Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-12-12
VOL. XVIII.

nie's voice pleading in piteous accent
for mamma to let him sit up, ''des
little mint"
"No, Bennie," replied his mother, 81
is time for papa to be home, and yo
know he wants it quiet"
But I'll be kiet, mamma, sure, des a
stM. Tant /, please?" he asked eagerly
mo, you must be good boy and g,
to sleep. Papa's dinner won't be read
for him if you are naughty. Come an,
be mammals Little Boy Blue"
Bennie submitted, but not without tear
and protestations; and after his mothe
had put him in his crib, he lay SO quietl,
that she,- thinking him asleep, bent afte
and kissed his chubby cheeks; but h
opened his eyes quickly, exclaiming
''I're thinking, mammal'
Before Hatty could ask the subject o
his meditations, he asked.
"Does 90 ike papa? 1 don't; l fink
he amt nice, ike Johnny Burton's papa
He pays horse wis i'm, and 'ets i'm pul
is whiskers ecer so hard, and diets I'm
tandy, 'ets i'm det is clothes des as dirty
and don't ne0er sag nostR!" he added, with
convincing air.
Mrs. Burke smiled involuntarily al
Bennie's definition of "nice," but even
while she smiled, the thought oppressed
her that her husband did not evince the
love for his children that other father:
did. To be sure, he was good husband
and father according to the letter of the
law.
He was no scold, and was a good pro-
wider, but there was lacking that loving
sympathy which she and her children SC
much needed, and, even when she re-
proved Bennie for so speaking concern
ing his father, she felt how futile were
her efforts to convince him that papa
loved him ''des as much as mamma
while that child like face looked up into
hers, and the wondering little voice
asked why papa didn't ''hug and kiss me
ike 90 does, mamma ?"
Ben. Burke could stand do more, but,
rushing into the room, he caught the as
tonished Bennie in his arms, and giving
him one terrible hug, exclaimed 81
guess I'll be nice papa now," and put
ting the little fat hands into his whiskers,
as If in amends for past misdemeanors,
added Pull away, Ben., and I'll never
say nosin any more"
Then turning to Hatty, who stood in
amazement with the awakened Minnie
clutching frantically at her sleeve, said {:
" Bring her along, mamma; we're 60
ing to have jubilee down stairs y and
away he rushed, with the excited Ben.
riding astride the majestic shoulders of
which he had always stood in such awe.
Arrived down stairs, they beheld the
table adorned with camelias innumerable,
while piled by mammals plate were books
enough to stock small paper warehouse.
Ben. never did anything by halves, and he
stuffed the delighted children with bon
bons, until Hatty interposed with:
"Benjamin, you'll surely have doc
tors bill to pay for this jubilee"
Minnie, you must not eat another one.
Bennie"-but at sight of Bennie, both
father and mother burst into uncontrolla-
BILE laughter; for he, hearing his mothers
words to Minnie, and apprehending a
similar command, had stuffed bon bon
after bon bon into his mouth, until it ut
terly refused to hold any more, and he
was seeking for hiding places in his ears
and up his sleeves.
Seeing their laughter, he, with the
quick sightedness of a child, knew that
he was free from punishment, and made a
last grab for more.
Hatty, however, was too quick for
him, and the remaining bon-bons were
csrried away for the morrow's delecta-
ton, provided pills and jalap did not sup
ply their place.
What an evening was that for all con-
cerned! The happiness they had craved
so long was theirs at last. Bennie's papa
was now even "nicerer" than Johnny
Burton's. This was no spasmodic effort
of Ben's. He had learned his lesson and
meant to profit by it, There were no
more longings for ''marble fronts," ETC.,
but he worked with an earnest purpose,
content, the meanwhile, to live and be
happy in the shabby little hut" with
love and frugality at his fireside.
So, in after years, when his own door
opened from marble front, he felt that
he had earned it by finding out "what
allied him. ."-Ioledo Blade