News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1922-07-05


vile. John was there with the horses
and Aunt Jane, too. OF course ] knew
she must be Aunt Jane, because she
was with John. The conductor was
awfully nice and polite, and didn't
leave me till he'd seen me safe In the
hands Of Aunt Jane and John. Then
he went back to his train, and the next
minute it had whizzed out of the sta
tion and was alone with the begin
ming Of my next six months
/ The first beginning was nice
! smile, and "Glad to see We home,
( Miss" from John, as he touched his
| hat, and the next was a How do
I you do, Mary?" from Aunt Jane And
/ / knew right off that first minute that
! / wasn't going to like Aunt Jane-just
the way she said that MARY" and the
way she looked me over from head to
foot.
Aunt Jane is tall and thin, and
wears black-not the pretty, stylish
black, but the "I-don't-care" rusty
black-and a stiff white collar. Her
eyes are the kind that says, 'Im sur
prised at you'll" all the time, and her
mouth is the kind that never shows
any teeth when 1t smiles, and doesn't
smile much, anyway. Her hair is some
gray, and doesn't kink or curl any,
where; and l knew right off the first
minute she looked at me that she
didn't like mine, cause it did curl.
l was pretty sure she didn't like
my clothes, either. I've since found
out she dldn't-but more of that anon.
Il just love that word "anon.O And
I just knew she disapproved of my
hat. But she didn't say anything
not in wOrdS-and after we'd attended
to my trunk, we went along to the car
riage and got in. My stars l didn't
suppose horses could go so slow. Why,
we were ages just going a block. You
see I'd forgotten; and without think
ing l spoke right out.
my Horses are slow, aren't they?"
/ cried. you see, Grandpa has an
auto, and"
MARY Just like that she inter-
rupted-Aunt Jane did. Dummy how
old folks can do what they won't let
you do. Now if I'd interrupted any
body like thatD You may as well
understand at once" went on Aunt
Jane, that we are not interested in
your grandfather's auto or his house,
Or anything that is his Il felt as if
/ was hearing the catechism in
church , And that the less reference
you make to your life in Boston the
better we shall be pleased As | said
before, we are not interested Besides,
while under your fathers roof, it
would seem to me very poor taste, In
deed, for you to make constant refer
ence to things you may have been do
ing while not under his roof. The
is deplorable enough. how
ever you take it, without making it
positively unbearable. You viii re-
Mary"
Mary said, Yes, Aunt Jane" very
polite and proper; but I can tell you
that inside Of Mary, Marie was just
boiling.
Unbearable, indeed!
We didn't say anything more all the
way home. Naturally, was not going
%, after that speech; and Aunt Jane
said nothing. So silence reigned SUI
lreme.
Then we got home Things looked
quite natural, only there was a new
maid In the kitchen, and Nurse Sarah
wasn't there. Father wasn't there,
ither. And, just as / suspected, twas
star that was to blame, only this
ime the star was the moon-an
clipse; and he'd gone somewhere out
vest so he could see 1t better.
He isn't coming back till next week;
nd when I think how he made me
ONE on the first day, so as to get in
he whole six months, when, all the
ime he did not care enough about it ,
o be here himself, I'm just mad-I !
lean, the righteously indignant kind
f mad-for l can't help thinking how I
DOR Mother would have loved those 7
xtra days with her. G
Aunt Jane said / was to have my
Id room, and so, as soon as l got here,
went right up and took of my nat Z
nd coat, and pretty quick they q
rought up my trunk, and l unpacked =
and l didn't hurry about 1t, either. q
wasn't a bit anxious to get down. :
airs again to Aunt Jane Besides, ~
may as well own up. was crying n
little. Mothers room was right h
cross the hall, and 1t looked so lone "
me, and / couldn't help remember +
< how different this homecoming g
as from the one In Boston, six n
onths ago. a
Well. at last / had to go down to
nner-I mean supper-and, by the A
ay, / made another break on that. /
llled 1t dinner right out loud, and Q
ever thoughtful l saw Aunt James