The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-05-24

reading rose and fell with the screams and
iulls of the child, and she felt obliged to close
her book until the storm was over.
When quiet was restored in the cradle
the children came in from sliding, crying
with cold fingers and just as she was going tc
them, the dinner-bell rang. bog aai1aas
How did your new plan work this morn
ing ?" inquired Mr. James. ....r y. .,......-
"Famously was the reply, 81 read about
seventy pages of German, and as many
more in French" ,.~a
III am sure did not hinder you lons.n $3.50
mo yours was only one Of doz en- inter.
ruptions."
80, well! you must not get discouraged
Nothing succeeds well the first time. Per-
sist in your arrangement, and by and by the
family will learn that if they want anything
of you, they must wait until after dinner
"But what can a man do ?" replied his wife
''he cannot go down town without shirt
bosom"
81 was in bad case," replied Mr.. James
1T may not happen again. am anxious to
have you try the mouth out faithfully, and
then we will see what has come of it," n
The seco I'd day of the trial was stormy
one. AS the morning was dark, Bridget
oversight, and consequently breakfast was
to late by an hour. This lost hour Mrs.
James could not recover. When the clock
struck eleven, she seemed but to have COM
mcnced her mornings work, so much re-
nained to be done. With mind disturbed
and spirits depressed she left her household
matters Gin the suds,' as they were, and
punctually retired to her study. She soon
found, however, that she could not fix her
attention upon any intellectual pursuit.
Neglected duties haunted her, like ghosts
around the guilty conscience. PerceiyinS
that she was doing nothing with her books,
and not wishing to lose the morning wholly,
she commenced writing letter. Bridget
interrupted her before she had proceeded far
on the first page. ar
what, ma'am, shall we have for dinner !?
Nomarketins ha'n't come" n.-... .-
"Have some steaks, then" ..- ... ...
''We ha'n't got none, ma'am.'
81 will send out for some, directly
Now there was no one to send but AMY,
and Mrs. James knew it, With a sigh, she
put down her letter aud went into the nurs-
cry. saa .ln.s aaa.. ..s.....r ..r....... .....
Amy, Mr. James has forgotten our mar
keting. | should like to have you run over
to the provision store, and order some beef
steaks. I will stay with the baby ."-
Amy was not much pleased to be sent out
on this Grand She remarked, that "shc
must change her dress first ....... .
"Be as quick as possible said Mrs
James, 'for am particularly engaged at this
hour
Amy neither obeyed nor disobeyed, but
managed to take her own time, without any
very deliberate intention to do so. Mrs.
James, hopingto get along with a sentence
or two, took her German book into the nurs-
ery. But this arrangement was not to mas
ter Charley's mind. A fig did he care FOR
German, but ''the kitties,' he must have
whether or no-lnd klttles he would finl in
that particular book--so he turned itsleaves
over in great haste. Half OF the time on
the second day Of trial had gore when Amy
returned and Mrs. James with a sigh, left
her nursery. Before one o'clock she was
twice called into the kitchen 10 superintcnd
some important dinner arrangement. ana
thus it turned out that she did not finish one
page of her letter.
On the third morning the sun shone, and
Mrs. James rose early, made every provision
which she deemed necessary for dinner, and
for the comfort OF her family; and then ea-
ted by Der success, in good courage, she en-
tered her study precisely at eleven o'clock,
and locked her door. Her books were opened
and the challenge given to a hard German
lesson. Scarcely had she made the first on
set, when the door-bell was heard to ring,
and soon Bridget coming nearer and nearer
then tapping at the door.
"Somebody wants to see youinth the parlor,
ma am .
| 'rel! them am engaged, Bridget
81 told 'em you were to-home, ma'am, and
| they sent up their names, but | ha'n't got
'em iist.' i.
There wasno help for it--Mrs. Jam
must 90 down TO receive her callers. She