The Irish standard., 1886-11-06
HIS STEP-MOTKER.

HIS STEP-MOTHER.
What = Considerate and Thoughtful Boy
Said About His Fathers Second Wife.
''How's my mother9" he slowly an.
swered. 'She was purity well half an
hour ago, when we had 8 little argu-
ment in the back yard and she pitched
the clothes-bars at me-"
understand" said the other boy, as
he wearily sat down on the curb-stone
and reached out for straw to break
in pieces in his fingers, "that she's sec
ond-hand."
"Exactly. She was a widow when
pop married her, and I guess she
looked upon it as her last chance.
That's what we were arguing about this
morning, and that's why she gotmad. {"
"Do you call her mother?''
II did up to yesterday. She agreed
to give me fifty cents o week to cali
her mother around the house when
pop was home, and two shillings more
every time called her ma before the
neighbors. She paid up all right the
first week, but defaulted OH the second,
and I'm now addressing her us stran-
ger do business ON q cash basis. I
do, and when the cash stops the ma
business comes to a dead stand-still. I"
''That's perfectly right. Do they
spoon much?'
s'Lots. Guess pop thought it was
his last chance, too, the way he acts.
Say, Jim, it's awfully tiresome for
boy to be around where SO much spoon
ing is going on. 1t is kinder turnin'
my stomach ag'in vittles. and I feel
weary all overs
t'Must have struck you purity sud-
denp"
Eyes, it did. Pop and me and his
sister had been keeping house alone
for seven years, when one day he drove
up with this secondhand person in 81
hack and told rae to kiss my new ma. ~
*'And did youp"
s'Eaw! Made a climb for the back
fence, and didn't go home till the po-
lice threatened to send me tt, the reform
school,
'sHow did your aunt take it?''
.It was rich. Them women ena.
braced and kissed at two o'clock p. m.,
standard time. AT three my aunt was
out Of the house, bags, bundles aud old
umbrellas, and the stranger had full
possession. Iwasn't there 10 see it,
but the neighhors laughed until their
sides ached. L guess my aunt is run
ming yet, for we haven't heard from
herr
edo you s'pose this-chis second
hand edition will go up to see your
mothers gra7e?'
"Win she? Well, don't you bet any
money on it! About one of the first
questions she asked me Was what che
graye-stone cost, and how cften pop
went up, and when I told her she
kicked the cat across tI1a kitchen and
broke a lamp chimney with her elbow.
Next day I heard her saying 70 Pop
that she'd just like to see q husband Of
hers fooling away his time in a grave
yard. If she and pop ever do 60 up
there, and pop Sc far forgets the situa-
ton as to heaye sigh, she'll mop him
over hull acre of graves.
'*Does she go through your pockets
after you are asleep?"
t'She sot out to. but 1 filled 'em with
red pepper and she didn't get her eyes
opened till next day noon. Since then
we treat each other with coldness. !"
The two sat looking at the cobble-
stonesfo for long time, and then Jim
suddenly rose up aud said:
Il know what I'm going 70 do"
s'What?"
"Tm going to be gooder 70 my own
mother than ever before. I've got two
cents, and I'm going to take her home
two palm-leaf fans and ask her tokeep
on living for my sake. "-Detroit Ere.
Press.