Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1855-11-08
How Lazy Man was Reformed.

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! Mr.. EASY was one of the most good-natured
idle, happy, don't care sort of man, that the
sun ever shone open. 1t didn't trouble him ar
iota whether there was war in the kitchen Oh
the Crimea, if he had but newspaper, a cigar
and lounge tall as himself, wheron he could
recline at full length and see the blue smoke
curl up and watt away-he didn't care where
/ Mrs Easy wasn't in the mood of talking. The
whole family of little Easies might dance around
SPIN tops, play ball, over-turn the coal-hods and
take his best hat for an ottoman, without his ev
or turning his eyes in that direction.
| But very different kind of person was Mrs
Easy; she cherished the idea that nature intend
ed her to be somebody, and that the only Obsta
Gle to her rapid rising in the estimation of man.
kind generally, was the supiness of her sothful
and easy husband. When the thermometer in.
dicated less than seventy degrees, the house was
comparatively quiet; and if Jimmy did pull Ben
ny's hair and set him to crying and then in his
effort to run away, fall over his fathers boots
and upset his mothers work basket why, Mrs
Easy never pursued him farther than the door
and then on her return would give her lord and
master look that would make him place the
newspaper a little closer to his. face to conceal
his merriment.
On Wednesday afternoon, just after the din
ner table had been cleared and everything ar
ranged orderly, Mr.. Easy was occupying his IA
vonte place on the lounge, and his wife was
engaged in sewing the last button on a garment
Tor Jimmy, When Mrs Easy suddenly exclaim-
ed-
j wish could GO to the sewing circle this
afternoon; Mrs. Ray and Mrs. Holbrook and al
most everybody know is a going-and they are
to choose officers too, and L heard they talk OF
nominating me for president
Wei, do CO., said the husband laying down
his paper; to her utter establishment having no.
ticed her remark without her repeating it.
Il don't feel very well, and Will stay at home
and see to the children and have everything first
rate when you get back
'First-ratc!' repeated the wife, little excited;
you have kept house before, and when / got
home it looked as though there had been fire
here and | said then l would never leave YOU
again with the children
'Wellmy dear, you know experience is n good
teacher; soJust try me this once, and see if you
don't find things in good shape when you get
back
The wife hesitated few moments, and then
tho desire to spend the afternoon with her
friends, and the idea, too, that when she return
cd she might be an officer in the society, pre-
vailed over her fears of household disorder So,
after giving her husband various instructions
how TO prt cced for the next six hours { of
which he heard not word though nod now
and then caused his more ambitious half to be-
lIeve that he treasured up the whole of them, J
she went to her chamber to dress for the occa-
sion.
Half an hour afterwards Mrs Easy entered the
sitting-room, and her husband thought he never
saw her look more attractive than she did in her
closely lifting bodice and brocade skirt, and he
FIRMLY resolved to do his best to merit her appro-
baton when she returned
Il want piece ofbread and butter said jim
my, abont half an hour after his mother had
left. His father was still on the lounge with the
newspaper before him, and being accustomed to
attend to the wants of the children, he already
forgot the responsible trust he had assumed; SO
Jimmy, finding his request unheeded, proceeded
to help himself, and going to the closet he
climbed to the top shelf in search of the articles
he desired, but making mistep down came jim
my, bread, butter, Mrs. Easy's favoritc souptur-
reen, and several other dishes
Come down jimmy said his fathcr-the crash
having brought him to his senses.
4 am down. replied the boy, trying to cxtri-
cate himseffrom among the fragments.
1 should think you were down. and all your
mothers china with yoGi' said Mr.. Easy, with
sorrow depicted on his countcnance; but there,
there, Jimmy, don't cry; III buy some more be-
fore your mother gets back-so you be a good
boy and run oct TO play; here's a cent for you,
and the father took his pocket handkerchief and
rubbed the butter either in or off the boys face
and left it shining like an apohccary's bottle by
gas light then gathering up the broken ware and
remains Of the butter into the dust-pan, and
again seated himself On his favorite spot. But
his troubles were not yet ended-for Jimmy S
ni>hap and cutlery had awakened Ella, the
youngest, who had been sleeping in the cradle.
She yociferously demanded where was Ma
Oh, Lord said her father half musingly she
has gone down to Mrs. Norwoods to the Sciciag-
circle. fit was a man who has invented them,
hope he will have to keep house every We'd
nesday afternoon as long as he lives
Gone down to Mrs. No-woods s. repeated Ben
ny to whom Jimmy had told the story of his mis-
fortunes and who was now viewing the ruins.
III 60 right straight down and tell her that
Jimmy's broke whole lot of dishes, and the
baby's CRYING, and Ia won't give US nothin' TO
eat
Come back shouted the father, while the per-
spiration stood in drops on his face. But the
boy knew that his pa never used the rod, so the
call had no other effect than to make him in
crease his speed in the direction of Mrs. Nor
woods house. The parent did not wait to give
second call, but started in pursuit OF the fugi-
tive. He was just declining the steps that led
from the outer door to the pavement, when ow-
ing to the butter on the soles of his boots, he
slipped and fell, reaching the street without any
muscular effort on his part. Mr.. Easy groaned
aloud, but he had no time 70 ascertain if any OF
his bones were broken so away he hobbed
much to the amusement of a group of shayings-
boys, who were on the corner opposite. In spite
of all his exertions the distance widened be-
tween him and his undutiful son; so he hired
one of the boys to overtake Benny and bring
him back. Away went the boy on his Grand
while the .housckeeper forgetting he had left the
baby at hoIe alone, stepped in the nearest shop
to rest Presently he heard an oUtcry in the
street, and on going to the door, he beheld his
son (wao had some of his mothers blood in his
! veins) in mortal combat with the boy who was
| trying to force him home against his will. Ben.
ny had already received black eye, the blood
| flowed freely from his nostris and his clothe;
were considerably the worse for the afternoon
wear Away went Mr.. Easy to the rescue and
triumphantly captured his son, whose garment:
futtered in the wind. The group of shavings
boys voluntarily escorted them to their threshold
and made the air resound with vocal musc-thu:
giving more publicity to the affair and increa
sing Mr. Easy's troubles, which seemed to have
no end
Ella, who had seen between two and thret
years of life, was of very inquiring mind; ant
when she saw herself the occupant OF the room
and found that if she did cry there was no on,
to hear her--she climbed up the side o
the cradle, tipped it over and started OF
a voyage of discovery ON her own account
Her first attempt was to obtain a drink of water
in doing which she upset a trimming pail anC
then stopped TO quench her thirst from the brool
she had made Next she proceeded to invest