The grandfather’s clock in the corner of the little sitting room wheezed nine times. As if awakened from some revery, Aunt Matilda put down her half-finished stocking, and bent over to lay a fresh pine knot on the grate. From the smouldering ashes tiny tongues of fire shot up all about the wood. Suddenly they leaped into a ruddy blaze that cast dancing shadows on the opposite wall and lighted up the spare figure and grave, patient face of Aunt Matilda. Outside the December wind blew with a dismal wail through the tops of the bare elms. Aunt Matilda stepped over to the front window and peered down the crooked road toward the big white house of Deacon Goodman.
“Seems to me,” she mused, seeing a light shine from the kitchen windows, “seems to me the Deacon’s staying up later than common. Like as not he’s puttering round, man fashion, washing up the supper dishes. Maybe though,” she added thoughtfully, “he’s figuring up how much he’s made to-day. For all he’s a pillar of the church the Deacon is pretty close-fisted when it comes to money matters. But then, Dearie,” she continued, regardless of the fact that the cat lay fast asleep on the hearth, “they all have their faults, the best of ’em. Only some folks don’t have sense enough to know it,” she sniffed scornfully. “There’s that Widow Timkins that’s been making eyes at him ever since her husband died last spring. I wish her all success in catching him.”
Did Aunt Matilda sigh as she turned away from the window? She had no reason for sighing. She had good health for a woman of her years; besides, all her daily wants were provided for. To be sure, she had never married; but then, that was from her own choice, as she herself would have told you. No, surely not a sigh. It must have been the wind outside whistling around the corner...
ex Donald D. Garcelon, “Aunt Matilda’s Visitor,” The Harvard Advocate 69:9 (Cambridge, Mass., June 22, 1900) : 141-142 : link
Donald Dean[e] Frye Garcelon (1880-1960) — also known as Donald D. Garcelon — of Auburn, Androscoggin County, Maine. Born in Auburn, Androscoggin County, Maine, May 16, 1880. Republican. Lawyer; member of Maine state house of representatives from Androscoggin County, 1917-20; member of Maine state senate 4th District, 1921-22...
ex Political Graveyard : Odd Fellows / Politicians in Maine : link
findagrave : link
21 January 2026