Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-05-23
How Gadsiey Kept House While His
Wife Went Crusadins

crusading party, leaving her husband III
charge Of home affairs, took time one
afternoon to call on him; and | may as
! well confess, now that am out of his
hearing, that it was purely motive Of
curiosity that led me to Gadsleys house
on this occasion. was attracted thith
er by an uncomfortable desire to see
how a poor, long suffering man would
manipulate family of eight or nine
children. How he would manage, curb,
restrain, subdue, control them, feed
thea and wash them up in the way
they should 60 He met me at the
door, and Immediately perceived by
the sign OF delight which shone in his
eye that he was glad to see familiar
face.
"Well, well, said he, ''really | am
overioved to see YOU. Come in, come
in: haven't seen a soul before in three
weeks. Sorry, though, only half of us
is at home. Very soTy-sorry On your
account. Fact is, BroUn-here Eme-
line Rel, take Mr. Browns hat-taet
is, my wife is not in \ glance at the
surroundings of the interior will provo
sufficiently convincing to you that no
gentle woman lends her cheering lntiu-
ence here Wife is out in town today
at-Hoonchenphlizer's or somewhere
started promptly on time as usual early
this morning. She is out doing what
little she can in her feeble way, poor
thing, to clog the wheels OF the social
Juegernaut. Samantha, daughter, bring
in the shoebrush and dust a chair for
Mr.. Brown. Whew. how the dust
flies. There, that's better. Now
Brown, do take this arm chair and
make yourself easy; may as well be
comfortable when you can. l do so
. like to see people comfortable. Well,
as | was about to say, wife has been out
battling manfully against the accursed
rum traffic. now going on several weeks
regular, and"
And meantime" interrupted ], "!ou
have the supervision of affairs III the
house and look after the children.
supervision Well, yes; exactly
| | am THROWN: in few endeayorS in
that line. Am doing something in =
'only look at that child Buddy, give
them that poker. | do think in my
heart No, don't want my window
fixed. You have fixed windows enough
already. Here sit down here. There!
now fish away in that ash pan and be
quiet one minute, will you 2
THAT baby" resumed Gadsley, rs
insane on fixing things. He never rests
from the labor Of repair TO this house.
Look behind you at those windows
scarcely whole pane to be found. See
the array of old hats and things that
have crammed into the sash and only
look at the wall paper where he has
skinned it off until the walls resemble
the ruin off panorama or circus bills
| tell sou Brown, the very old boy is in
that hope of ours. But, let me see.
Where was | am supervising things
here. rather like that word; it is SO
ftting-doing something in an amateur
way towards housekeeping. You re
member the story Of the man in Arkan-
sas; | am doing my levelest to keep the
house from the house from the dickens;
but it will 90 there in the long run. 1t
is bound to 90 there in spite OF my adj
ministrative ability.
"Do l understand you to say, i ven
tured to inquire, that you are taking
care of this house and all these children
without help"
"Certainly That's just what | am
doing. | am devoting my whole time
to it, giving the matter my exclusive
personal attention. Why, bless me,
yes Yes, see, we fell ont about a ser
1yant-I mean we disagreed. Wife
wanted to get -
Hello! what's that , Don't You
smell fire, Brown7"
eyes" said I, something burns.
'There it is, Gadsley-its the baby
the baby's clothes are on fire 7
"Why, Buddy, what in this world
Never mind, don't cry, It's all out.
There Tush-thsre! Now, who would
have thought there was fire in that ash
es Such thing never occurred to
me. There newer mind. want
down. Want to GO to Charlotte Ann
Well, take him, my daughter There
go to Charlotte Ann"
"Yes," Gadsley went Oh, "she wanted .
me to get black woman-old aunt
Linda@to come and look after things, /
and do the cooking We'll, to tell the
truth, old aunt Linda isn't any too hon
est, and besides, the children don't like |
her, and so l suggested that we get the
white girl who formerly lived atSmlths
and wanted place She is an excellent
girl-honest as the days long, and neat
as wax. But, no, wife wouldn't listen
to the proposition, and would have the
old aunt Linda or anybody. l can't
understand why she should be so set in
her WAYS. Can't fathom her motive in
the matter but at any rate | took the
other alternative, and here l am, sole
supervisor of this menagarie--supreme
controller of the outfit-master OF the
ranch.
Gadsleys attention was drawn to the
movements of the twins, who, by means
of some twine, appeared to be making
up q sort of lightning express train by
coupling the cats together by their tails
but the father laid an injunction on the
train and it failed to go out on the reg
ular run.
'TNow, Herbert Spencer, and you,
H. c..o-, Mil inst untie those cats