Huntsville gazette., 1884-11-22
!. MIR. .HUFFY.
Let US Hope There Are Not Many
s.!l Like Him.
How He Greets His Fsmily-His Wife and
Children Dread His Home Coming
Huny at Home Not Huffy on
the Street.


and gentlemanly everywhere except at
home. They are kind and considerate,
to everybody except members Of their
samily. Probably because they can not
bulldoze anybody else they abuse and i'll
use their own families
Mr.. Huffy, of Austin, Tex, is that
kind Of man. His children fear him
and dread his coming. His wife is in
!. state of terror as long as he is in the
: house For instance, the children are
allplaying andromping, when the moth.
!. er suddenly exclaims: 'Hush, children,
papa is coming"
John, the eldest son, boy of ten, has
tied two chairs together, and is playing
that it IS a stage attacked by Indians.
The celerity with which he unfastens
those chairs and puts them in their
places is truly wonderful A little girl
:: is playing on the floor with a plate and
a spoon. She hurSies her playthings
out Of sight. All Ae playthings are
hidden, and the children look as Solemn
as if they were at Sunday-school, when
the door opens, and Mr.. Huffy appears.
One of the children has got slate, but
in the hurry has not been able to secure
a pencil, and is doing imaginary sums
with her fingers. The oldest boy is
bending over his book. A'dead silence
pervades the room. Even the mother
is hard at work sewing. Nobody moves
Everything is in order in the room, ex-
cept that teaspoon is lying on the floor
1t is now too late to pick it up. -.
The head of the family enters. There
is scowl upon his face, and he glares
around like some wild animal. He is a
spare man, with sharp features and
discontented expression. He places his
: cane in the corner, and rsglares around
the room to see if there is anything with
which he can find fault. He sees the
teaspoon, and smiles sardonically.
"Who threw that spoon down on the
Hoor?'
Nobody dares, reply.
: ''Who threw that spoon on the floor?'
he asked, in a louder tone of voice. He
glares at his unfortunate wife, who has
about made up Der mind to assume the
responsibility and shield the children,
when little Molly speaks up and says:
Il did, papa o-
''You did it, did you? And you
know you left it there, and you were too
cussed lazy.to pick it up. Pick it up
now, will your 80.
The child, almost scared out of her
wits, moves slowly in the direction of
the spoon, but. she is afraid to reach
down and pick it up, for he is standing
right over it.
"You lazy little beast Are you go
ing to pick it up, or shall l box your
ears for you?''
She reaches down to pick up the
spoon, but he has captured her ear.
which he pinches until she screams for
pain.
'.pll teach you to leave things living
around on the floor giving her ear
another twist. ''Will you keep quiet,
or do you want me to give you some
thing to howl about?' H
But. husband, the poor child only
dropped the spoon .on the floor"
''Will you, or will you not shut your
mouth? When want your advice I'll
ask you for it. If, instead of interfer-
ing with me when / am correcting the
children, you would teach them to be
decent, perhaps would not be obliged
to chastise- them. It's you who en-
courages them in their wickedness. Is |
q teaspoon toy? Why don't you give
them my watch to play with? Don't
teaspoons cost money, Ell? Who sup
ports this familyP Do you ever earn
any money!"
Mrs. Huffy resumes her sewing in
silence.
Speak up, Isay!'' says Huffy, stamp
ing his foot.
''But Molly didn't do anything ex-
cept--"
(, "Keep quiet. will you Who wants
your advice! Just as soon as l put my
foot in the house you have to start !.
row" -.
Mrs. Hudy sighs, and resumes her
sewing. '-''<. -
:. Mr. Huffy walks up to the table,
where the eldest boy is studying his les
sons.
.'You worthless, trifing, child.
haven't ] told you forty times not to