Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-01-12

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 voile 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had been replaced by soft, bright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 q sense Of Inferior
ity, 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 a whin.
ing nasal voice within, reproaching
and threatening, to the accompani-
ment of child's crying.
Meely's hand dropped from the
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, "oh, but you'll get the
good whippin', Lizzie Schwenckton
Oncet 1 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
If he don't give you the worst switch
in you ever had. then don't know
the man"
"Ach, Aunt Rosy, don't tell him !"
the child's voice begged in gasping
sobs. "I'll help you now-Tll do this
here whole tub full of washin'-and
I'll wash all the supper dishes for you
you can just set and rest your.
self"
swell, guess anyhow you'll wash
the supper dishes after the smart
switchin' you're gettin'! That'n make
you spry for couple days, 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,
sense of guilt which she resented
Always she was resolving that she
would notNlet herself be "downed" by
this "high-minded hussy" who had no
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 let
'em. And me with all the cleanin' and
the supper to get and my sick sisters
broth to make and all-my lands!
How kin I get through all when Liz
zie runs out after school and won't
help"
The big, warm, coy kitchen when,
like most farm kitchens Of Pennsyl-
vania, was also the family living
room, was covered by a bright rag
carpet and furnished with a roomy
settee against the wall, several big,
gayly painted rocking-chairs, large
decorated calendar labeled "Sweet
Smiles" hanging from a cuckoo clock,
table spread for supper, cooking
stove on which sausage and potatoes
were sizzling.
The Schwenckton family, as well
as all the neighbOring farm families,
had seen this kitchen become trans
formed in three weeks, under the
temporary reign Of Aunt Rosy during
the confinement of Schwenckton's
young wife, from a spotless cleanli-
ness to a messy untidiness and dis.
order which. in the eyes of the i'm.
maculate Pennsylvania Dutch house
keepers, was scandal next only to