The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-01-01
BILL ARP.
Tolls OF the Happenings of Heme.
Southern Cttltirator.


Our daily life is like kaleidoscope.
Every turn brings new picture, but il is
not like kaleidoscope, for the pictures
are not all pleasing. We have our good
days and our bad days, our ups and
downs, and We never know what pleas.
ures or what pains day will briug forth.
The chief business at cur house now,
every night is to help the children get
their lessons and 1t takes all hands TO do
it. These little chaps have got their
ambition up and have en idea that the
school is Q bigger thing than circus
Their spelling and their definitions and
their exercises and their speeches and
compositions have to be heard at home
two or three times over. Head marks
aud merits are al the talk. 1t takes
three or four Tampa in the family room,
and last night lamp fell off of the
sewing machine and broke all TO pieces
and the oil run over tie floor and caught
on fire, and just such CONSERVATION
never was seen in my family. We have
had lot of children and used kerosene
ever since it was FIRST discovered and
never had lamp TO break tefore. The
girls all screamed and got away from the
burning fluid. got the bucket of water
and threw 1t all around the flames to
keep 1t from spreading and catching the
bed and one Of the girls picked up my
overcoat and threw it on to smother it
an other one got quilt and spread it
over, and sure enough they did put it out
but the quilt and the overcoat are now
ready to clothe some poor darkey. The
great big dictionary was on the floor and
somo other books the children had been
using and they don't look much like books
now-nevertheess we made narrow
escape and are grateful. Mrs. Arp is of
on visit and the girls won't let her
know anything about 1t. for she would be
terribly alarmed and hurry back home
too premature. The floor is sight and
cant be secured up, but we ere going to
put down the carpet Tomorrow and may
be the grease will fade out by the spring.
Well tho next day we concluded to open
the keg of new syrup that had just come
from market. So hammered away to
loosen the stopper and one of the boys
was leaning over and looking at the
oozing foam and Gays he. maybe it will
reckon" said ], and just then sure enough
it did spout with vengeance, and took
him right in the countenance and filled
knocked his hat off and got all over his
head and in his hair and ran down his
back and his bosom and / do think he
was the sweetest end most pitiful sight I
ever saw. He was literally christencd
and baptized and immersed in syrup and
was so badly strnngled he couldn't talk
and the first thing he did say was to
blubber out II told you co." Poor fel low
we sent to the spring for water and we
| stripped him, and it took six buckets full
| and fresh suit of clothes to set him all
straight, and he says there is still piu:
| or two in his hair. Ralph has brought q
new dog here now. He says he is O
pointer. A man IN town gave him to
Ralph for he said he liked the boy and
had no use for the dog. Yesterday the
| cook had sent up the dinner, most all O!
it., and went back again to the kitchen.
When she came up again to ring the bell
she. missed the roast Of beef and sudden.
~ discovered tha: the new dog had point.
| ed 1t and dragged it off out of doors.
She alarmed the family and we pursued
that dog with vengeance aud alacrity and
drove him away from the premises, and
now 1t leaks out that his owner didn',
want to kill him and put him off on
Ralph, as pointer. never, did like
pointers no how, for never saw one that
was fit for anything but to hunt birds,
and I don't get my. birds that way.
Some times get out Of patience with
! these children for they impose on our
| weakness. j never had half as many
privileges as they do. had to get up
early and build the FIRE and bring the
| water but now let my children sleep
and make the fire for them. wouldn't
do 1t l don't believe but Mrs. Arp says it
is wrong to wake up the children 80 early
and ahe reads me scraps from the news.
papers and the Journal of health which
says that children ought to be allowed to
sleep until they wake up of their own
accord. Our first children had q harder
time than these last ones for Mira. Arp
knows she ein't going to have any more
land she 10 mighty tender to Carl and
Jessie. Most of the first ores have left
us and there are sema more who reckon
are willing to go and before long there
'won'tsbe but two or thFeein the house.
We are teaching elocution now, and I
have to stand up and make o bow and
show Carl how to say: "Not q drum
vas heard nor funeral note. y 90 that he
can surprise his mother when abe comes
home, We have cut out q new way to
the school mouse and put two long logo
across tia creek and plauked them for
the children to cross on aud now they
seem to think tho little bridge was just
made for themsto pnt the dog of into
the water, for he will follow them to
school aud don't seom to mind his duck.
ings bit,
But somehow or somehow else things
don't seem right nt homo nowadays, for
the head of tho family Ia away and we
would all be lonesome even with house.
full Of company. What is home without
q motherf Why ! had rather hear my
wife seol6 than to hear come folks sing
for there ia moro music In 1t and 1t all
comes 60 natural. If che had been here
that lamp wouldn't have turned over nor
tho syrup exploded nor the dog stole the
meat, for she Sisi ithe regulator, she is, and
keeps us all In order, bless her faithful
heart.
BILL ARP.