Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-05-18
How the Teacher was trapped.

0OW OAo AOeSSAAVA was IuDDcNl,
Mr.. Johnson, the high-school teacher
in Brigham, vas a first-rate teacher,
and if his obituary had been written, no
doubt it would have been declared him
to be a "kind husband and father" But
he was a man of peculiarities for all
that, and one was a disapprobation of
kid gloves. Unnecessary extrava-
gence." he called them, unhealthy, in
conyient, inadmissable." T
Now, his twin daughters, Prue and
Patty, being just fifteen, naturally
thought otherwise, kid gloves being to
the average young miss what water is to
ducks. But all their wishes was of no
avail. In winter their delicate hands we're
''made into paws" as Prue declared,
with mittens, while in summer they
were allowed nothing daintier than isle
thread. IT.
One lucky day for them. when things
had rolled smoothly at school, when the
wind vas in the west, the coffee was
clear, the steak "done to a turn" and all
those tribes that make angels, or the re-
verse, of US were favorably bent, Mr..
johnson announced at dinner that he
thought it would be an excellent plan to
form a Speech Improvement Society;
said society to consist of the family
alone: the object to be, as the name inn
piled, correctness ofspeech. It was hard
ly to be supposed that the president of
the society could be guilty of a lapsus
lingu@, but it might be interesting to
know how many mistakes ordinary peo-
pie are liable to make in one week.
but supposing papa" said daring
Prue, "supposing the sky should fall, or
that you should be guilty of an inaccur-
acy, as you say, what then?"
my daughter" said her father be-
nignly, "in such case I am safe in prom
Using n reasonable reward you may
claim"
kid gloves?" ventured Patty.
II am safe, l think, in saying yes"
said her father.
II choose p%earl-colored." cried Prue.
81 would have brown" said Patty.
"AndI would like drab," added Mrs.
Johnson. This was at noontime.
When Mr. johnson came home at
night, he inquired how soon tea would
be ready.
"Just as soon as the kettle boils," re-
piled his wife, pleasantly.
Error onel" exclaimed the teacher,
with such a crushing sense of superiority
that his wife and daughters wondered
atthey ever dared dream ofkid gloves.
at is astonishing" said Mr.. johnson,
"how people will persist in talking of
boiled tea-kettles' for supper. This is an
instance Of many inaccuracies that are
in daily use. l think our improvement
society will be q success"
Meek Mrs. johnson said nothing more
during supper.
Right across the street from them
lived an elderly widow. who was quite
alone. and who was the object of many
attentions from the neighbors.
That night a snowfall whitened the
sidewalks. MIR. johnson was an active
and prudent IA He was up betimes,
and cleared his own walk, then put his
head in at the door long enough to say
1 have shoveled the old lady out"
"When you get her comfortably aboard
the shovel" retorted Prue, ''you might
bring her in to see us, and hand our kid
gloves IN ct the same time"
1t was q subdued, but very agreeable
husband and father that came into
breakfast somewhat late, bringing three
nice little bundles, which he laid beside
the plates of his wife and daughters.
Prue and Patty found t heir favorite
shades in number five French kids, and
Mrs. johnson rejoiced in a whole box Of
dainty gloves.
II am Of the opinion on the whole"
said the teacher, ''that criticism within
the family circle is undesirable. In fact
l have madeu up my mind to drop the
teacher henceforth when l open my
door, and you may boil the tea-kettle,'
my dear, whenever you please.
So that was how the kid gloves were
earned. I'm