Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-10-03

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IS be finished screwing new lock 20
his front door. Sam. of course, needn't l
have said 'slhat's a pet, unless he
liked; but ne used 20 think that il was
. great shame that women were called
al sorts Of pretty names before they
we're married, but none Afterwards
s'T say says Sam. "many Of The
poor creatures are cheated with them
three pretty names; poor folks they
think they'll always get them; but they
become mighty scarce. after the hnger
/ i e Ia. .r;;s.e y
80 doss s.Is 5 Il .slse aamss
Sam called his vile before they were
married; but now be called her ''pet;"
and as soon as she heard the loving
word, she threw down her duster on the
chair. and sped of to the kitchen for
the flask. The flask had feather In
it, as such TASKS generally have; and
Sam taking the sand feather between
bis fore-fnger and thumb, oiled the
key of the street-door right well, and
then locked il and unlocked it dozen
times. At first 1t went stiff and required
some strength of wrist to turn it; but,
as it was worked to and fro, and the
oil began TO make its way into the
wards, il worked more and more easily.
At last, Tommy, Sans little son,
who was standing by, was able to turn
it almost with touch; and then Sam
pronounced that it would do.
The operation finished, Sam thought
he'd Just give his knife a touch Of the
end of the feather; less than a drop out
of the flask would do; just a mere touch
that was all il wanted: and presently, to
young Tommy's great delight, the father
made the blade go up and down, click,
click. Tommy evidently approved ofthe
result, for he began TO click with his
tongue and the roof oil his mouth. IN
imitation; and how long he might have
delayed his father, we can't tell, IT 1t
were not that Mrs. Parsons caught him
up in her arms and made of with him.
she calling Tommy a "saucy rogue, ="
and kissing him on the way, and he on
his part click, clicking, as though his
mouth were a cutters shop and you
were opening and shutting every knife
IN it.
Some folks might think that Sam Par
sons had done enough IN the oiling way
for one day; but there was one thing
! more to 6o, and then he would be quite
ready to take his potatoes to Market
One or two of the wheels of the wagon
had been trifle creaky, and SO he took
the grease pot, and gave them a touch
| Of IFS contents. You could have rolled
all he put on them into the size OF a
couple of marbles, but it was quite
enough; the wheels gave over their
creaking. If the old proverb be true,
"SIlence gives consent" no doubt they
approved of what Sam had done.
"Now. then, I'm of TO market" said
Sam. GOOD bye, Jennie, pet" On
that little word "pet," didn't the cum
ming fellow oil his wife's temper and
even almost her vcryjoints. for her day 5
work, when he called her that little
name, "Good bye, Tommy, my dari-
ing" Oh, you cunning man, there
YOU are with your oiled feather again;
for when Tommy was naughty, and his
mother reminded him that she must tell
his father when he came home, and
"lather would be sore grieved II his
darling was naughty" wasn't Tommy
good for, child though he was, he was
able to reason thus much in has mind;
Tommy is fathers darling, and he Won't
vex him; darlings ought not to vex those
who love them. Never mind, good
reader, if there's flaw in the logic,
nursery logic is some tunes very funny
reasoning, but it answered the purpose:
naughty Tommy became good, and
| click-clicked about the house as merry
as a cricket, instead of sprawling and
bawIing on The ground; and all because
his father happened to call him "darl-
ing" before he went out.
al say, Polly" said Sam Parsons to
hIs one scrvant-maid, as he left the
house, "don't forget TO clean up those
irons, If you can manage it, there's a
good lass: you'll find the oi!-aask hang
ing behind the Kitchen door," And so,
with a cheerful smile on his counte-
nance, Sam Parsons took his departure
for market. Ali cunning Sam; before
he went he oiled bis wife and child, and
now he oiled his servant-maid; and W hen
he turned his back upon bis own door,
he left smiling faces and glad hearts be-
hind him, and I warrant, he found them
all smiling TO receive him when he came
home.
"I have great faith in oIl," said Sam
Parsons; 81 oil almost everything; this
very morning oiled the lock OF my
street-door, and nv penknife, and
creased my wagon wheels; and oiled
my wife and child; and | gave the SER
vant-maid a touch too; and tell you
what il is, neighbor Joe, | slip along fa-
mousIy, where find many anoihersticks
fast"
"Rusty Joe's" torn nail seemed 70
give him fresh twinge when the pen
knife was spoken about; and so as TO
the wife, his conscience reminded him
how bearishly he behaved to her at
breakfast.
What do you mean BY oiling your
wife, man p said Rusty joe" rather
fartly; ''you havn't been sneaking, have
you, aud knocking under to a woman 2"
and Rusty Joe" edged away from
Polished Sans" side, as though he
were near some shiny serpent.
''No, indeed" answered Sam, i've
not been knocking any way, neither
over nor under; but Just gave her and
the bantling a loving word before /
started from home: and ] said kind