Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-12-24
THE GRUMPY FAMILY.
A STORY FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
By SEEBE JAZZ.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION.

n3 .@ INTRODUCTION.
Readers Of the CHRoSIcLE, allow US to
present to you The Grundy Family-Mr.
Grundy, Mrs. Grundy, the Masters and
Misses Grundy, and the two wee little
Grundys The name is not euphonious,
but an intimate acquaintance will material
ly change the judgment you may form at
first sight. +" What's in name p But,
as some Of our readers may be somewhat
fastidious and would like to know some
thing about the Grundys before they place
them on their lists, we will tell all we know
about them, and, perhaps, more. Now,
we wish to tel! you (confdentially. of
coarse--you are not supposed to tell even
your respective wives or husbands or
sweethcarts because that would spoil it
alb that this visit of the Grundys is only
masquerade surprise party that they
reside in our midst, right here in Iowa
county, which has been their home for
very many years, and where the paternal
head !amassed the stamps with which to
furnish his numerous family with the
means for comfort and enjoyment. Had
he not, however, been assisted by those
who are now resping the benefits of pull
Tng at one end" things might have been
different. But the Grundys were, and are,
a well-regulated family. Each member
has his or her own department Of duty to
perform, apportioned according to strength
and ability; but all unite in attempting to
render life pleasant to themselves and 9TH
ers. Each Of them, however, has dis
tinguished trait of character, or, it might
be called popularity" which renders
the individual a special object Of interest.
Mr.. Grundy himself,the head and 'front.'
having realized the round in the ladder
that was the hight of his ambition, now
betakes himself to his easy chair, his slip
pers, pipe and newspaper, the latter alb
sorbing all of bis attention that is not de-
voted to the interests of his two youngest,
twins, Dot and Dick, who haye arrived at
the mature age of ten months, and can
stand up (provided they can find anything
to hold toy, and pronounce the words ina"
and ".ss," so distinctly that any member
of the family can understand tbem-which
accomplishments render them prodigies Of
precocity. These two are exceptions to
the general rule, as they have no distin-
gushing features (; if they have, they are
so small as scarcely to be observable. Mr..
g., who, since his retirement has attained
a size that renders locomotion difficult, is
seldom disturbed in the enjoyment of his
.favorite pursuits, except when, (being,
'Cashier) he is requested by his better half
to "shcll out" which he does with good
&grace, as that member of the firm is per-
efectly reliable, and stands Al on the list
She is the Teller of the bank. Mrs. G. is
-"fair, fat and forty now but she is pos
.sessed of an indomitable will, and says
Shat she eoill not grow SO large as to keel
her indoors if exercise can prevent such {
calamity, SO she adds to her duties as Tel
ler those .af Bookkeeper and Purveyor
tits wonderful how much knowledge car
be stored in the human mind, but Mrs. G
can tell the exact market price of every ar
,ticle of merchandise from candy kiss fol
dot to the most bulky and costly article
needed, the best qualities and proper guam
aities to purchase, and just where to senc
her orders and it always proved to be {
fact that those with whom she has haC
dealing are the most reliable and trust
worthy business men in the county.
While Mr.. G. is conten teddy dividing hi
time between his newspaper and his favor
ties, and Mrs. G. is making calculations a!
to how she can increase the comfort of he,
family and at the same time decrease hel
expenditures, let US take look at the 9th
er members of this happy group. There il
Mary, the oldest daughter, good looking
girl of 10, rather practical III her ideas
who superintends the household affairs ant
acts as commander-in of all the in
door forces. The neat, tasteful and home
like appearance Of everything, the air Of
order and cleanliness that pervades the
atmosphere of every room, and the bount
ious supply that graces the table, all bear
witness to her energy and ability. She is
assisted by her sisters, Carrie and Hattie,
the former of whom is "the beauty" of the
family, although the latter bids fair to
rival her in time. Carrie has arrived al
that age designated on the chart of Cupid
as" sweet siNeen,' and with her wealth
of.golden hair, parted over transparent
intellectual brow; an eye (which seems
to melt to its own BEAM" faultless
features, a pair of cherry lips, and per
feet and well-developed form, has already
brought to hers brine as worshipers host
of the youth of the neighborhood while
Naxie, two years younger, with voice
like nightingale, and proficiency on the
piano that is marvellous, charms the ear by
her sweet snus;c. Then there is John,
almost 81, who superintends the farm, and
has been the past summer experimenting,
a ia Greeley and Beecher, on theoretical or
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