The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-12-01

| d.
No response was given, for the kitchen
door was closed.
"Why don't you go down and see
what's the matter? ?" said Mrs. j.
Mary may be killed! shouted one of
the children on the second floor.
"Why don't you go dorm, pa ?'
screeched the Blif kins heir, who occu-
pied the front attic.
Mary, Jane, what's the matter 2"
shouted Blif<ins at the top of his lungs.
There was no reply. Neither Mary,
the cook (whO agreed to take charge of
the lower part of the house, but refused
to consider the furnace any part of her
work., or Jane (engaged to do general
houscwork, but rebellious at the idea of
sweeping the front steps, made any
sign of life.
both murdered, probably, and 1
should bebeforeyou would come down."
said Mrs. B.
Do you wish / should come down
just as ] am?" asked Blifkins.
Mrs. Il. didn't have time to reply, for
the children up stairs having very fatty
intimated that the father was afraid to
go down, resolved to do so themselves,
and rs they didn't wait for crinoline,
Biif. started, accompanied by his posse
c1njt0tts. The kitchen door was open-
ed by Blifkins with n jerk, and there
sat the smiling cook and jubilant maid
i'll perfect repose.
"Who in---the deuce gave that
yell?" asked Blif.
"Don't be standing there" said Mrs.
Blifkins, who saw there was no trouble
you'll all get your death o. cold on that
canvas carpet"
Instead Of making any reply to the
query, the cook pulled her apron over
her face, and Jane wrapped her head in
the roller, and both began to laugh.
Blifkins saw the impropricty of his po-
sition and retraccd his stops, followed
by the children, suggesting to Mrs. B.
that she had better go and find out what
the matter was, adding that he wouldn't
have been disturbed in that way for all
the girls necks We're worth.
Mrs. Blifkins, after quieting the baby
and giving each Of the children six pill
lules of bclladonna to keep them from
taking cold on account of their sudden
exit from their warm beds, proceeded
to the kitchen. Mary said it was James
fault, and Jane said it was Mary's fault.
Mary told Jane al awiui story about
Shost9, and, just n sho had reached Il
| ln9ranYy;; ;JuIu 'yiti liurU Taj Il niiui -Ooi<-
iing in, and Mary yelled. Mrs. y. read
them Il lesson. 1t is unfO 'tun9tG that
Xorrin9tOn was not present to take
notes Of the address then made. She
pictured the sin Of the procccding-th
disease which might come to tho chill
dren from being turned cut Of bed-the
possibility that such yell uttered in u
quiet household might have turned her
hair white" and" said she in conclu-
sion, "Mary, never do such a thing
again. What would have been your
feelings if, in coming down stairs hasti-
ly, Miss Mary Jane had fallen and re-
manned cripple for lile?"
Mary had lived in sixteen different
families each year since her sojourn in
Boston, and ten years having passed
since she stepped ashore from the ship,
her acquaintance with milkmen, grocer
boys, and city uirtmen was somewhat
, extensive. Never before had she been
50 upbraided for a simple yell though
shc said nothing to Mrs. 3. aware, no
doubt, Of the folly of such a proceeding),
she at once gave Jane to understand
that the next day she should give Mrs.
B. warming" for she had never lived
more than week with nervous fami-
~, and never would.
At ten O'Clock the two girls assembled
to their room, leaving Mrs. B. still en-
gagged III her book, and as the clock
struck eleven, that worthy woman rub
bed her eyes and started up, evidently
surprised that she was not in bed. She
q, approached the window, and pulling
up the curtain, gaZed out. 1t was a
bright, clear, cold night, the first Of
those starry nights which we have in
Autumn, and which are peculiarly at
tractivc if one is securely housed and
can Gaze ut the studded armament with
out feeling the bite Of the frosty atmos-
phcre. As Mrs. Il. was looking at tho
stars, she gave sudden exclamation
indicative of surprise and wonderment
and Immediately FASTENED to the bed
!, side Of Mr.. b., who was sleeping
soundly.
Benjamin, Benjamin." she said
gently touching his arm.
Benjamin sat upright in an instant
and exclaimed:
= 81 tell you hold the right bower"
Nobody said you didn't" replied
Mrs. b., "but wake up, and get out her,
to the window and look mt this aero
lite"
Blif. tumbled out and peered into tn
e vacant lot in the rear of his house.
c "There, don't you see it," said Mrs
Z b., pointing to II glistening spot.
= saw the star fall, and there it is."
u "Aro You sure you saw il fall" in
y quired Blif.
d 81 am certain. Don't you suppose
@ know"
II "Surc you aren't dcceived?"
q 81 know / saw II fail, and there it is.
.e "Scnd Jane out and pick it up.
d win lp.c It's briIiIury in moment"
l. "Both giIla have been a-bed this hou
II or more"
lC "NNoI. I'll 90 out Hhd get ii in In