The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-05-15
cIE THE SEVEN AGES.

70 near anytuluS moic Woulu oS o"A~' /
but the above expletive was the beginning
and the end. Ny son, not quite six years
old, called by some the 'buccaneer," and
by others, "boseen," but whose given
name was Joseph. had been sent to the
adjoining apartment to mediate on his
sins. In the act of putting patch on
pair of little breeches, which had been
rent from leg to waistband In climbing
spiked, and on that account not forbidden,
fence. Twas naturally Two much occupied
to rise and discover the cause Of the prs
ouer's excitement. There had been no
noise, consequently there could be no mis-
chief. Oh, fallacy of fallacies!. What
could be more ridiculous than such a con-
clusion from such a premise! i
The ''buccaneer" had i've pairs OF
trousers, all in the same or like condl-
ton, and these were his Sunday ones.
They had been worn once to Sabbath
school, once to the park. and once on a
visit to q spiked fence. They were Sun,
day pants no longer. That morning had
bundled off all his ragged clothes to be
merded, and nothing remained between
u mic S Gown w ali day. The last was con-
sideration-hence the patching.
Remember, my son, that these are
YOUR Sunday trousers" had said, with
all the impressment l could command,
land don t climb anywhere, and don't sit
down in the dirt. Do you hear me!
"Yes, ma am. ii
"You can play for an hour in the lot, If
YOU will promise to be a good boy, and
remember what have told you"
Eyes, mann.
| "And remember, if you get into any
trouble or pick quarrel with any of the
children or strike one Of them, l shall
punish you severely"
Oh! the angel face that was lifted to
mine as | finished the last sentence.
Raphael never painted cberub that
could approach it in innocence OF express
sion. :,
"Josie never fight no MORE" said he.
"Miss Price'-Miss Price was the Angels
Sabbath School teacher-'say that its
orful wicked to fight, and great big bears,
so high''-pointing to the ceiling with his
chubby forefnger-'come down from the
great big high mountains, and eat boys
what fight, all up"
there seemed a certain safety in the NILS.
take, and let it go, for this time at
; least.
the sitting-room, this time little louder
, ard with touch Of sorrow in the tone;
ssWhat are you doing, Joseph!" | asked
with some severity.
Paying horse, mamma.
"What are you playing horse with?"
"No reply. repeated the question.
with fngs, mamma; don't be fald!
z came at last in the wheedling manner
u had grown accustomed to when there was
mischief on foot.
do YOU hear me? What kind Of
things are you playing horse with?"
"Only spenders, mamma.
A horrible thought flashed into my
mind, and at the same time a strong odol
!: of kerosene invaded my nostrils. Patche:
and scissors, breeches and spools rolled
!. out of nv lap as | few across the room
+ What | saw was this: How it had al
been managed without the slightest noise
is ONLY another conundrum which | as 9
:. mother give up without the slightest at
TEMPT at solution. Joseph had screwed
his fathers desk-chair to the top notch
and there he sat with piece OF twine II
each hand. These strings were attached
It to his fathers wedding suspenders, which
e INV own hands had embroidered. How
little dreamed, when setting these varie
gated stitches, that such fate woult
loyertake them. At that moment
twas wicked, | am sorry. butt couldn'
II help wondering why girls ever get mar
Iried.
But to resume. The suspenders wer'
skillfully and destructively fastened Z
the student-lamp, which The "buccaneer
had set on the floor minus the shade
II Whyminus the shade is gwen up with tn
rest of the juvenile conundrums. An ex
ira pull had upset the lamp, Hooded tn
>, carpet. completely saturated one suspend
er and spotted and besmeared the other
Two minutes after, Joseph was sobblng IL
le his crib, and / had gone back to N.
le patch.
y NV Heart misgave me when had agar
1t taken M NV needle. Had l not been un
necessarily harsh with the dear little fel
e, low? Strange how pathetic the littl,
Is breeches had all ut once become!
E. thought of the half-worn shoes and stock
10 ings and tiny pants like these tucked ava.
a. in drawers where none but grieving moth
ers ever 90, and-well, the patch was hin
g ished, and | would take look at the dar
q; ling whose sobbing had almost ceased
III Should ever forgive myself if-if-l
what? Oh! thought too 4 -eadful to be en-
K dured moment, and yet children die, ye
n children die, and mothers who love, evel
Ii as love, live on without them
Joseph's hands were very grlmy, and hi
at face was not much better. What with tn
u borrowed dirt on his hands, and the tear
that had diluted without purifying it. tn
r. effect was somewhat ludicrous. Their
r, wasn't a spot from chin to forehead clea
enough to kiss, so l pressed my cheek
"a the darling's sunny curls, and left him
q, have his nap out.
/ There's one Of them rowdy boys at IT,
" door, Who wants to see you minnlt,
said the cook, few minutes afterward, a
Id was beating eggs in the kitchen.
a Say, Miss Smith" said the boy. as
stepped to the door, your Joe is dow
below here fighting like everything. an
he amt got no clothes on either, he amt.
NY cherub down the street fighting
ct Nv sleeping angel outdoors in his NIGH
be gown? II did seem, under these circun
!, stances, little hard to believe, but ha,
y ing lived with nv son FIVE years and thres
I'd quarters, | ought to have been. and ger
to orally was, prepared for anything. ! FOL
n lowed the messenger the length OF tn
N block. and there in the middle Of the stree
* the center Of an admiring and enthusia,
ne tic group Of hundred or less boys, Of a
1t grades and nationalItiss, sat the cherubr
be his robe de nHif, on the breast Of youn
OF pugilist almost twice his size. One grim
ne Est chung TO the enemy's top-not, and ii
tn other was poised Just in front Of his nose
ready to descend at the slightest provocs
IN ton.
be "Aint you ashamed to be licked b
); such a little fellow as that?" cried tn
be spectators; and then [ made my va
he through the crowd and took the astonishe
.buccaneer" by the hand. 1t is possibl