cherub in the cemetery. Her nephew, Charles, on the death of his wife,
came to live with Aunt Stanshy, bringing his infant heir. When the father
died, little Charlie was left in Aunt Stanshy's care. She was a tall,
resolute woman, so tall that Simes Badger told Charlie that when he wanted
to put colors on a flag-staff, he needn't go out of the house. That made
Charlie mad. Aunt Stanshy had sharp, black eyes, and spectacles made them
look all the sharper. As Charlie said, "Aunt Stanshy's eyes sometimes look
as if they had snappin' crackers in 'em." Aunt Stanshy was really kind at
heart and really loved Charlie, and he had all the comforts of home; but
she would sometimes speak quick, and she was always sure to "speak her
mind," be the rate of speech slow or quick. Simes Badger was a retired old
salt and kept the light-house; not that scanty funds compelled him, but
mostly because he must do something about the sea to keep him at all
contented. Simes once remarked, "I'll allow that Stanshy is a leetle tart
at times, and I've knowed her since she was a gal. But then if you take a
good sour apple and stew it and sugar it, it makes a first-class
apple-pie. Howsomever, it must be well stewed and well sugared." The boys
now trembled lest this vigorous, resolute soul might not favor their
plans, and denying it a place of meeting might end the days of the infant
club.

"There," said Sid, mournfully, "we've made a club, but we've got no place
to stick it in! How would it do to make Aunt Stanshy an honorary member of
the club?"

The faces of all brightened at this happy thought.

"And not athk her to pay a thent a month, but ektheuth her," suggested
Pip, who had a lisping style of speech.