Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-10-09
eeBLESS THE CHILDREN .

1t was one OF the sweetest days Of all /
the sweet sunnner-tide, and the three lit /
tie Berkeleys playing beside the brook, |
had almost forgotten that there was such |
a thing as school and lessons, when the |
kitchen windows was flung nOisily up, !
and a shriIl voice broke In upon their |
dreams Of happiness.
"Childrenl come in out Of that mead
owl Don't you see how you're trampmg
all the grass DOWN. screamed Mrs. Hail.
She was a spare hard-favored 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 tWine.
Snow, mother" said Ebenezer Hall,
''why can't You let these yOung'uns en-
Joy themselves? Their little feet won't
hurt the grass"
THAT'S Just like You, Mr.. Hail. said
his wife, ENORMOUSLY. 1.-THE children
are always in mischief. ard you're con-
tinually upholding 'em. Didn't 1 tell
Fanny to mend her apron the minute
school was over? And there she is, pud-
ding In the brook, ruining her dress
a41HNCE- anu Ol+14- . NtA'9 EN---AA-4@N- al
ali my flowers in the back garden this
morning. ButI settled the question"
she added. setting her thin lips together
like a steel trap. 81 gave the varmint to
the tinker. He'll never bother me any
more"
oYou oughn't to have done that moth
or, said Ebenezer johnnie was fond Of
the dog"
49, -E -..-.1-, -, he ,,,i,5 20 n,
without him." said Mrs. Hall. a won't
be tormented by anybody's mischivous
dog. And found a Robinson CrusOe'
hidden under little Joe's pillow this
morning"
''That's natural enough, mother" said
Ebenezer, apOlogetically. "An boys ike
story books"
SHOW I know the reason he never
could say his catechiz," sharply added
Mrs. Hall
''Ehe trouble those children makes Us
can't never be told. And I've made up
my mind to bind 'em out to trades as
soon as ever can"
"They re my darter' children, mother
said Door EbeneZer. 81 can't bear the
idea of parting with EN-"
''Then why DON'T you bring 'em up to
earn their own living, like other paupers?
said Mrs. Hall, who had been the farm
er's second wife, and whose grabbed ma
ture had never been thaWed out IN the
light of a oaby's smiles. ''Ehat's what
want to know. This house amt gOin' tC
be an orphan asylum. Not If know
it."
'If YOU feel so about it, mother, II
take 'em over to COrneha CrashaW's,
said Mr.. Hall, whose face had grow
very grave. "COrnelia's husband owe.
me money, and she's fond OF children
She'll be good to EN-, if my own wifi
won't'
GOOD radiance to bad rubbish" wal
Mrs. Halls tart retort, as she flung tn.
last handful Of beans into the pan. ''Bu
If you really mean it."
iI DO, most assuredly," said Ebeneze
Hall, sternly. 'Nelly's children shal
not be subjected to unjust rebukes o
tyrannical ill-temper while 1 can he'll
it."
ave done the best L could, - said Mra
Hall. with toss Of her head. ''But
don't like children, and I never didF'
The three little Berkeys did not knoy
what was the cause Of the unwOnte,
gloom on grandpa's face at tea-time
They sat quite silent Grandma ha'
always tried to impress it on their mind
that children must beseen and not heard
and take their tea, with longing glance
at the plun-eake, which was always Gu
in such economical slices, and Of which
grandma never would allow them NOR
than one slice.
.RIother," said the old farmer, whel
the meal was over, ''pack up the chill
dren's boxes tonight. I shall start earl.
ia the morning.
'sWhere are we going, grandma
Johnny vanturad to ask.
AsTO Conelia Crashaw's," said Mn
Hal.
HDo You suppose she viii let me kee
my dogP' said Johnny, wisttuliy, 70
Tiger came back there afterward. ''Idge
won't stay away from me"
ooh, goodi goodP' cried Fanny, clap
ping her small, brown hands. "Ar-
Oraahaw always lets us play where "
uIease. And she gave me a handful c
roses the last time We went there
~ am glad tor said little JOSEPH
with kindling eyes. "Alrs. Crawsha1
has got all the Vicar Of Wakefield an
sPigrim's Progress,' and 'Ehe Arabia
A46AlH III AtlA N-- 'If---e-' a --''
there once"
Mrs. Hall bit her lips. Indifferent a
she had professed herself to the child
rem, there was a drop OF bitterness /
their willingness to leave her.
Ebenezer was fond Of his grandchild
rem, and It seemed hard to separat
them. Had they expressed a single ot
lection to going away her heart Nigh
have melted. But as it was, she Onl
compressed her lips, and froWned th
gloomy frown which John and 4. aun
aud little Joe knew so we'll
The boxes were packed that night, an
early in the morning Ebenezer and tn
children drove away.
Goodbye, children, she said, stand
ing on the doorstep, and shading he
eyes with one hand from the sunshlni
And they answered in shrill, sWee
voices, Goodbye, grandma
But there were no tears, no ioyln
words Of farewell, no last oinging ca
raaaes. airs. Hnil had not supposed tina
she sared for aalh thiags-bat Il cha
gEinsd As1 little neWi
sonehsn7t ~ 8 haFs kissed grand