Back Aa

Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill

Close

<h3>CHAPTER VII</h3> <h4>AUNT ALVIRAH'S BACK AND BONES</h4> Ruth came to the kitchen door and found that the lower half was closed; but she could see over the upper panel that had been flung wide to let in the sweet Spring air and sunlight. A little old woman was stooping to brush the rag carpet with a whisk broom and dustpan, and as she hobbled around the big stove and around the table, which was already set neatly for dinner, she was crooning to herself: "Oh, my back and oh, my bones! Oh, my back and oh, my bones!" She was a very neat-looking old lady, with a kerchief crossed on her breast in the style of the old-fashioned Quakeresses. She was not much taller than Ruth herself, for when she stood uprightor as upright as she could standher eyes were just about on a level with Ruth's eyes looking in over the half door. But the face of the old lady seemed, to the lonely, tear-filled girl, almost the gentlest, sweetest face she had ever seen, as it slowly smiled upon her. Aunt Alviry's welcome was like the daybreak. "Bless us and save us!" ejaculated she, rising upright by degrees with her hand upon the back she had been apostrophizing. "If here isn't a pretty little creeter come to see her Aunt Alviry. How-de-do, girl?" Ruth had set down her bag. Now she opened the door and stepped in. The smile of the old lady broke down every bit of fortitude the girl had left and she walked directly into Aunt Alviry's arms and burst into tears. "There! there! Deary, deary me!" murmured the little old lady, patting her shoulder. "Somebody has been treating you badly, I know. And you've come right to your Aunt Alviry for comfort. And you've come to the right place, my pretty girl, for I've got tons of comfort for ye." She found a chair and lowered herself into it, not without the formula which Ruth had heard before, of "Oh, my back and oh, my bones!" Ruth dropped on her knees before her, hid her face in the old lady's lap, and had her cry out. Meanwhile Aunt Alvirah seemed to have taken in several things about her guest that were significant. She touched the stuff of which Ruth's gown was made, and nodded; even the black hair-ribbon did not go unnoticed. "Now," said Ruth, rising after a few moments, "I guess that's all of that foolishness. II don't usually cry, Aunt Alvirah." "Pshaw, now! I could tell that," said the old lady, comfortably. "I am going right to work to help you," said the girl. "I can stoop better than you can." "I expect you can, you pretty creeter," admitted the old lady. Ruth had already taken the brush and pan and was at work upon the floor. The lady said: "You ain't familiar to me, child. You've lost some folks lately, I see. Do you live 'round here?" The little girl stopped and looked up at her in surprise. "Why, don't you know about it?" she cried. "Know about what, child?" "Didn't you know I had come here to live with you?" "Bless us and save us!" ejaculated Aunt Alvirah. "How did that happen?" "Didn't my uncle tell you?" cried Ruth, much more surprised than the old lady. "Who's your uncle, child?" "Why, Mr. PotterUncle Jabez." So astonished did the old lady appear to be that she started from her chair and her ejaculation was changed to a moan of pain as she murmured her old formula: "Oh, my back and oh, my bones!" "Jabez ain't said a word to me about it. Why should he take anybody to help me? Is he struck with the fear o' his latter end?" She said this in no cross-grained way, but because she was so amazed. She likewise stared harder and harder at her visitor. "You ain't come from the poor farm, child?" she asked, finally. The flush upon Ruth's cheek and the expression which came into her face told Aunt Alviry that she was wrong there. "Not that you look like poorhouse breednot at all. You're too pretty dressed and you're too well fed. I know what they be there, for I have been there myself. Yes, ma'am! Jabez Potter came after me to the poor farm. I was sickly, too. There's them that said he went to Doctor Davison first to find out if I was goin' to git well before he come arter me; but Jabez ain't never treated me noways but kind. Starn he isby natur and by practice; an' clost he is in money matters. But he's been good to an old woman without a home who warn't neither kith nor kin to him." Ruth listened to the first good word she had heard of Uncle Jabez, and the speech comforted her somewhat. Perhaps there was something better within the rough husk of Uncle Jabez, after all. "I did not live near here," Ruth said, quietly. "But my papa and mama did. I came from Darrowtown." Aunt Alviry opened wide her bright brown eyes, and still stared in wonder. "My mother's name was Mary Potter, and she was Mr. Potter's niece. So he is my great-uncle." "Bless us and save us!" ejaculated Aunt Alviry, again, shaking her head. "I never heard a word of itnever! I 'member Mary Potter, and a sweet, pretty child she was. But Jabez never had no fondness for any of his kin. Youyou are all alone in the world, child?" "All alone save for Uncle Jabez." She had come near to the old woman again. As she dropped quietly on her knees Aunt Alviry gathered her head close to her bosom; but Ruth did not weep any more. She only said: "I know I shall love you very, very much, dear Aunt Alvirah. And I hope I shall help your back and your bones a great deal, too!" <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

1 of 2

2 of 2