The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-05-24
DOMESTIC SCIENCE
AS HOME TAUGHT
Article BY Martha Bayard As Sequel to
Recent Article by Mrs.
Fisher.

Fisher.
just as We drove into Bartlettsyille
that warm, spring afternoon, the car
which had been limping all the way
from the Junction. gave out complete
ly, and the oblging yourg lrishman
at the garage said the repairs would
take several hours As ] noticed the
name over the village postoifice J re.
membered that Aunt Mari Stedman,
of whom had heard so much iron, my
friend, Mrs. Fisher, lived only few
miles away at North Bartlettsyille.
How / wished the hating Ford had
managed to get that far Perhaps then
! could have seen aunt Mari for my
self. and heard about her rheumatism
and her adopted school teacher.
However, there was nothing now to
do but make the best Of il and
making the best of ii in Bartlettsyille
seemed to be to find comfortable
sunny corner on the long porch Of the
Tavern, fronting the main highway
and watch for whatever action or in
terest the scene might present. The big
houses stood quiet and silent, behind
their closed windows and drawn shades.
with only an occasional friendly cat,
purring in the sunshine, TO show any
degree of life about them.
As was idly rejecting on how many
unused rooms there must be in these
rambling, struggling New England
houses, with the children of each gem
Grafton scattering far and wide over
the land. suddenly recalled Mrs. Fish
er's telling me, that aunt Mari's favor
tie niece. Miss Anna Stedman, lived in
Bartlettsville The sleepy clerk in the
office confirmed this, pointing out TO
me. the large. three 4storied red house,
eat a -cornered from the Tavern, where
Miss Ann lived alone. At least Id al
ways been told she lived alone-but a.
II looked again at the old house, il
seemed all alive with its open windows
and lifted shades 1.-THE sunshine pour
ing in quite unrebuked! and yes.
surely. there were three or four little
girls swinging their school books on
leather straps, sauntering boldly IN the
front door. looked at my watch.
There was plenty OF time to make my
self known to Miss Ann.
| Tleard the murmur Of childish
voices, as pulled at, the old fashloned
bell and then, what was this in Bart
lettsvilleg Down the long. steep stairs
came prim little girl. who greeted
me shvly as she opened the screen door
with the politest, "Yes. Miss AIMS Vt
home. win you walk into the Parlor,
pleasef'
was wondering il Miss Ann had
adopted 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 almost
al once after giving my name, pro
testing that" wouldn't stay she mus
be busy.
She laughed and said, eNo. this isn't
parIor day, and Mrs. Warren Is IN
charge. so I've lots of time.
aParIor day. Mrs Warren in
charge / repeated after her. But be-
fore YOU explain what YOU mean, tell
me little first of aunt Mari as we all
call her. through Mrs. Fishers stories
OF her"
~Aunt Mari will explain psrlor day
All right she answered, won see IL
was this wav. End of the winter terms
when they gave the children few
DAYS vacation. the school teacher went
home TO see her folks. and aunt Mari
came over here. before beginning her
own spring work. Seems as II she
couldn't talk bout ANYTHING but that
SCHOOL teacher she's adopted. aud her
district school YOU'D have thought she
was the whole state board of educs
ton. She even missed the Burnt chill.
dren. the ones from back in the hollow.
that STAYS at her house stormy nights
and had an awful lot TO say all the
time about the big houses here. with
no one much in en-. ! guessed she lad
something in her bonnet. and one day
a. we watched the girls who hadn't
asything to do their vacation but hang
around the postofiice and the depot
out il came. She wanted me 10 let 'em
come here. here. mind you. in the un-
used rooms of nv house. and be taught
some Of the things about keeping house
those girls ought TO know. whether
they work in tho fsctoyy las 20 many
of their mothers do. 80 they don't have
much chance 10 show the giris al home
OF teach themselves. OF just marry a
good provider.
aid how on earth could they dc
litf | said ! wasn't strong enough t.
have those girls traiPsing all over my
house. 49,. said must ] run a kinder
rartens But there's no use in standing
up against aunt Mari when she gets =
bee. She had the idea all worked out
sac and Der school teacher between
EN-. regular. chart system The girl
should come. after school hoars. two OF
three afternoons a week. and only out
Of the seventh and eighth grades after
Ian. She aid the noise and work would
do me good. and my house. too. bat
he wanted the townseomeu to help
49, ~ lent h..ffae 1nmrIfou ful