you never seen a home like Uncle Nathan's? I have seen many of them.
Little did I then think how, in course of time, I should learn to love
that old house and its inmates. A little before we reached home Uncle
Nathan addressed me in a confidential voice, saying:

"Aunt Lucinder (as every body calls her) is my sister, who keeps house
for me. She's kinder partickler and fussy, and you must not mind if she
does snap you up kinder short sometimes, 'tis her way you know; but
never you fear, for with all her sharp speeches she has a kind heart,
and her bark is a deal worse than her bite; and if you once gain her
over for a friend, you'll have a firm one, depend upon that. Then
there's mother, she lives with us, too, she's an old, old woman Walter,
and we have all try to please her in everything, and of course you'll
always be quiet and respectful-like to her. I have often before spoke
of hiring a boy to do chores about the house, but Lucinder always said,
'all boys were good for was to make a noise and litter up the house,'
but I guess you'll get along famously with her; she's an old maid you
know, that is she never was married, and folks say that old maids are
always kinder cross and crusty." Seeing my sober face as we drew nigh
the house my uncle laughed, as he said in an encouraging tone, "Don't
you be a grain scared, Walter, neither of them old wimmen will hurt you.
I shouldn't a said a word, only I thought if I gave you a hint of Aunt
Lucinder's queer ways you'd know better how to get along with her." I
had always thought all women like my own mild-speaking mother and kind
old Mrs. Judson, but by this time I began to think Aunt Lucinda must
differ very widely from them; and when I followed Uncle Nathan into the
clean wide kitchen where a bountiful supper awaited our arrival, I felt
somehow as though I was stepping upon dangerous ground, and I almost
feared to set my foot down lest it might chance to be in the wrong
place. Aunt Lucinda, however, gave me a much more kindly welcome than I