The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1880-09-04
THE SPONGE FAMILY's HOLIDAY.

The summer holiday is each year be-
coming more and more Of 4 social ne
cessity. Whether for long or short
term all city folks must go to the coun-
try. Some patronize the large and cost
~ hotels, while others with less capa-
cious pockets but with stomachs Of equal
capacity with those of the people who
put more money in circulation seek
health and fatness in the private board
ing houses. But there is large class Of
pleasure seekers, more thrifty than eith-
er of these, who are averse to squander-
ing their precious dollars on hostelries
OF any kind. Having relations who live
in the country these people plan visit,
the only expense Of which will be the
transportation Of themselves and their
baggage. In the assurance that their
country cousins will be delighted to see
them they go in full force-fathcr, moth
er, several young children and the baby.
ltis by no means an unusual thing for such
people also to infiict on their rural rela-
iions nurse whose business i; is TO take
care Of the baby. When the relations
are plain people who live on i farm and
attend in person TO most Of their house
hold work, the nurse girl is one of the
chief burdens involved in the entertain
ment Of the party, especially il she be
given toputting on city airs, is she gen.
orally is.
We are told that .ihc ASsyrian came
down like the wolf on the fold" and
this is the way in which the Sponge
Family bestows itself on its country re
laiions. True, the citizens do not conc
with that hostility Which animated the
army OF Benhadad when encamped be-
fore Samaria. The result, however, is
much the same. The arriving army has
neglected TO send any word of its in
tended movements. Its leaders have
supposed that country people were al
ways al home ard always ready. The
city man knows that milk and vegcia-
hles and other produce come form the
country and that they are raised on
farms. That it can be any trouble OF
expense TO farmers TO prepare these
things for the months Of hungry guests
does not occur to him. Therefore, with
his family, he dcsccnds on his victims
about noon on washday Horror seizes
the farmers wife Is the perSpiring rcla-
tions are discerned coming up the lane.
City people can in emergency send TO
the neighbOring grocer and butcher and
make immediate provision for sudden
guests. In the country il is different.
The fowls which would have been in
prisoned for faiiening and slaughter, had
the unwelcome visitors been expected,
are running If large, wiihou, suspicion
OF the doom awaiting them. Their
luckleSS necks must be twisted that din
ner may be ready in an hour. Mean
time the city folks tell the farmer wife
not TO put herself ont It all on their ac-
count, and not TO make any company Of
them. She thinks they have come for
dinner only. and will surely go home by
the afternoon or evening train. But
while II dinner her distress reaches H.
climax on the arrival Of ! wagon load OF
trunks and bundles. She then discovers
that her kinsfolk have come TO sit down
on her for two weeks. 4; first her heart
sinks within her, but she Is revived by
though OF the delights which awzi;
her and her people next winter, when
they will run up 70 town and pass few
weeks with the city folks and enjoy the
style OF sojourning in i city house,
whose front Is vencrrcd from pavcTnen;
TO cOrnicc with thin slabs of brown stone
Visions of eCsiaoy fit through her mind
II she Secs herself and family invited 20
shows OF all kinds, such as country peO-
pie rarely see in the vicinity OF their
homes. She tells her guests she is glad
to see them. She bids them make them
scl.cs II home, which, with aPpeii;eS
stimulated by country air and scenes.
they ai once proceed TO do. She sets
before them her bcsi and plenty OF H.
Il ylniShes = vegetation before the al
iaok Of the army woTm- The children
have the run of the place The boys
eat green apples and are sick Then
they recoyer and find their WAY into all
sorts Of mischief. They cut their legs
by meddling with the scyihe- ley are
kicked nearly TO death when irving 10
pull hairs on; OF the horscs' tails. They
try To- Sxim in the creek and are iShe'i
out half drowned. The girls search the
woods for ferns and berries and find
snakes and poison ivy instead The
baby catches cold, and the nurse girl IS
angry because put to sleep in dimly
lighted garrett where there 5 neither gas
burner nor w1ier-Pipcd washS;and, with
choice OF hot or cold wafer.
At last the t~O weeks expire Wels-
laden with baskets Of the choicest. hand
picked pears and Teaches the city folks
return home. heaving several Sighs Is
they go over the disoomfOTts Of the oOun
Try. As they ay farewell TO the ocun-
tTy cousins, Who have, II great inoOn-
venience. entertained them, old Mr.
Sponge remarks 20 the farmers wife
NOS. Maria, remember that Il YOU
ever $hOuld happen 20 come TO the city
YOU will call on us. wont YOU ?? As :
snail ShTinks into its shell MaSa with
draws into her oxn inner consciousness,
and IS the Sponge Family disappear over
the hill on the road 10 the railroad St1-
iiOn, she and all hers speed the parting
guests by shaking their fists, dISsOEting
their faces and using several urzihfzi
exp-cSsiOas which would not appear vel
IN psini.-PSZEGnltiis ZE-4s-
H-A poor SeIIO~ fairly danced xiih
joy when the dOctOr told him he had
Bright disezsc- ..Whz; will the Smith
girl Say nOES' he exclzined- tTiun-
ph1n;lv. ..She always Said there ~Rs
nothing bright abou; me- No. ] goes
not b; the doctors oe-1ifCz,e ulll