Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-10
AN UNFINISHED TALE.

MT. I1drhlHS ldlu uOWU his hHlIe anu
fork at the supper table and said to his
wife and daughter
GIVE got something to say, and l want
you folks to pay strict attention, because l
don't want to tell the story over three or
four times, as generally have to do
1t had been Harkins' experience that
when he started to tell anything he al
ways had to tell it over again, and he was
getting tired of it.
Mrs. FL. bristled up at once, and init.
mated that she would like to know the
time when he couldn't talk and they
wouldn't listen.
The daughter thought pa was acting
shamefully.
"Ma and me always listen, she added.
Well" said Harkins, catching his
wife's eye, "Mrs. Browbeaker was in
from the country to-day, and her four
children were with her"
s.'That girl has made the tea too
strong" interrupted Mrs. Harkins, going
out to the kitchen to get some hot water.
"Had her four children with her"
continued Harkins to his daughter.
"They came in the old family carriage
and came to my office. Mrs. B. said she
thought it was time her husband was
making his will, and asked me-"
Who's that that has made his will?"
interrupted Mrs. Harkins, as she returned
from the kitchen.
"Mr. Browbeaker, ma" said the
daughter.
"Who said Browbeaker had made his
will ?" asked Harkins, glazing at his
daughter.
"Why didn't you say so, pa?"
81 said Mrs. Browbeaker asked me if it
wasn't time he was making will. That's
about as near as you women ever come to
anything"
"Why, was Mrs. Browbeaker in town
to-day ?" said Mrs. Harkins.
Land of Goshen, woman didn't tell
you she was?" exclaimed Harkins.
James," said Mrs. Harkins, speaking
to the Oldest boy, "you must go out to
Mrs. Browbeakers tomorrow. L want
that recipe of hers for picking. She
promised it to me long ago"
81 says to Mrs. Browbeaker," continued
Harkins, "that thought her husband was
good for a good many years yet, how
ever"
"Ma," said the daughter, "that sum-
mer silk of mine is torn. / wish you
would mend it."
81 told you two or three days ago that
you shouldn't wear that dress. You are
the most careless child l ever saw
However" continued Harkins, 1 told
her. however, it might be well for him to
draw up the document. There's no telling
when death will overtake u.s.
"Why, who is dead now, Mr.. Har-
kins ?" asked Mrs. H.
Nobody. l war telling you about
Browbeaker"
"0h, yes, what did you say he came to
town for?''
81 didn't say he came to town, snapped
Harkins. 81 said Mrs. B. and the chill
dren were in"
"Well, you needn't to snap a body's
head off, " replied Mrs. Harkins, bristing
up. You said that when l was out.
What bill is this she wants to collect? ?"
81 said, replied Harkins, with frown,
81 said that she was here to see about
her husband making will"
"When was she here?"
"This morning."
"Ohl"
Mrs. Browbeaker agreed with me"
said Harkins, taking up the thread of his
narrative, and said she had noticed of
late that Mr.. B. showed signs of failing
health. He was getting white, and his
constitution was never of the strongest
She asked me to invite Browbeaker to run
into the office some time"
Here Mrs. Harkins, who had been
keeping up conversation with the daugh-
ter about the singing of the church choir,
chirruped:
La, me, what does he want to run for
office for?"
"Well, I'm gormed," said Harkins,
thrusting his hands deep into his pants
pockets, stretching his legs out under the
table and staring Indignantly, "who
under the canopy said anything about
running for office? / said run into
my office; but that's near enough
close as you ever get to anything. By
George it was only the other day I'intro-
duced you to Rev. Mr.. Lambkin, and in ten
minutes you We're calling him Dr. Sheep
skim You can't even quote that old Pin
afore gag, hardly ever, correctly. You
you-by jings p and, finding he couldn't
do justice to the subject, he reapsed, with
his chin on his bosom and his ears down
below his collar
And then it would have made the an
cient martyrs ashamed of themselves to
see the air of patience and resignation
these women put on as they talked of the
blue blood in their veins, and cited the
plebeian stock from which the Hardness
sprang, and guessed they had been around,
ard seen something in their lives, and al
lowed it was pity if they couldn't speak
above whisper when the head OF the fam
lily was around.-Ilowa State Register.
| IT is in accordance with the fitness oil
things that a cradle should be necessary
implement of husband-ry.