The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-22

to YOUR intention. He is already 80
spoiled by her, that he will not obey
and without obedience you cannot In
culcate."
81 grant, my dear sir, that there
is difficulty on that point; but maternal
weakness must then be overcome by
paternal severity" .,
"May I ask how, Mr.. Easya for it
appears to be impossible"
Impossible By heavens III make
him obey, or I'll"- Here Mr.. Easy
stopped before the word fog was fairly
out of his mouth-"Ill know the rea-
son why, DR.. Middleton.
DR.. Middleton checked his molina
ton to laugh, and replied That you
would hit upon some scheme, by which
you would obtain the necessary power
over him, I have no doubt; but what
will be the consequence The boy will
consider his mother as protector, and
you as ty rant. he will have an aver
sion to you, and with that aversion he
will never pay respect and attention to
your valuable precepts when he arrives
at an age to understand them. Now it
appears to me that this difficulty which
YOU have raised may be got over. I
know q very worthy clergyman who
does not use the birch tut I will write,
put the direct question to him, and then
# your boy is removed from the danger
arising from Mrs. Easy's over-indul'
gence, in short time he will be ready
for your more important tuition" .
81 Think" replied Mr.. Easy, after a
pause, "that what you say merits con-
sideration. I acknowledge that in con-
sequence of Mrs. Easy's nonsensical in
diligence, the boy is unruly, and will
not obey me at present; and if your
friend does not apply the rod, I will
think seriously Of sending my son John
to him to learn the elements.
The doctor had gained his point by
Aattering the philosopher.
In day he returned with letter
from the pedagogue in answer tor one
supposed to be sent to him, in
which the use of the birch was indig-
nantly disclaimed, and Mr.. Easy an
nounced to his wife, when they met that
day at testime his intentions with re-
gard to his son John.
"To school, MIR. Easya what, send
Johnny to school! q mere infant to
SCHOOL,"
"surely, my dear, you must be aware
that at nine years it is high time that he
learned to read"
"Why, he almost reads already, Mr..
Easy surely can teach him that. Does
he not, Sarah2"
"Lord bless him, yes, ma'am, he was
saying his letters yesterday"
"Oh, Mr.. Easy, what can have put
this in your heada Johnny, dear, come
here-tell me now what's the letter A
You were singing it in the garden
this morning"
"1 wantsome sugar, replied Johnny,
stretching his arm over the table to the
sugar basin, which was out of his reach.
"Well, my love, you shall have a
great lump if you will tell me what's the
letter A."
ga was an archer, and shot at a frog, "
replied Johnny, in surly tone.
"There now, Mr.. Easy and he can
go through the whole alphabet-can't
he. Sarah 2"
"That he can, the dear-can't you,
Johnny dear 2"
"No," replied Johnny.
Yes, you can, my love you know
what's the letter B. Now, don't you p
"Yes," replied Johnny.
"There, Mr.. Easy, you see what the
boy knows, and how obedient he is, too.
Come, Johnny dear, tell uswhat was B ?"
"No, I won't" replied Johnny, 81
want some more sugar ;" and Johnny,
who had climbed on chair, spread him
self over the table to reach it.
"Mercyl Sarah, pull him of-he'll
upset the urn," screamed Mrs. Easy.
Sarah caught hold of Johnny by the
loins to pull him lack, but Johnny, re-
sisting the interference, turned round
on his back as he lay on the table, and
kicked Sarah in tho face, just as she
made another desperate grasp at him.
The rebound from the kick, given as he
lay on smooth mahogany table, brought
Johnny's head in contact with the urn,
which was upset in the opposite direc-
ton, and Notwithstanding rapid move
ment on the part of Mr.. Easy, he re-
ceived sufficient portion of boiling
liquid on his legs to scald him severely,
and induce him to stamp and swear in
very unphilosophical way. In the
meantime Sarah and Mrs. Easy had
caught up Johnny, and were both hold
ing him at the same time, exclaiming
and lamenting. The pain OF the scald,
and the indifference shown toward him,
were too much for MIR. Easy's temper to
put up with. He snatched Johnny out
of their arms, and quite forgetting his
equality and rights of man, belabored
him without mercy. Sarah flew in to
interfere, and received blow which
not only made ber see thousand stars,
but sent her reeliug to the floor. Mrs.
Easy went off into Mysteries, and John.
ny howled so as to be heard at quarter
of mile.
How long Mr.. Easy would have con-
tiuued it is impossible to say; but the
door opened, and Mr.. Easy looked up
while still administering the punish
ment, an.r perceived DR.. Middleton in
mute astonishment. He had promised
to come in to tea, and enforce Mr..
Easy's arguments, if it were necessary ;
but it certainly appeared to him that,
in the argument which Mr.. Easy was
then enforcing, he required no assist,
ance. However, at the entrance of DR..
Middlet ton, johnny was dropped, and
lay roaring on the floor !; Sarah, too, re-
NAMED where she had been foorel,
Mrs. Eey had rolled to the floor, tho
urn was also on the floor, and Mr.. Easy,
although not foored, had not leg to
stand upon.
Never did medical man look in moro
opportunely. Mr.. Easy at first was not
certainly OF that opinion but his legs
became SO painful that lie soon became
a convert.
Mr.. Middleton, IS in duty bound,
first picked up Mrs. Easy and laid her
on the sofa. Sarah rose, picked up
Johnny, and carried him kicking and
roaring out Of the room !; in return for
which attention she received sundry
bites. The footman, who had an
nounceG the doctor, picked up the urn,
that being all that was in his depart
ment. MI. Easy threw himself painting
and in agony on the other sofa, and
DR.. Middleton was excessively embar-
rassed how to act; he perceived that
Mr.. Easy required his assistance, and
that Mrs. Easy could do without it but
how to leave lady who WAS half really
and half rletcndedly in Mysteries. was
,3,fEo,1t f$,y if ha attamnkal to leave