Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. Grandmother Lee And Aunt Betsy. The fire on the old-fashioned hearth-stone blazed bright. Some brands on the andirons were dropping coals into the hot ashes below, where potatoes had just been roasting, and there was a delicious odor of ham broiled on the embers. The kettle still sang on the crane, while the tea-pot, drained of its fragrant Hyson, stood empty on the table. Grandmother Lee and Aunt Betsy sat in their comfortable rocking - chairs, splint - bottomed but soft and easy with goose-feather cushions. They had just pushed back from the breakfast-table. A green log added to the fire was sending out its spicy smell with a great sputter, and cackle and hiss. "Betsy," said Grandmother, "you're not feeling well. What's the matter?" "Oh, what with my aches and pains last night " "There it isi! You don't go at it right to keep well— take cold baths and a rub-down, so the blood gets all in a tingle. Aches. I don't have aches!" "Ah, Jennet, you were brought up with the salt-water fish in the Sound, but I come from the back country nigh to Hartford. Besides, rheumatism needs hot things." Grandmother Lee straightened up in her chair, and a slight wave of disgust passed over her vigorous face. "Hot things ? Hot things! I've kept going these seventy years on cold water and cold baths and look at me. I can ride horse-back with anyone yet," and turning to me she said,—"Jennet, go tell Stephen to put the sidesaddle on old Phillis and bring her round to the hitchingpost at one o'clock. I think I'll go and see Mrs. Covert this afternoon." "Sister Lee! Sister Lee! Why! Why! Horse-back riding! Stephen could just as well take you in the carriage." "La! La! Nobody is older than he feels. I'm not going to work when I'm tired nor sw when the fight is poor,...