New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-09-01
LOVE THE LITTLE ONES,
a Domestic Tale.

1t was: one of the sweetest dayssof
all the sweet summer-tide, and the
three little Berkeleys, playing beside
the brook, had almost forgotten that
there was such thing as school and
lessons, when the kitchen window was
flung noisily up, and 9 shrill
voice broke in upon their dreams Of
happiness.
"Childrenl come in out of that
meadow! Don't you see how you're
tramping all the grass DOWN. scream
ed Mrs. Hall.
She was a spare, hard-faced woman,
who was engaged in picking
a. huge pan of beans at
the table, while her husband sat
opposite mending the dislocated leg OF
a milking stool with pot of glue and
some hempen Irvine.
''Now, mother" said Ebenezer Hall,
"why can't you let these young 'uns
enjoy themselves? Their little feet
won't hurt the grass
THAT'S justlike you," said his wife,
querulously. "'rhe children are al
ways in mischief, and you're continu.
ally upholding 'em. Didn't / tell
Fanny to mend her apron the minute
school was over? And there she is,
pudding in the brook, running her
dress sleeves. And Johns dog scratch
ed up all my flowers in the back gar
den this morning. But l settled the
question:" she added, setting her
thin lips together like a steel trap. II
gave the varnlint to the tinker. He'll
never bother me any more"
"You oughtn't to have done that
MOTHER" said Ebenezer. aJohnnie
was fond OF the dog
"John must make up his mind to
do without him." said Mrs. Hall. II
won't be tormented by anybody's
mischievous dog. And I found q
Robinson Crusoe' hidden under little
Joe's pillow this morning.
"That's natural enough, mother"
said Ebenezer, alphabetically. Cali
boys like ory-books."
''Now | know the reason he never
could say his catechiz," sharply added
Mrs. Hall. "The trouble those chill
dren make us can't be told. And I've
made up my mind to bind 'e1n out to
trades as soon as ever l cam"
'They re my darter's children, moth
err" said poor Ebenezer. II can't
bear the idea OF partin' with 'em."
''Then why don't you bring 'em up
to earn their own living, like other
paupers?" said Mrs. Hall, who had
been the farmers second wife, and
whose Grabbed nature had never been
thawed out in the light OF a baby's
smiles. 'That's what l want to know.
This amt goin' to be an orphan
asylum. Not if I know it,
IF you feel SO about it, mother, I'll
take 'em over to Cornelia Crashaw's,"
said Mr.. Hall, whose face had grown
very grave. "Cornelia's husband
owes me money, and she's fond of
children. She'll be good to 'em if my
own wife won't"
GOOD radiance to bad rubbish"
was Mrs. Halls tart retort, as she
flung the last handful OF beans into
the pan. "But if you really meant
it
II do, most assuredly," said Eben.
ezer Hall, sternly. "Nellie's children
shall not be subject to unjust rebukes
or tyrannical ill-temper while I can
help it,"
''1've done the best l could" said
Mrs. Hall, with a toss of her head.
But I don't like children, and I never
did!''
The three little Berkeleys did not
know what was the cause of the TN
wonted gloom on grandpa's face at
tea-time. They sat quite silent.
Grandma had always tried to impress
it on their minds that children must
be seen and not heard, and take their
tea, with longing chances at the plum
cake, which was always cut in such
economical slices, and of which grand
ma never would allow them more than
one slice.
Mother" said the ldfarmer, when
the meal was over. "pack up the chill
dren's boxes tonight. I shall start
early in the morning"
"Where are you going, grandma?"
Johnny ventured to ask.
ITO Cornelia Crashaw's," said Mrs.
Hall.
"Do you suppose she will let me
keep my dog?" said J ohnny, wistfully,
for Tiger came back there afterward.
"Tiger won't stay away from me-
ooh, good! good!'' cried Fanny,
clapping her small brown hands.
"Mrs. Crashaw always let's us play
where we please. And she gave me a
handful OF roses the last time we went
there"
81 am glad, too" said little Joseph,
with kindling eyes. "Mrs. Crashaw
has got all the Vicar of Wakefield
and Pilgrims Progress, and The
Arabian Nights in her cupboard. /
saw them there once"
Mrs. Hall bit her lips. Indifferent
as she had protested herself to the
children, there was a drop of bitter
ness in their willingness to leave her.
Ebenezer was fond OF his grand
children, and it seemed hard to separ-