The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-09-25


II wish mamma was like any enc else"
she said to herself the tears 0bscurIng her
ewes 81 wish she was like Kate Prlcketts
mother, who lets her haye company every
Thursday evening. John Elton wants me To
marry him. If was married could have
house of my own and 30 as pleased"
"Mothel,' said Mr.. iIopgood Il week or
two afterwaro, with troubled face, 'is it true
that our Elsie is out walking with John Ell
ton evening after evening? He Is a worth.
less, dssipated fellow, and no iii associate for
any girl"
"Mercy upon US don't know said Mrs.
Hopgood, with beiurbed face. II suppose
she xas with Kate Prickctt or Clara Mont.
fort. I'm great deal too busy with picking
and housekeeping to run at giddy girls
heels tie whole time. But I'm going to com.
mence cleaning tomorrow, and then II war
rant I'll give her enough to do to keep her
out of mischief
"Mother," said Isaac lIopgood, gravely,
"sometmrs think that if we made home 4.
! little more attractive to our children"
40, nonsenspn pctulen'Iy interrupted his
wifi i suppose you d Like us 10 have tab-
Leaur, like Mrs. MOntfort, or Il magic lantern,
! like the little MictUrds. Our children haven't
been brought up that way"
And Mr., HopgooG said 70 more.
/, Mrs IiopTOOd was to use her own express
sion, lin the thick OF huusec cleaning the
next day, with the carpets rolled INTO heaps
| the floors spattcred with s0ap.sudS, and her
! head tied up IN pocket handkerchief, when
the door suddenly opened.
Take care Of my pail of soapsuds and So
da" cried she, shrilly. 80. us you, is it,
Ally"
YES, mother, it's me-" said Alexander, her
eldest son, who had just gone into business as
e.. 4, At a
off washing a minute, and attend to me Ry.
only for one day. and I've asked him to din-
ner' #t.f
"To dinner" almost screamed Mrs Hop.
good, dropping her brush in her consterna-
ton. Alexander Hopgood are you crazy :?
OF course | can't have him 10 dinner. Just
| look At the confusion the house is in"
80, he won't mind that mother. Ryerson
IS thoroughly good fellow. Just let him sit
down to pot,luck with the rest Of us, any"
81 shall do nothing of the sort Alexander"
said Mrs Hopgood, severely comprising her
lips You know do not approvs Of you in
viung company at any ume still less at such
a period as this you have been fool enough
to ask him, you may get out OF the scrape the
best way you cant"
But, mother"
! 81 don't want any more discussion on the
subject" said Mrs. llopgVod, dabblIng away
with the brush
And Alexander went out, slammIng the
door. "By George!n quOth Alexander Hop
good TO himself 'if can t ask IA friend to my
home, there's at least the alternative of invit-
ing him to hotel | never did such thing
before, but dont see how else can manage"
SO poor Alexander Hopgood entertained
Mr.. Ryerson at the hotel, and gave an un.
IA ,,.,I. t,,, RI 4
And the upshOt of it was that Alexander
Hopgood was brought in at eleven o'clock at
night, by two of the waters, hopelessly in
toxicated.
Don't be 'ffiraid mother" suffered he
braodshlng an empty bottle, as he became dim
ly conscious OF her white, scared face bending
over him. "Go on with your washing! lis Il
deal jollier at the hotel than 1t Is at home.
Freedom forever! Hoo-ooray"
| 80, what shall l do?' sobbed Mrs Hop
good, when the'waiters were once more out
Of the house, and the roll of the cab wheels
had died away. 40 thlnk-only think that
"A son of mine should ever disgrace himself
thus"
ats your own fault, mother" said Benny,
the second son. "You wouldn't let Alley
bring his friend here
"Hold your tongue" sharply retorted Mrs.
llopgood, wincng beneath the prick of this
home truth. "Call Elsie. | need her help
80, mcther!" piped Fanny the youngest
girl, running down stairs in frantic haste,
Elsie amt here"
Not here"
mo, mother; she hasn't been to bed at all
and there's note on the table directed to
you"
"Opcn it, mother" SAID Isaac Hopgood,
huskily. This is doomed night for our
l.ntN hold M n.,df Lua 10
so dstasteful to our children that they fly
from 1t like rats from a falling house ""
Elsie's note was short enough. II read:
"DEAR MOTHER; am tired Of living in the
kitchen. have run away with John Elton, and
before you see me again shall have entered up.
on new future ELSIE"
Mrs. Hopgood broke out into wild, hyster.
lcal sobbings
Mr., Hopgood read the hurriedly scrawled
paper with face cold and set like steel.
"Ilun away with John Elton |" he repeated
slowly "Poor Elsie! then God help her. For
he is as great a villain and scoundrel as ever
lived; and she has sealed her own DOOM
Mother, mother! this comes of your house.
keeping"
1T wasn't my fault, Isaac" sobbed Mrs
Hopgood, rocking herself backward and for.
ward on a chair into which she had dropped.
vt was your fault" retorted her husband !
almost saYagely. "You made the name of
home mockery to your children; you shut
up your soul inside of scrubbng pail; and
now you are reapDg the bitter harvest"
Ofcourse poor Alexander Iiopgood was IN
able to lift his throbbing head from the pill
! low the next day, and his mother never left
! him until afternoon. 6
When at last she Game down stairs, the par
Tor blinds were thrown wide open flood of
sun : line streaming IN the fable n,atly spt In
the pretty dining.room, with flowers on the
table, and new books, games and puzzles
scattered around.
Mrs. hopgood gazed around with a bewil
dered air. She hardly knew her own home.
This Is the way we must live hencefor-
ward mother" said her husband, cheerily
"Let in the light and sunshine; teach Ben and
Fanny that home is something more than an
empty name, and try, in so far as We can, to