Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1876-03-10
SUNBIRY PA" FRIDAY MORNING. MARCH TO- 1876
to marry him. If 1 was married, could
have house Of my own, and do as pleas

two afterward, with a troubled face, i
it true that our Elsie is out walking will
John Elton, evening after evening? Ii,
is worthless, dssipated fellow, and nj
fit associate for any girl
Mercy upon US don't know sale
Mrs. Hopgood, with perturbed face q
supposed she was with Kate Pickett OF
Clara Montfort. I'm great deal too busy
with picking and housekeeping to run al
a giddy girls heels the whole time. But
I'm going to commence cleaning to-mor
row, and then I'll give her enough to dc
10 keep her out of mischief
Mother said Isaac Hopgood gravely,
sometimes think that if we made home
a little more attractive to our children
%, nonsense p petulantly interrupted
his wife, 4 suppose you'd like us to have
tableaux, like Mrs. Montfort or magic
lantern like the little Mickfords. Our
children haven't been brought up in that
| way
And Mr.. Hopgood said no more.
Mrs. Hopgood, was to use her own OK.
preston, in the thick of the house clean
ing the next day, with the carpets rolled
into heaps, The floors spattered with soap
suds, and her head tied up with pocket
handkerchief, when the door suddenly
opened.
| Take care Of my pail Of soap suds and
soda y cried she, shrilly, %, it's you, Is it,
Ally?'
Yes, mother, it is me, said Alexander
her eldest son, who had just gone into bu-
! siness as Junior partner to his partner TO
his father. 1 saY-do leave off washing q
minute, and attend to me Ryerson's in
town-my old chum, you know, only for
one day, and I've asked him to dinner
To dinner y almost screamed Mrs. Hop
good, dropping her brush in CONSERVATION.
Alexander Hopgood, are you crazy? Of
course can't have him to dinner. Just
look at the condition the house is in
%, he won't mind that, mother Ryer-
son is a thoroughly good fellow. Just let
him sit down to pollock with the rest Of
US, any
Il shall do nothing Of the sort, Alexun-
DER said Mrs. Hopsood, severely COM
pressing her lips. You know do not ap-
prove of inviting company at any time,
still less at such a period as this. If you
have been fool enough to ask him, you may
get out of this scrape the best way you
can.'
But, mother
Il don't want any more discussion on the
subject said Mrs. Hopgoed, dabbling away
with the brush.
And Alexander went out, slamming the
door.
BY George quoth Alexander HopsoOd
to himself, if 1 can't ask friend to my
home, there's at least the alternative Of in
viting him to hotel. never did such
thing before, but don't see how else can
manage
So Alexander Hopgood entertained Mr..
Rysrson at the hotel, and gave an unlimit-
ed order for iced champagne and dessert.
Aud the upshot of it all was that Alexan-
der Hopsood was brought in at eleven
O'Clock at night, by two or three walters,
hOpelessly intoxicated.
Don't be 'f.ffraid, mother = suffered
he, brandishing an empty bottle, as he be-
came dimly conscious of her white, scared
face bending over him. Go on with Jour
washing It's great deal iollier at the
hotel than it is at home. Freedom for
ever Hoo oo-ray!'
%, what shall do p sobbed Mrs. Hop
good, when the walters were once more
out of the house, and the roll OF the cab
wheels had died away. To think only to
think that one of mine should ever dis
grace himself thus =
It's your own fault, mother said Ben
ny, the second son. You wouldn't let
Ally bring his friend here
Hold your tongue sharply Fetorted.
Mrs. Hopgood, wincing beneath the prick
of this home truth. Call Elsie l need
her help
oh, mother = piped Fannie, the young
est girl, running down stairs in frantic
haste, Elsie amt here
Not here =
No, mother she hasn't been to bed at
all-and there's q note on her table direct
ed to YOU
Open it, mother said Mr.. Hopgood,
huskily. This is doomed night for our
househald My God has our home be-
come so distasteful to our children that they
will fly from it like rats from falling
house p
Elsie's note was short enough. It read
DEAR MoTHER.--I am tired Of living
in the kitchen. L have run away with
John Elton, and before you see me again
shall have entered upon new future.
Mrs. Hopgood broke out into wild hys-
tcrical sob0ings.
Mr.. Hopgood read the hurredly scrawl-
ed paper with face cold and set like steel.
Run away with John Elton y he repeat
ed slowly. Poor Elsie then God help
her, tor he is as great villain and scoun-
drel a. ever lived, and she has sealed her
own doom. Mother, mother. this comes
from your housekeeping.
1t wasn't my fault, Isaac, sobbed Mrs.
Hopgood, rocking herself backwards and
forwards on n chair into which she had
dropped.
1T was your fault retorted her husband
almost savagely. You made the name OF
home a mockery to your children you
shut up your soul inside a scrubbing pail,
and now you are reaping the bitter har-
vest"
OF course poor Alexander Hopgood was
unable to lift his throbbing head from the
pillow the next day, and his mother never
left him until afternoon.
When at last she came down stairs, the
parlor blinds we're thrown wide open, a
n in ho toh