The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-03-09
wholesome Fun at Home.

read it again to make sure he had not
left ungleaned any of the wisdom en-
balmed therein.
That sounds like good solid horse
sense" he exclaimed, slapping his thigh
by way of emphasis, and then he took
of his spectacles and paced the floor
with his hands under his coattails while
he pondered the matter over.
That's the most sensible doctrine
Eve struck for many day. Solomon
didn't occupy all the ground quite, after
all. Fun at home-of course-why not?
There's time for everything, | reckon
certainly there is; but it's precious lit
tie fun we've ever had at our house.
The time for the Jubilee has come, and
we'll have it right at home, and let the
children take hand in it. It'll do 'em
good-it'n be good medicine for Mrs. G. S
rheumatism-it'll be wholesome for my
stomach, and who knows but it'll cure
me of that plague-taken sleeplessness
I've been suffering from lately-itll do
us all good Hurrah whoop-pee! no
more dull, dreary, lonesome evenings.
No, sir-ee-we've had enough of that.
Down with the blues, and up with the
the-ah-well, no matter; We'll turn
home into playhouse, and all take
hand. Business shan't get farther than
the door-step--no care and worry gets
inside after this-not bit of it-noth-
ing there but love and music, mirth and
jollity-and fun-ha-ha-ha = yes, sir,
and boisterous fun, too -rip-roaring,
noisy fun-laughing and squealing, and
lodging around, bouncing out from cor
ners, and all that-myl how the young
sters will yelp and tear around wnen |
tell EN- to sail in. Pve always had a
hard time keeping EN- quiet, but I'll
give 'em free license after this. This
man says it's the best medicine that
ever went into family. And | rather
think he's right about it. Well give it
a trial, anyhow, and we'll commence
this very night, too-ha-ha-hap and
Mr. Creadles laughed long and loud in
pleased expectancy, and rubbed his
hands gleefully as he set about devising
all sorts of schemes to promote merri-
ment around the ireside.
From that moment he was a different
man; smiles and mods and good words
for everybody On his way home in the
crowded street car he did not for an in
slant feel cross and crabbed-as was
quite frequently the case-though he had
to stand up good part OF the way. He
was bland and beaming to every one
helping this lady out with her heavy
basket, and asking the wheezy old gen
tleman to edge up little and make
room for that one.
Upon reaching home he greeted his
wife with so much jollity and cordiality
that she very much feared for a short
time he had been drinking. The chill
dren, too, could not at first understand
the strange conduct of their father,
who was pinching their cheeks, nudging
them in the ribs, throwing them on the
floor, and piling one upon the other,
rolling them around, humping their
heads lightly together, and all sorts of
freaks Of that kind, never displayed be-
fore. They liked it, though, and in a
little while forgot all about their timid-
ity and joined in the sport in real
earnest. .E"f Fttf
After tea was over, and the family
had got back to the sitting room, Mr..
Creadles said
"Come on, now, youngsters; let's
have a romp, and jolly good time.
Here we go! Whoop-pee! Look out
there, Tommy, I'll have you'll Spry,
lilly, Pm after you'll Steady, there,
Dickey, I've got an eye on you, too.
Now, then, all hands--away we GO
look out for me--Pm comingW
And he did come. The stately Mr..
Creadles, ordinarily SO full of dignity,
was chasing and bouncing around the
room, and roaring and laughing, with no
more thought or care for appearances
than "a professional jester, while the
children clapped their hands in glee,
and cackled, and screamed, and jumped
up and down, and scampered, and tum-
b1ed down, and rolled around, and
lodged behind mother, and under the
furniture, and over behind the door,
and every other place where they could
hide and dodge out and seize him
around the legs when he wasn't looking.
And Mrs. Creadles-bless her sweet
face-how she did enjoy the scene-the
happiest to her for many day. Her
eyes sparkled and danced with Joy and
grew as bright as those of the little
ones, as she laughed and laughed till
she almost cried, and held the baby up
SO that it could see. And the little fel-
low was not passive spectator either,
not by any manner of means. He
crowed, and tossed his hands, and
gurgled, and jumped, and nearly
bounded out of his mothers arms several
times, SO anxious was he to have hand
in the Jubilee. And then, when Mr..
Creadles was almost out of breath, and
had his necktie. torn of, and his collar
hanging by one button, and sat down
putting and blowing, to rest, as the little
ones, with rosy faces and dancing eyes,
clambered up on his lap and on his
shoulders, and over his back and all
around, wherever they could find room,
and pulled his whiskers, and poked his
ears, and told him what good, kind
papa he was, and how much they loved
him, great yelling drops of Joy came
and stood in his eyes as he kissed them
one by one, and then reached over for
the baby, and brought mamma along
with it, and then when she struck
up little home song how they all
Joined in and sang it as it never had
been before. @
"Home," said Mr.. Creadles, "God
bless our home, and keep us long to-
gether, and God bless the man, too, who
inspired me to bring Joy into it-may
his own hearthstone long remain I'M
broken"
And the custom so happily inaugu-
rated Mr.. Creadles continues to keep up.
That's whyhis appearance has undergone
such a change for the better that his
best friends hardly know him.