The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-09-15

twas long, but ne didn't tell us twas
moron mile -
Mrs Butterfly was gazing on the chill.
dren in half dazzled sort of a way. To
use slang expression, she couldn't
seem to see it. Each one of the five
heads ducked simultaneously, as the
carriage came up to the door STEP and
five simultaneous giggles struggled into
life.
Mrs Butterfly turned fiercely to her
husband
"James, whose children are those ?"
'They are mine, my dear, the pre-
cious pledges of love left me by my dear
dead and gone Savannah! You will love
them, | know you will Little angels q!
They cannot help winning their way to
every heart!"
your children, Mr. Butterfly Your
cmldrenl You never told me that you
had any !" cried Eliza in dismay.
"No, my dear, | wanted to give you n
pleasant. surprise. have heard you say
50 often that you dotted on children, that
knew you would be transported to find
such delightful family to welcome you.
Arabella Margaretta, come and kiss your
new mammal
81 won't ! roared Arabella, she haint
my mamma! she's only an old maid that
you have been and picked up to do the
work and git her money. Aunt Higgins
said SOL
"Arabella !"lMr Butterby's voice was
like thunder
4 don't care, poutei Arabella, "that's
what she sad!'
"Timmy, my darling,' said the fond
father, addressing the oungest offspring,
you'll come and Fi,s your dear new nam.
ma, went you, precious !!
I'd rather be excused = lispeJ Jimmy,
she's got false teeth, and don't like her
style
Mrs i'utterbys face grew very rcd. but
she kept her tempcr-which was sufficient
evidence of her powerful -elf-contrDl She
alighted ieom the carriage, carrying her
tavoritc cat in her arms, and was wei
coined to the house in imperial style by
her husband He then left her, anl went
out to see after his ho scs.
Mrs Butterfly cancludel to IN Ike the
best of il. 1t was better TO be the moth
er Of five children than IN old maid, so
she put Tom down and laid aside her
bonnet. Tom went off foraging under
tables and into tin pans. after the manner
OF cats from lime immemorial and hi,
mistress began 10 investigate the capabil-
tiles Of cupboards and closets
Suddenly terrific yell burst on The
air, and recognizing the war cry of her
tavoriic, Mrs butterfly dropped the spice
box she was peeping into, and few to the
next room What a sight met her eyes
Arabella was holding the splitting his
sing Tom under one arm while Sam But
terby twisted his tail, and little Jimmy
danced TO the music.
You little wretches!' cricl Mrs But.
terby, 'rhat are you doing!'
playing hand organ = replied Timmy
in great glee-"Sam does the grinding,
and | acts the monkey
With one dexterious blow MIR Butter
by laid Sam sprawlng, and tossing Tim
my out of the window, she engaged Ara.
bella, The girl was no mean adversary.
The false hair flew, and the bridal fixing
was annihilated, but Eliza's temper was
up, and she came off conqueror.
And just at that moment the door
opened, and three glown girls, with each
| N n
the scene.
'Who are you 7" cried Mrs Butterfly,
ready to stand her ground against all re
Inducements,
'We're Butterby's gals J. said The fore
most one, "Suke and Polly and July
We've come home from the factory
Father writ 10 us that we needn't work
any more, we'd got u mother to work for
us now, and | reckon you're her. And
Charles and Eben and Dick are Just be
hind us!"
Mrs Butterfly faced them with terrible
composure.
"Will you be kind enough to tell me
how many children your father has got ?
Let mo see. said July, there's Charlie,
and Eben and Dick and Scott. he's tc
school but he's comm home 10 n,orror -
and Suke and Poly and me, that's sew
chi and Mag and Jack and Napoleon
that are over to Aunt Higgins, but vii
be here this week, that makes ten; and
Arabella and Bets and Sam and Tim and
jeremiah, that makes fifteen in all
Cool gracious!' cried Mrs Butterfly
the perfdious wretch The father o.
fifteen children.
Mr. Butterfly entered just then, and put
his arm around the waist of his wife. She
cast him off with an angy gesture, ant
seizing broom that was lying round
handy, stood on the defensive.
Touch finger TO me if you dare,
shrieked she, 'and III make the whole
earbocdle them orphans. | leave thi
house this instant never to return. Bet
ter be an old maid through time anc
eternity than the mother of fifteen LITTLE
savages.
And seizing her cat in her arms, thr
enraged Eliza fled from the place.
She lived with Tom in her little cot