White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1927-12-02
CHAPTER II

breathleSSly through the October
twilight to the farm house, lest the
autocratic head Of the house get in
from the fields ahead of her and be-
come suspicious of her goings-on
seemed to have undergone trans
formation since she had left her lover.
Not only had she managed, on the
way home, to shed her cheap, gaudy
frock of blue wolfe for trim tailored
suit, but also that veil of bovine dull
ness which her pretty face had worn
had been replaced by soft, bright
amusement; her timid bearing so alb
jectly expressing a sense of inferior
lily, was changed to look of sup
pressed excitement, an air of intense
vitality, which made her recent hu-
mility unimaginable.
Reaching the kitchen porch Of the
farm house, she was brought up
short as her hand touched the latch
of the door, by the sound of whin-
ing nasal voice within, reproducing
and threatening, to the accompanf-
ment of child's crying.
latch and she stood listening, look
In her eyes of mingled distress and
disgust.
"When your Pop hears how you
done me dirt this after" whined the
nasal voice, ooh, but you'll get the
good whippin', Lizzie Schwenckton |!
Oncet I tell him how you run out
after school and let me with all the
work, mebby you won't ketch it with
that there switch he keeps handy
Lettin' me alone here with all the
diapers and all the cleanin and
cookin' and his sick wife and baby to
tend! Well of all things Yes,
If he don't give you the worst switch
In you ever had, then l don't know
the man"
Zach, Aunt Rosy, don't tell him! !"
the child's voice begged in gaspng
sobs. "Ill hep you >noW~-Tll do this
here whole tub full of wasfripI.-~~land
I'll wash all the supper dishes for you
you can just set and rest your
self"
"Well, I guess anyhow you'll wash
the supper dishes after the smart
switchin' you're gettin'! That'll make
you spry for couple days, I guess,
If my talkin' at you don't! You
needn't to beg me-"
The nasal whine stopped short as
the speaker became aware Of third
person in the room, though she had
not heard the opening of the door.
There stood Nicely her back against
the kitchen door, looking at Aunt
Rosy with those bright, clear eyes OF
hers that somehow always cowed the
woman, giving her, unreasonably, 8
sense of guilt which she resented
Always she was resolving that she
would not let herself be "downed" by
this "high-minded hussy" who had nc
rights in this house anyway.
"I'll show her who's got rights
here !" she daily determined.
Yet she found herself just now, as
always when confronted by the silent
criticism of this girls confusing re
gard, trying alphabetically to justify
herself.
mind you what Lizzie done yet
I give her the diapers to wash after
school and she run out to play and lei
'em. And me with all the cleanin' ant
the supper to get and my sick sister.
broth to make and all-my lands
How kin I get through all when Liz
zie runs out after school and won
help"
The big, warm, cozy kitchen which
like most farm kitchens of Pennsyl
vania, was also the family Twin,
room, was covered by a bright ra.
carpet and furnished with room,
settee against the wall, several big
gayly painted rocking-chairs, larg
decorated calendar labeled "Swee
Smiles" hanging from cuckoo clock
table spread for supper, cooking
stove on which sausage and potatoe
were sizzling.
The Schwenckton family, as wei
as all the neighboring farm families
had seen this kitchen become trans
formed in three weeks, under tn
temporary reign of Aunt Rosy durin
the confinement of Schwenckton'
young wife, from a spotless cleanli
ness to a messy untidiness and dis
order which, in the eyes of the In
maculate Pennsylvania Dutch house
keepers, was scandal next only t
immortality and more unheard o.
Aunt Rosy's incompetent housekeeI
ing, combined with her autocratic an
unamiable attitude towards her sis
ter's stepchildren (from which Their
was no escape nor appeal, since
vas backed up by the Head of tn
House, had driven the elder son an
daughter to rebel and run away; Me-
tie, the fifteen-year-o girl, havin
found refuge in the home of he
grandmother and Jakey, seventee
years old, having disappeared entire
lv-to the genuine distress as well a
inconvenience of their father to whor
Jakey especially had been grea
help on the farm. But the other two
Lizzie and Sammy, We're toe youn
to escape.
The one soft spot about Aunt Rosy
apparently, was her devotion to he
young sister, Susie, Mr.. Schwenck
tons girl wife, whom she had raised
=