SLANDEROUS AUNT MARTHA

New Zealand Tablet, 19 October 1911, Page 2109

SLANDEROUS AUNT MARTHA

Mrs. Tyson looked up as her youngest daughter re-entered the room after answering the bell. ‘ You were going to tell us, Dot, what Aunt Martha said.’ Yes, I know. Well —’ ‘But first, who was at the door, Betsy?’ said Mildred from the couch, where she was nursing a headache. ‘ Just a foreign-looking fellow with a suit-case full of drawn work to sell. I don’t suppose Aunt Martha realised how ungrateful it sounded, but—’ There comes that plumber This from Jane, who had stationed herself by the window to watch for him, and she put down her sewing as she spoke. I’ll have to go and show him about the faucet, but I’ll be back in two minutes, Dot.’ Your Aunt Martha was always plain-spoken,' Mrs. Tyson apologised, while they waited for, Jane. When she returned Dot greeted her with, ‘ Well, Janey, good girl! You made short work of that plumber.’ ‘ Because I was dying to know what dreadful thing Aunt Martha said.’ ‘ Oh, it wasn’t so dreadful, but. The telephone ! Sit still, Jane. I might as well go.’ A minute later she came back. * Wrong number again! That’s the third time this morning. I gave the operator a piece of my mind. Well, it was just before Aunt Martha left, after being entertained here for a whole week, too; and what should she do but volunteer the statement—’ ‘Here comes a special messenger tip the steps,’ announced Jane. Dot whirled about in the doorway and disappeared. A note from daddy,’ she reported; and Mrs. Tyson read aloud, ‘Have to go to Hinsdale on the one-thirty train and be gone all night. Please toss the things I’ll need into my bag and send it back double-quick by the boy.’ In a surprisingly short time the messenger had been despatched, and the members of the little group faced each other once more. ‘I believe, Dot,’ Jane suggested, with exaggerated politeness, ‘that you were about to tell us something.’ Oh, was I?’ Dot treated herself to a grimace. Well, she said she’d had a good time, but was mighty glad to go back to the country, because we lived in such a rush here that you actually couldn’t. That’s the back door-bell, as I’m alive I suppose it’s the Jjutterman, mother. Is his money downstairs?’ ‘ Now!’ Dot resumed breathlessly, dashing back

into the circle five minutes later. ‘ Before anything else happens! She said you 1 actually couldn’t get a chance in this house to finish a sentence, and horrid as I thought it was at the time, I declare I’ve made up my mind in the last half-hour that she had it exactly —. Hear that, will you? Ruthie’s ring She’s -home from school, and lunch isn’t even started.’ (