Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-09-24
How the Bum Family Moved Into
the Country.

The Bum family lived in small house
In low and unhealthy quarter Of New
NOVEL;. In a small house, and the family
rs large, as poor families are apt to be-
lr Bunn, who was wonderfully good ma
ftursd under all his trials, would facetious
~ call the roll every night to make sure
Nat none of the children were missing
I'D snmetimes he would purposely forge,
Fo-year-old Baby Bum, who would
& lout indignantly from his mothers lap:
Aherf rs here! why don't 90 call Ditty
sn?t' And then Mr.. Bum would say in
fzkied voice: "Dicky Bunn-who is
.<z-1 q, yes, to be sure! Dicky Bum is
the name of the last one, amt it? Well
then--DIcKY Bump and the baby would
answer with a pleased giggle-"Hereo
Although the bill Of fare was plain, and
the clothes web patched, the Bum family
xlnnaged to extract good deal of happi-
ueng from life. When Mr.. Bum found a
rod Job and they had, in consequence, a
uhot sIpper"-which meant plenty of
oeefsteak and vegetables all around, and
epsEe red-cheeked apples, or a can of
peaches FOR dessert-aud the fire burned
Rightly, and the children were every one
o1egstngs; and Mr.. Bum would whittle
ktn9lings for the morning fire, and Mrs.
Bulin would add another layer to the
patches, and neither thought of envying
t6eI rich people in the grand houses of
Upper New Lowell.
4ut often the children were not well. In
1o&t there were so many of them that about
kalf the time the old lounge was the rest
1e place for some ailing one: and the
4octor-whenever they could afford to call
one-would always say more or less about
he location being an unhealthy one. Their
5 drainage was bad, and they didn't have
eEeQSh sunlight, and they all ought to
. thetfs was . standing invitation to sick
go - come and stay the year round.
!, n We early days xrs. Bunn had lived
II che country, and a. her family increased,
tie little house, and the still smaller yard,
Sfcfmed . painful contrast to the roomy
ferm.hoose, the big, wide-doored barn,
81 the broad fields that she used TO know,
~ she often expressed . desire to move
: fnoo the country. But Mr.. Bum, born and
noDght up in the city, was like Lap
ha1Sr in believing that no place could be
zhe(kor than that in which he lived. For
forty years he had trotted up and down
this unlovely quarter, and the more shan
fies that were built and the filthier the
streetD and alleys became. the more he
seemed to enjoy his place of residence.
The Flats Il CROWN fast" he would
proud1y remark. " It's gettin' to be down.
right lively here.~ Inc poor man! with
to exception Of rare glimpse of the
grand Park, or some rich mans fine
Eroands, he knew of nothing better than
kis low rooms and the struggling, home-
sick lilacs and tiger-liiies which Mrs.
Bunn tried 10 grow in the sloppy back
yaxd.
10 have . long, s.fat" Job Of hod-carry-
1n&, ard 10 know that the children were
ri uesy sick, Was all the happiness Mr..
I'm eould comprehend, and he always
- - 0fB. 0unA'o absurd wish to
= - ~ epentry, whre there could
SEne - eAoal1G bEick and mortar
1Is1rQ1 3n1dQ.
- 1R - cou11fy always smoul-
l6d. However, in Mrs.. Bunn's heart, and
11enovW gave up the hope that some time
eh1y might live On . whole acre Of ground,
cd haze three or four trees, and may be a
G1Peo e brook, like the ono she used to
ya1o "a VIXEN she was . girl It was this
hope ~ SlstAtned her through Ill these
Yqxs and led her to tail bravely on, and
kn1D IL begt q the cramped and dismal
~ = The 4afs. They owned their
z1at was oue oomfoFt-and had
= ~, a wFeeched hroakingsup and
8 x6Ra CO. rs1ted p1.ce 80
49, ~ 80 -