maculate door-step
should be soiled, she would rarely allow him to enter the house by the
front-door. She placed a thick mat inside his workshop, at the doorway
leading into the front-room; and she exercised a lynx-eyed supervision
to ensure that he always wiped his feet before coming in. She would never
permit him to go upstairs without putting off his boots. She removed his
hat from the wall of the front-room, and hung it on a nail in a beam,
which was just over his head as he sat at work in his shop; and whenever
she walked, with her policeman-like tread, in the room above, the hat
would fall down, and strike him on the head. He bore this annoyance for
a day or two, and then quietly removed hat and nail to one of the walls.

Strong-natured though he was, "Cobbler" Horn felt it no weakness to yield
to his sister in trifles; and he bore with exhaustless patience such
vexations as she inflicted on him alone. But he was firm as a rock where
the comfort of any one else was concerned. It was beautiful to see his
meek submission to every restriction which she laid upon him; it was
sublime to behold his stern resistance to such harsh requirements as she
proposed to lay upon others.

More than one battle was fought between the brother and sister on this
latter point. But it was on Marian's account that the contention was most
frequent and severe. Sad to say, the coming of Aunt Jemima seemed likely
to drive all happiness from the lot of the hapless child. Rigid and cruel
rules were laid upon the tiny mite. Requirements were made, and enforced,
which bewildered and terrified the little thing beyond degree. She was
made to go to bed and get up at preternaturally early hours; and her
employment during the day was mapped out in obedience to similarly
senseless rules. Her playthings, which had all been swept into a drawer
and placed under lock and key, were handed out by Aunt Jemima, one at a
time, at the infrequent intervals, during which, for brief periods, and
under strict supervision, the child was permitted to play. Much of the day
was occupied with the doing of a variety of tasks few of which were really
within the compass of her childish powers. Aunt Jemima herself undertook
to impart to Marian elementary instruction in reading, writing, and
kindred acts. Occasionally also the child was taken out by her grim
relative for a stately walk, during which, however, she was not permitted,
on any account, to linger in front of a sho