or not. And, this, in spits of my well laid plans to reform.

My

My mother had a younger brother living two doors away. aunt was the worst house-keeper I ever saw. I don't know her age but she couldn't have been much older than I. She had married young and had three children. A girl about four years younger than I and two younger boys. Mother had remarked that she was young enough that she still wanted to play.

Every dish in the house would be piled dirty in the stove, table or in the sink. Only enough would be cleaned for the meal at hand, then only minutes before being used. They then remained dirty until the next meal.

My aunt spent her day reading a true story magazine or visit- ing about the neighborhood. My uncle had a story he used to tell

how the housewife wasted her day then suddenly noticing it was nearly time for her husband to get home from work would grab up a blanket or coat to cover her and tell how sick or what a splitting headache she'd had all day. It's a sure thing he knew what the score was.

Her washing was handled the same way. In a room off the kit- chen were all the dirty clothes as well as parts of several weeks wash. Only the things being worn were ironed. It couldn't have been any other way but that sooner or later I'd turn up here for things. My aunt was shorter than I but, for the most part, her things fit me. I couldn't wear anything of my cousin's but her bloomers. These fit me skin tight but were more available than my aunt's.

I really got quite brazen about stealing things. Sometime s I'd have a message for my aunt from mother. I'd notice where something was on the way in and snatch it up on the way out with her right there. Or if she were out I'd have more time and could pick things over with more care.

Now, even in an untidy house like this, this couldn't go on forever without things being missed. My cousin's bloomers were missed first and she was punished several times. I'm thankful that I never saw it. But I did hear my aunt and mother talking about it. They thought my cousin was removing them away from home and losing them, as I guess she had done when much smaller.

38.