Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-01-28

God had favored him wonderfully in
many ways-no. the least by any means
in having so good and wise wife, and
two such beautiful children.
! will not stop to relate the many M
| pleasant hours poor Nellie passed dur
ing the infancy of little Harry. Suffice
| it to say that George was never more
disagreeable than at this time. They
still resided at the place where they first
| went to housekeeping. Nellie never
murmured at her want Of room, or the
plainness OF the furniture, taking i. for
| granted that when her husband was
do so, aud feeling that if he were only
kind to her and his little ones she would
be happy even il her home was still
poorer than it was.
One morning George came in and
asked Nellie if she could get ready in
half an hour to look at q house with
him.
81 think" said he, "that we have
lived here long enough. We will see
if we cannot do better"
Nellie was not long in getting ready,
and they we're soon riding toward the
suburbs of the city. The house was
pleasant, set we'll back from the street,
with pretty gardenin front and climb
ing vines running over and around the
pillars of the piazza. They at once de-
cided to buy it. Nellie was delighted,
and thought, " if George would only
change his disposition what q happy
home we might have!" She said some
thing of this to him that evening, but
he did not make any answer; yet she
hoped and prayed that with the change
in homes would come change of heart
as we'll.
During the next few weeks Nellie
was very busy in getting into the new
home. Everything was finally settled
in nice order, from the kitchen to tie
attics. Her parlors were furnished in
good style. George had made many ex-
pensive additions to the furniture,
showing that he was kindly disposed
toward his family when his moods were
not upon him.
Soon after this little Nellie made her
appearance, bringing Joy to her moth
er's heart. Nellie was low obliged to
keep a servant. George was willing
she shoald save herself, and have every
thing to make her comfortable; but no
child was ever allowed to play or sing,
or even laugh aloud, when he was in
the house. She dreaded seeing her old
friends; he was silent in their presence
he left the room Or the house when
callers entered, and to ask any one to
| dinner or tea was a crime that she
would have to suffer for by his leaving
her alone through the evening. And
| yet he considered himself one of the
best OF husbands!
Things went on in this manner until
they had been married eight years.
God had blessed their lives with four
lovely children, two boys and two girls.
Georgy, the oldest, was seven, still,
pale boy ii studious habit, mature
for his age and fond of his books.
HarT was five; beautiful child, with
broa open brow, great truthful blue
eyes, and yellow curls clustering around
his temples. The next was little Nellie;
fair as Harry, and Just as forward-full
of fun and merriment; she was three
years old, and general favorite. The
next was little Josie, one year old, q
little blue-eyed thing, just beginning
to frame words. She watched the 9TH
ers and tried to initiate them. Nellie
felt rich in her little treasures, thinking
that if only George would see their
cunning ways, and enter into their lit
tie joys and sorrows, what q happy
home theirs would be. She felt afraid
that their fathers example would spoil
her boys, and perhaps drive them from
home when they become older. She
was in the habit Of telling the children
to have good romp and make all The
noise they liked before it was time for
their father to come home.
Elsie Reagan, the hired girl, loved
the little ones, and often entered into
their play. She thought it was very
hard that the poor crathurs was not
allowed to laugh and make merry as
children loved to do" So she gave
them every chance to have good time.
One evening they were having their
usual happy romp when Nellie was sur
prlsed by hearing her husbands step.
Soon he came in, and throwing himself
on lounge, he said:
"What in the name of common
sense is going on here2 You will have
the police upon US. Such bedlam !
A man had better be dead than have to
live in such an uproarl"
Nellie tried to explain that the chill
dren were only having little frolic;
tkey slept better for it; but he called
Georgy to him and said if he ever heard
such noise again he would horsewhip
him and Harry too. Little Nellie came
and tried to kiss her father, but he
pushed her away rudely. The poor
child covered down in corner, all her
merriment quenched in tears.
Supper was placed upon the table and
the little group assem- bled around the
board, each of the children with bowl
of bread and milk. After keeping 81
lence some time, little Harry spoke:
Papa. Johnny Wilson says his ia.
ther is richer than you, and you is ugly,
he said. I told him would fight him
II he called my papa ugly again"
Thus encouraged by Harry, Georgy
added:
Papa, please buy me a new ball!
| Willie Smith has got new one. It is
real nice, and his father plays ball with
him and Robbie"
"Oh," said little MALTA on.na