Aunt Madge's Story

the fact was, Fel was very delicate, and her mother considered the walk to the school-house too long for her, and the benches too hard. She wished to have a governess come and l

I. "Ned snipped off my finger in the co

ed. "You're as tou

He ought to be ashamed to snip of

r baby-talk. Aunt Persis wasn't willing her sister Martha should go away from home; she said Fel might trip across the garden and say her lessons at her house. Fel didn't like to do it, for she was afraid of aunt Persis-she wouldn't

leasant black eyes, which had a firm look in the

cite too," sniffed little Gust; "'tisn't fair for

l children joined us, and Miss R

hn; but don't ask any questions; I'll tell you more by and by,-and his wife, that was aunt Persis; and his wife's sister, dear sweet Martha Rubie; and his lit

ripes, red and white, running round and round like a barber's pole. They were the pride of my life till Gust Allen said they made my little legs look like sticks of candy, good enough t

"hot crop," or "steaming," and she believed in it, and wanted everybody to take fier

rsis met us at the door, and asked Fel to put out her tongue. Then she took us to a cupboard, and gave Fel something to drink, that we both thought was co

s, how co

that for a while I spent half my time in that cellar, surrounded by jars of jelly and jam. And I am afraid I could say sometimes, "How sweet is solitude!" for there was just light enough from the one window to give me a clear view of the jars, with their nice white labels, and more than once I did-I

stay down there the whole time I ought to have something to make me feel better; I feel real hungry, and they ought to spect I'd eat perserves." So I did it; partly because Dunie did, partly because Fel wasn't punished and ought to be, and partly because it was most likely auntie put 'em there a-purpose! I t

and came down to see what was the matter. She did not ask if I had been meddling with the jars; but she must have known, for a sticky stream was trickling over my dress, and I had set the sirup down on the floor with th

d, quiet girl?" said she. I ha

meekly, and follo

thinking, "What orful tastin' perserves!" and wondering i

at some of the children went to those jars,

ay lay aside your books now, and, i

Thou, God, seest me." It was about Adaline Singleton, a little girl who took her

t I noticed Dunie Foster did. I was trying to rub that zigzag strea

eserves, and I had no doubt it was to punish me that I had been allo

ausea too. I would give a great deal, little Fly, if I hadn't so many bad things to remember. It is because

noon, but I wasn't able to go again in

ok sweetmeats without leave. I did other wrong things in plenty, but that I could never do again. When mother said I might go to the box and get "half a dozen rai

e home to mother. I did not know she was near-sighted, and had not seen me drinking her thoroughwort. It was the first medicine of hers I

es so much. She said now if she met people on her way to church, "Please, put out your tongue;" and sometimes said it on the very church steps. This was queer; but they did not kn

drink at recess, and we all pitied him. Sometimes he ate dry senna and raisins mixed on a plate, and we teased away the raisins, and he had to chew the senna "bare." He cried then, and sa

s, but we began to dread to go to school. I

ms (aunt Persis) steamed her

o!" said Polly.

lady sailed off very easy, with a j

orld with jugs of hot water close to our noses? And she was always trying to make Fel swallow something bad, and always talking

the fire to steam. But she was such a patient, still little thing that she never complained, even to her own mother, and I was

vately, "what made his mother boil him?" And she

l him when I can

her she wished uncle John was at home, for aunt

s her little boy, and she wants to boil Fel. I should think y

id, for the next night, when I was at Squire Allen's, a

afraid of Mrs. Adams? When darling feels unha

about her mother's neck, and sobbed for joy. "Don't let her hurt Zed either

spoke up grandpa Harrington. That was what

lvin Colvazart," said Madam

laughed grandpa. He had said that fifty t

nging of the door-bell. Squire Allen went to the door, and there, on the steps, stood

ed, and she was trying him with a fork; but I locked him into the closet.

't willing her father and mother should go; but I said, "Don't you be af

her shaky way-which a

ut over the stove! You needn't think Fel and I are babies, and don' know what you said about her boiling her moth

of those shaky spells. So silly as she was at such times, I almost wished

ret; but it couldn't be done any longer. She acted so badly that Martha couldn't manage her. When Squire Allen went into the house, s

ll uncle John came; but she was as sick as s

iful, white face, the first I e

ntie is to b

about in such a hurry, and I was sure it must rest her very much to go to sleep

taught Fel. Now she is a person whom you all know very