Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-07-05
A WIGS Mistake.

alum Va - 49, - - - - -
sue a stag. 70 bold-natured fl
ever dared 10 buzz within her dain
ty walls. No cat purred upon he
hearthstone. Plants were tabooeC
because their leaves would fall
Canary birds were ruthlessly ex
cluded lest theyshould scatter seed
Sunshine was regarded as an arch
enemy. at brings flies, and fade:
the carpets said Mrs. Hopgood.
As for Mr.. Hopgood AID the child
ren, they live mostly in the kitch-
en-.
Il can't have the boys muddy
boots tramping over the carpets,
and the girls sewing in the parlor,
said Mrs. Hopgool. "As for Hop
good, be don't care where be sits
One place is as good as another
where he IS concerned"
The Hopgood family also took
their meals in the kitchen.
ave got dinner-Ioom as nice
a. aDybody's," said Mrs. HopgoOd,
with a real carved oak sideboard,
with a marble top, and silver, pol
ished till It's better than any look
iDg-glass; but where's the use Of
turning things al upside down, just
for ones own fanilyl Common
crockery-ware and good homeland
led knives are jus, as good for every
day use
MAMMA, said Elsie Hopgood, a
cherrycheeked girl Of sixteen, Il
should Ike TO III in the parlor some
times. Mrs. Montfort and her
daughter use theirs every evening,
and it looks 90 pretty and pleasant
there"
stuff and nonsense - said Mrs.
Hopgood, sharply, 81 keep house
myself after my own fashion, and /
give others leave 10 DO the same
But, mamma pleaded Elsie, Il
was thinking how l should Ike to
invite al the girls here some even
ing, and have tea, and afterwards q
little dance. I've been asked out
50 many times, without ever re-
spending, the: In really ashamed
TO 60"
Then you had better stay at
hcme," said Mrs. Hopgood, rub
bing away at the stem Of her silver
ID receiver. Il think ! see my
self, with all the young folks in
town dancing on my Brussels car
pet, and cake crumbs, and melted
cream daubed all over everything"
Elsie made no answer, but her
couutenance fell.
81 wish mamma was like any one
else she said TO herselfmfke tears
obscuripg her eyes. 60 she
was ike Kate Pricketts mother,
who lets her have company every
Thursday evening. John Elton
wants to marry her. II / was mar
ried, I could have house Of my
own, and do a. / pleased"
Mother" said Mr. Hopgood, a
few weeks afterwards, with troub-
led face, sis it true that our Elsie
is out walking with John Elton,
evening after evening! He is a
worthless, dissipated fellow, and
not a fit associate for any girl"
"Mercy on us! l don't know"
said Mrs. Hopgood, with perturb-
ed face. 81 supposed she was with
Kate Pickett or Clara Montfort.
I'm a great deal too busy with pick
ling and housekeeping, to run at a
giddy girls heels the whole time.
But / am going to commence clean
ing tomorrow, and then III war
rant I'll give her enough to do to
keep her out Of mischief"
"Mother," said Isaac Hopgood,
pravely, "sometimes l think that If
we made our home little more at
tractiye to our children"
80, nonsense !" petulantly inter-
rupted his wife. 81 suppose you'd
like us to have tableaux, like Mrs.
Montfort or a magic lantern, like
the little Mickfords. Our children
haven't been brought up that way"
And Mr.. Hopgood said no more.
Mrs. Hopgood was, to use her
own expression, Gin the thick OF
the house-cleaning," the next day,
with the carpets rolled into heaps,
the floor spattered with soap-suds,
and her head tied up in a pocket
handkerchief, when the door sudden
ly opened.
"Take care of my pail OF soap