St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-01-12

MI. Jones Has an Evening At Home.
''Maria," said Mr.. Jones as he sa
and enjoyed an evening at home--be
cause he had NO place else to go-..i
seems to M that on a suspicious occa
s on like this and he looked fondly a
her-'as if Heaven ana home We're an
nonymous terms.
.Sin-onomous," corrected Mrs. Jones
taking several pins and ball Of twin,
out of her mouth and placing a patel
on that part of Willie's pants where i
would do the most good. 'Jeptha
why don't you read aloud evenings, in
stead of keeping all the good things t.
yourself2'
..Is reading allowed?" asked Jones
innocently. Il thought you preferred
20 talk?''
''Well, I do" snapped Mrs. j.,
''when | have somebody to talk to
which isn't very often"
I'm read" exclaimed Jones. hurri
edly reversing the book he held in his
hand-.And it came to pass
''Save that for Sunday" interrupted
Mrs. Jones. "Read some sweet thing
about home, or the friends; some poe:
try. love to hear poetry, Jephtha, -
with sly wink at nobody.
Thus encouraged, Jones, who is an
amateur elocutionist and has fired the
neighborhood with his dramatic read
ings in times past, till the neighbors
threatened to fire him, seized volume
of poetry and, in the voice that made
Freedom shrek when kosciusco fell, -
read aloud that touching poem begin
ming:
(which shall it be, which shall it be,
Hooked at John-John looked at me-"
There was silence which could have
been felt with rolling pin when Jones
ceased to read, and wiped the foam
fiecks from his pallid lips, and Maria
was in tears.
Il know you've Weakened the boys"
she said. in voice that sounded small
and still after his, land they'll want q
drink"
1.-The children!' murmured Jones,
with fixed eyes, 1.-THE dear, sweet chill
dren! M-M-Mara. do we 'preciate
these dear ones as we ought top
81 do" said Mrs. Jones. shortly. al
hear them talking now-where's my
slipper"
mo, Maria" returned Jones. whose
soul was melted within him by his eff
forts in the line of elocution, Twill go
and see if the innocent darlings need
anything" And he went up stairs soft
~. repeating with Salvini-Rossi- Booth
effect:
(which shall it be, which shall it be?
looked at John-John looked at me-
The innocent darlings'' heard him
coming, and, desisting from a pillow
fight in which they were engaged, they
bur ed their heads in the sheets and
were instantly sound asleep, looking
like dimpled cherubs, with an occa-
sional snore to assert their relation to
the human. Jones wiped the salt tears
of love and elocution from mis- eyes, and
bent fondly over them; then he crept
out and waited a moment in the hall to
listen to their gentle breathing; sudden
ly it ceased.
Then dreadful suspicion haunted
Jones-they had been playing 'possum,
the little wret"hes; he waited.
lis the old man gomez were the
words of Cherub No. 1, as soon as he
got the sheet out of his mouth.
yep answered Cherub No. 2.
g He was a-crying, Willie. Amt he q
duffer. thought
''l'll strike him for five cents to-
see if / don'tr'
'Oh. he'll be himself again to-mor-
row, Willie; he'll stamp around and |
say: Get out of my way, little imps,'
just as he allus does. l don't take no |
stock in him, don't"
Lets play we was pa" suggested
Willie. where's them boys? RI teach
them to touch my paper! RI tan their
hides for 'em! I'll show 'em who's
in this house,
When Jones got back to the sitting
room his face was red-very red-and
his eyes wore vengeful glare. Mrs.
Jones looked up at him as he stalked in,
and asked, innocently:
..'Switch shall it be, switch shall it
be?''
Both shouted the enraged parent.
''Of all the unruly brats ever saw,
10 think. Maria. ours are the worst. I'll
ather them both tomorrow" -Detroi.
Free Press.