Miss Sted.
man lived alone. At least I'd Always
been told she lived alone but as
looked again at the old house, II seem.
ed alive with its open windows and
lifted shades (the sunshine pouring
in quite unrebukedD and yes, sure
ly there were three or four little girls
swinging their school books on leath.
er straps, sauntering boldly in tie
front door | looked at my watch.
There was plenty Of time TO make my
self known to Miss Ann
heard the murmur OF childish
voices, as pulled at the oldfashion-
ed BELL. and tlen. what wss this
in Baruettsyile? pown the long.
: steep stairs came prlm little girl.
who greeted me shyly as she opened
the screen door with the polltest.
Yes, Miss AIMS at home VIII you
walk into the parlor, please?'
! was wondering If Miss Ann had
adopted a whole ORPHAN asylum. when
in she came, and as | could still hear
, young voices and the patter Of small
} feet through the house, / got up a,
most at once after giving my name
protesting that couldn't stay. she
, must be busy.
I She laufhed and said, no. this l.,
! Parlor Day and Mrs Warren IS IN
charge, so I've lots Of time"
Parlor Day Mrs. Warren in
charge | repeated after her. But be
, fore you explain what you mean. tel
me a little first OF Aunt Mar as We
call her. through Mrs. Fisher s stor
les Of her.
! Aunt Mari will explain Parlor DAY
al right lie answered. you see II
was this way End OF the winter tern
= when they gave the children a few
7 days vacation. the schoolteachel
went home to see her 70 ks. and Auni
n Mari came over here. before beginn
{ ing her own spring work. Seems a,
r If She couldn't talk bout anythini
Q but that schoolteacher she's adopt
n ed and her District School. YOU'D
lave thought she was the Whole Stat,
, Board Of Education. She even msse,
/ the Burrit children. the ones from
back IN the hollow, that stays nj he
house stormy nights and had an aw
q iul lot to say all Ire time about tn,
big houses here. with no one much II
: EN-. ! guessed she had something u
her bonnet, and one day as we watch
cd the girls who hadn't anything Il
do their vacation but hang around tn,
postotiice and the depot out
'camc. She wanted me to let EN- com,
y here. HERE. m nd YOU. in the unuse,
rooms of my house, and be laugh
G some OF tfe things about keepini
house those glr's ought TO know
whether they work in the factory "a
K 50 many of their mothers do. so the,
= don't have much chance 10 show tn
u girls at homel, or teach themselve
1 or just marry a good provider. / SAL
II | wasn't strong enough 10 have thost
r girls traipsing all over my house
y ! said must ! run a kindergarten? Bu
d there's no use in standing up agains
Aunt Mari when she gets a bee. Sh
had the idea all worked out she AM
her schoolteacher between EN-. re-
n gular chart system, The girls shou!
come, after SCHOOL hours. two of thre
afternoons a week, and only out q
the 9TH and Sth grades alter /. Sh
sad the noise and work would do m
good, and my house too, but she wan
ed the towns women u he y. They'y
all kept house. somehow for wear.
even II they haven't been taught 4
as happens now IN your biz cit
schools The women could take dl
ferent days ana jobs, lots better Go
EN- Aunt Mari said. than cmbroit
ering or crocheting, or playing card,
as some of the younger ones now kill
"clr afternoons with. So she had m
have the Ladies Guild and the Week.
Club here had to make cookies an
l.. tea for 'om) land after told EN- a
about this plan OF hers, why they N
ed 1t fne..., said they'd all turn {,
= and help out. land | must say. tho