Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-02-12

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, This morning got up early to see
what was in my sock, and ! heard pa
and ma having quarrel. II seems
that pa had intended TO give ma seal
skin cloak, but she found pair Of
red corsets in her stocking, about Ave
sizes too small, and she was giving pa
fits. Pa explained that he had bought
the corssts for the young woman
who sings in the choir, 80 she eeuld
/ lace them up tight and make her
voice smaller 40 she could reach
the highest notes. He was going to
do that for joke. While be was exs
planning it TO .na. the man who cleans
off snow from the ministers sidewalk
4 80 the hell aud handed ths, girl Q
Il package 70. pa, And he openedEt and
Hound Il was a pstk6f ards and . lot
Of poker ehips, with. a note from ,ss
minister to pa giving him sid hun
dred for ssnding a minister Of the Cos
pei present of such tools Of the devil.
The minister said he was prepared
for,insults in this world, but that was
something he could not stand. and he
wouldn't be responsible for his actions
when he met pa. Pa called me in
and asked me why | didn't leave those
poker chips and cards at the club.
and then / had to tell him about the
wind blowing the list where It
listeth, and how we did the best we
could without it. Pa wanted to die,
and I guess he wanted me and nv
chum to die also, but the bell runR
for breakfast and we went down to
the dininq.rcom, Ma was mad and
poured out the coffee as though she
wished il was pizen. and pa triad to
swallow something. and couldn't, and
| tried to pray, cause | thought pa
would break nv back after breakfast.
While we was at the table note came
from the choir singer thankina pa aad
ma for the seaIskin cloak, and saving
that It filled a long felt hat. or some.
thing, and that It was so appropriate,
and 80 thouphtfulin them 10 90 kindly
remember a poor eirl who had moth
inp but her voice with which TO mil
through a cold world. She said she
hoped thot consciousness Of having
done kindly action would cause
them a yery Merry Christmaa. We'll.
when pa read that letter 10 ma [
Thought I would die. Pa acted as
though he could slip through one of
/ the holes in the oane-seat chair.
i Lhouah be couldn't. Of course. and ma
she lust leaned RIGHT back and plated.
| i felt otful at the mistake, but when
q I went TO sayI didn't mean TO tnjE
\ thinQs-up ma took up tfls carving
knife and looked qrsen in the ewes.
like cat that is scared in q dark
room. and SAYS, 'M-e.o.u.w, in bass
voice. and | shot rieht IN and kept
on eating nv sassidQe. We hadn't
got fairly onto pancakes before the
bell runr and the old maid with the
gold specs, who lives next door. she
came In and ihrowed package down
on the breakfast table, and said she
would have pa arrested for defamation
of character, and she went out. Ma
tried to get her to stay TO breakfast.
but she elarsd at ma AZ though she
would bite. Pa opened the package
and it was a pair of pas old pants
and an old flannel undershirt and pair
Of drawers. Pa turned pale when he
saw them. and asked me where I left
: the bottle Of tooth powder and the
J cologne and | told him to the best of
INV recollection left them ut the Of
fee of the Associated Charities. Pa
said it was lust as he expNcted. He
had intended the pants and UNDER
clothes to 40 there to be given to the
moor tramps and had ruined him by
sending them to the old maid. Pa
asked me what I thought an old maid
wanted Of such thinos' and what thew
wanted of tooth powder and cologne
for tramps / couldn't answer. and
ma oroaned and cot up and went In
The parlor. Pa began 10 talk TO me
about the necessity in Young man
of being sure he was right before 90.
inc ahead, and ma had on her Gid
cloth Mater to 90 out. / think to
snatch that ssalskin cloak off the choir
singer. when the bell runo. and the
minister was showed in, Pa began to
apolopizs. when the minister stopped
Li,o and said Not a word. sir. I
can subdne nv feelings, AZ far as the
cards and poker chips are concerned.
and control nv wrath. out when q