The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-04-08
THE GRUMBLER'S BOOK.

it should be. The sun shone too bright
y, or not brightly enough; the grass
should have been blue, instead of green,
and the sky green, instead of blue. At
church she observed that the minister's
necktie was awry, the singing bad, the
organ out of tune, and 1.-THE old church
never looked so shabby and old-fash-
Toned before" At home, they ''never
had things as other folks had them"
The parlor carpet was old-fashioned
and worn, every room in the house was
too small, and she was 'tired to death
OF those everlasting old stoves, when
everybody else in town has CRATES"
The same spirit of complaint went with
her to school, where she found cross
teachers, lessons longer than had ever
before been given, and emo sense in
them anyway" :
"What sense can there be in that in
tolerable naesasG, naesssg, nse'sscy, men,
sam, nse,ssG, naensa, I should like to
know"
"Ansa. A,sne, An,scy, Annanp! What
has come over the spirit of your dreams
latelya It seems to me you've been an
accusative case long enough. Can't
something be done TO remove the blue
glasses from your eyes, SO you may see
things~as they really arer" This from
Brother Fred.
"That girl must be miserable in order
to be happy" remarked Uncle John, as
Anna left the room.
Fred resumed his reading. He was
following Captain Burnaby on his ride
to- Khiva," and had just finished the
Captains account of riding "a camel in
love-" when he overheard his petulant
sister severely reprimanding certain
geranium, which had obstinately refused
to blossom.
"See here, SIS" he called, "you've
found some fault with everything that
has crossed your path for week past;
and I'll acknowledge I've worn blue
glasses q part Of the time myself. It
relieves one immensely to say just what
he thinks once in while, and must
confess I rather enjoy it. However, I
am aware that mater. fansilias is not at
all pleased with some of the outspoken-
ness INDUCED in by her children, and
I've been casting about for some plan
which would enable you and ! to sputter
to our hearts content, and still not
offend the mother; and I've hit on just
such plan. Want to hear itp''
The serio-comic air with which Fred
delivered this speech brought smile to
Anna face, in spite of her efforts to
keep on frown; and curiosity to learn
his "plan'' prompted her to give an
affirmative reply.
"Wel," said Fred, turning back a
few pages in his ''Ride to Khiva,"
listen to this. Captain Burnaby,
describing the station-houses along the
road which he travelled in Russia, says,
among other things: "A book in which
to inscribe complaints was kept, and
any traveller who felt himself aggrieved
would write down his grievance, which
would be subsequently investigated by
an inspector, whose duty it was to per-
form this task once a month Now, 1
propose that you and I keep q grum-
bler's book, and, instead of splitting out
our grievances as fast as they come to
US, causing the mother sore heart and
everybody else a great deal of annoy
ance, we will write them in this book.
Then we will constitute Uncle John in
spector, and it shall be his duty to in
vcstigate the contents of the grumbler's
book every Saturday night, in the pres
ence of the entire family. What do
you say to writing book in this wayp"
Fred was obliged to wait a moment
for reply to his question. The fact
was, Anna did not feel at all inclined to
favor this project, for she realized that,
in a measure, the so-called satisfaction
arising from speaking ones complaints
would be lost in an attempt to write
them; for really there was more truth
than there seemed to be in Uncle
Johns remark that she must be mis-
cradle in order to be happy" All
grumblers will understand this. More
over, the idea that all her complaints
for q week were to be brought before
the family every Saturday night did not
seem to her quite a pleasant one. Still,
after moment or two, she remarked
to Fred that if he was willing to do his
grumbling in this way she would under
take it, too; and the matter was settled.
On the following Monday morning a
blank book was given to Fred by his
uncle, and placed Fred and Anna only
knew where. Mrs. Parker was not in
the "secret," and, as day after day
passed and no word of complaint was
heard from either Fred or Anna, her
surprise almost equaled her delight.
Only mother placed in exactly the
same situation can realize what q week
that was for Mrs. Parker.
Saturday night came in due time. All
were gathered Ground the evening
lamp" busted in various ways, Mrs.
Parker, Uncle John and Fred absorbed
in their occupations. Anna, however,
appeared restless as leaf, taking up
now this, now that piece of work, turn
ing the leaves of several books, but too
uneasy to undertake to read; and final
" she was forced to inquire:
FIRED, will the inspector attend to
his duty tonight"
Mrs. Parke: glanced at Anna with
wondering look, evidently bewildered
by her question; and she was not at all
enlightened when Fred, closing his
book, remarked, with,a merry twinkle
in his eye:
"Guess, as he's q Russian parsonage,
he's either frozen to death or has been
eating too much"
Uncle John laid aside his writing,
and, looking up, with laugh, said:
. Bring the book, Fred, and the in
spector will be ready for duty at once.
You know. Sister," he continued. as
Fred left the room, !" that Fred has
literary turn Of mind. and his great am
biti0n is to write book. Well, he has
commenced his book this week" :,
my book, rather interrupted
Anna; for I've written nearly all o.
it."
1.-THE fact is," continued Uncle John.
Fred has read somewhere OF grum-
bler's book, kept at the station-houses
| in Russia; and he and Anna have con-
Guided to keep . book of complaints.
and thus enjoy the pleasure OF grum-
bling without annoying others. l be-
| lieye the Russians have inspectors TO
investigate their grumblers' books at
stated times, and these young people
have asked me to take up this role,
| making my investigation every Satur-
day night"
ssT6is accounts. then, for the small
| ennx,nt ~ fanlt,f3ndinn have heard