Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-05-30
"a PERFECT PLAGUE"
BY ANNIE NJ. LIBBY.

WIIIZ - WheW - rattle slam bang -
clump, clump! Everybody knew FREQ
was coming. His mother began to gaze
anxiOusly toward the door, trying to i'm
agine in what plight her boy would enter
Aunt Harriet dropped her work, ready tC
run for rags, strings, or plasters, long ex
perience having taught her to be on the
alert for wounds, cuts and bruises. The
door flew open with jerk, and with two
leaps Fred and a big basket landed be-
side table where Lutte was mounting
autumn leaves.
"See here, Lutel" exclaimed Fred
pushing the basket on the table, hitting
the varnish- bottle, which, in its turn, gave
the mucilage friendly push, till over
they went together.
30 Fred, you are the biggest torment I
ever saw; you spoil something every time
YOU come near me!' cried Lutte, in her
Impotence.
If she had seen the look that crossed
Fred's happy, handsome face, she would
have been sorry for the thOughtless words 4;
but she didn't look up. The hurt, sorry
look changed to hard, defiant one as it
settled in his bright blue eyes, and he
took up the basket to 90 out, muttering,
II guess she'll know it before | go near
her again!'
u
I'M the leaves, and wiped up the two little
streams ofmucilage and varnish that were
slowly trickling down on the carpet, ''that
how crows worse and worse! he's per
feet plaguew
oYou ought not to speak to him as you
did, Lucy" said her mother, gently. 81
think Fred was sorry, but you didn't give
him a chance to say So"
"Wen, what if he was sorry? He will
do something else just as bad in half an
hour"
II know he's little rough" her mother
went on, "but he doesn't mean any harm. y
s'Now, mother, how can you say so?
Only last week he threw the cat into the
soap barrel, and he must climb that young
ash after his cap, and knock Off my hang
ing-basket and break it. He could have
taken a ladder, and not gone on the side
of the tree where the basket hung. After
he gOt his cap, instead of putting 1t on he
threw it at the cat, and broke the hand,
soonest dahlia in the garden. Then, last
ni~bt- when Will Schofield and all the
others were up here playing crOquet-l
suspose YOU will think it was silly-Will
asked if | GOT my roses working i'll the
garden. Before l had time to answer,
Fred spoke up, and said, 4 guess she puts
the roses on in her chamber; that's why
she's so late to breakfast Of course,
couldn't say anything, and [ don't know
what they all thought. Then, just look at
what he's done now! and the tears trem-
bled in Lute's eyes.
"You're somewhat to blame for that
YOURSELF replied Aunt Harriet "for you
know l told you to spread a paper on the
table-cloth and another on the carpet un-
der the table. AS for what he said last
nirht, it isn't likely VIII Schofeld MOTTO
ed it, or, if he did, remembered it two
minutes. He'll outgrow such ways by
and by"
90 yes, know you and mother always
take Fred's part" sobbed Lutte. 81 guess
if mother would tell father some of his
tricks he would 'outgrow' some Of them
pretty quick But if father finds out any
thing it is all smoothcd over"
1t was strange how, with a slight differ
ence in the subject, Fred's thoughts were
running in the same direction as Lute's.
''She grows crOsser and crosser," he
muttered, digging his toes into the chips
behind the wood-house, land since Will
Schofeld comes up here, she don't want
me round at all. l s'pose do plague her.
[ don't see why have to upset everything
before fairly get near it," And the boy
actnallv sat with his cap over his eyes full
three minutes, resolving he would be very
careful next time.
''PlaZe. marin, can masther Frid go to
the sthore fur me?" asked Bridget, putting
her head in at the door, an hour later.
''Certainly," said Mrs. Randall.
"An' is he not back yit?"
"Why, isn't he about the house some
where?"
"Shure, marin, an he stharted fur
Toompson's Pond wild half dozen boys
an hour agone, but thought he was back
afoOr."
"Thompson's Pond?" repeated his
mother, aghast. "Why, his father has
told him never to go there with the boysr'
"You see now just how well he obeys,''
said Lutte, rather pleased with an oppor-
tunity to show her superiority in reading
Fred's character.
40 marm," cried Bridget putting hel
head in again, "shure, there's man here
as SAYS the boys is all kilt, and masthe1
Fred drowndid wild both his legs broke
fallin' out a tree!'
O dear! how still the house was! IA
ther and mother gone to find Fred, and
Lutte left with Aunt Harriet and Bridget
to get ready for their coming home. What
kind of coming-home would it be? They
didn't dare think. Tommy Witham, a