The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-01-24
MR.. HUFFY.
Let Us Hope There Are Not Many
Like Him.
How He Greets His FamiIy-HIs Wife and
Children Dread His Home Coming
Hufy at Home Not HufTy on
the Street.

Il
and gentlemanly everywhere except at
home. They are kind and considerate
to everybody except members of their
eamily. Probably because they can not
bulldoze anybody else they abuse andill
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
all playing and romping, 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 stage attacked by Indians.
The celebrity with which he unfastens
those chairs and puts them in their
places is truly wonderful. A little girl
is playing on the floor with plate and
a spoon. She hurries her playthings
out Of sight. All the 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 teaspoons 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
spare man, with sharp features and
discontinued expression. He places his
cane in the corner, and glares around
the room to see If there is anything with
which he can find fault. He sees the
teaspoon, and smiles sardonically.r
''Who threw that spoon down on the
floorP"
Nobody dares reply.
'.Who threw that spoon on the fioorp",
he asked, in a louder tone of voice. He
glares at his unfortunate wife, who has
about made up her mind to assume the
responsibility and shield the children,
when little Molly speaks,up and says:
81 did, papa
"You did it, did youp And YOU
know you left it there, and you were too
cussed lazy to pick it up. Pick it up
now, viii youP''
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 60
ing to pick it up, or shall box your
ears for youp'
She reaches down to pick ND the
spoon, but he has captured her ear,
which he pinches until she screams for
pain.
''rll teach you to leave things lying
around on the floor giving her ear
another twist. "Will you Keep aaiet,
or do you want me to give YOU some
thing to howl aboutp''
: "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 for1t. If, instead Of interior
ing with metwhen l 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
a teaspoon toyP Why don't you give
them my watch to play withp Don't
teaspoons cost money, ehP Who sup
ports this familyP Do you ever earn
any moneyp's
Mrs HufB resumes her sewing in
silence.
Speak up, Isayr' 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. Hufy signs, and resumes her
sewing.
Mr.. Hufy walks up to the table,
where the eldest boy is studying his iN,-
sons.
"You worthless. triAing, child,
haven't I told you forty times not to