Milford chronicle., 1888-09-14

Things they kept very stIn. Finally KlpE
said: Del, is 1t papa or did he gel
drowndedT why is It children win say
drownded0 1t alarmed ms somewhat, fol
Ididn't KNOW but it had affected his brain
and while / hunted around for Indication,
81 a skull fracture, or something to &C
count for 1t, / pressed them both to my
bosom and cried: my dear, dear boys,
in my heart thanking heaven for them
even with all their pranlIs.
We were only partially dry when they
seemed to get over the agitation they fell
at gazing at me, and clamored for some
thing to eat
Racing like horses, compelling me t.
keep up with them, we came upon the
rest Of the party just as the fishers werC
gathering around the cry" that fortu
nately was carried on ice from the city il
case Of a disappointment, you know Q'v,
always noticed that it Is the custom t
prepare for such emergencies)
Julia, smiling into Jim Hammond's face
looked exactly like the girl she was half 3
dozen years before, and the whole com,
pany had returned In the trimmest man
ner imaginable
Mamma, MAMMA" cried both boys
Just as one unexpectedly caught me by
the foot and the other went up my back
Naturally, we sat down, and though my
wife sprang toward us, with her 'heart
in her eyes, she laughed AID laughed
again, and peal upon peal rolled out from
some twenty or more Threats.
After time Mother-in-law Spiller broke
in upon the screams in this manner:
''Well, he hasn't murdered the children,
thank heaven, whatever else he's killed.
"There was murder in his eye, quoted
another.
"Do you suppose he has beaten the
children tragically whispered q young
man Of the party.
OF course knew it was all in fun, but
it wasn't so dreadfully amusing to me.
! Why, If / had been sitting on hornet 5
pest, my sensations would have been quite
as pleasant think.
Ny head ached terribly, but was half
starved, and put away my first thought.
1t did seem as if they would never let a
/ fellow alone, and laugh after laugh fol
lowed every word l said. The boys gave
their version Of the affair, and I gave vari-
GUS ones, fear.
When Mrs. Spiller said fought to have
| looked after them and not allowed them
e.
in the face and eyes of my own story, any
way to improve matters; and so, with
| splitting temples and blistered feet. /
stood the abuse and ate and ate, regard
| less of the little scamps my wife and her
sisters were tenderly coddling.
After such a meal they said they had no
| fear for me, unless indigestion carried me
off; so, in spite Of my well laid plans to
sink away in a corner and be pitied and
petted, ignored the headache and man
| fully carried the boys aboard the boat,
followed them here and there till saw
them safely inside the carriage that took
them home. felt hilarious when found
there wasn't room for me inside or out
side either, and started for q street car,
regardless of the fact that my dress had
lost its springtime freshness, so to speak
and entirely forgot that without the aid
of the pins and needles my mother-in- law
produced, ! should have been obliged. as
the other fellows said, to have confscated
a suit of clothes.
OF course, there was the inevitable old
lady and young lady, to whom, as a gen
tleman, do my duty, and from whom l
commonly receive very polite treatment
Though the car was crowded, I could but
notice a withdrawing of skirts, even
frowns, from some of the passengers, and
undue familiarity from others of the
rougher looking class, and / soon left the
car, preferring a walk from down town"
to ride with such prOmiscuOus crowd
hadn't taken three steps when some
body shouted: Hello old fellow
been on a batg" asked another
"The cigars, john" cried a third.
The laughter of the villains brought
around a policeman, who fairly howled
with the rest.
What was the natter
Well, l found out when, at a corner
drug store, faced q mirror
My nose had assumed colossal proper
tons and its hue correspondent well with
the color under one eve, which to a man
inexperienced in picnics and the care of
boys like mine might have suggested an
unpleasant encounter with fists. Alas, so
the world is judged The wicked escape
the condemnation they deserve and the
good, like myself, are tried and convicted
all unheard. Does anybody suppose can
endure another picnic? Not l. and as
told you before, Pm man Of spirit q but
here they come-mother-in-law, the girls,
cousins, everybody, to make their plans,
suppose.
Later.-If people would not take ad-
vantage Of a mans love for his family it
would be possible to have ones own way
sometimes; but they came. dozen strong
insisting upon 1t that Julia wished to 20
$50 much, and could l have the heart
to disappoint her?' and perhaps we shall
not all be here another year" in a fearful
way from Mother Spiller. Julia herself
looked most beseechingly Mt me- and l
finally said; "Well, thank heaven, Katie
is too Young to 60, and thank heaven, too
she's girl" katie is our baby.) There
were dark looks among them, and knew
what they thought; but they seemed to
consider the matter settled.
Oh, those boys of minel Why, only last
week they took possession of the hose and
turned a stream of water through the
house, and now before me are the carpen-
ter's and upholsterer's bills.
There was such demolition Of bric.a-
brac, too, that l am surprised to hear my
wife interceding for anything that COM
pels us to take Alph and Del away from
home.
! cannot understand why It is. NJ
father is good and quiet man l was 3
good boy myself-pm sure of it.
1t may be that my grandfather, OF per-
maps 1oAlo VI VuAlA hllceSLOIbs arc 70
sponsible for things-yes, I'm convinced
that it must be on that side of the house;
in fact, ON Mother Spillcr's side.
III quiz Uncle Ben, and possibly may
be able to meet them with an overwhelm.
ing argument when they say, as they
have many times, Men are but bcsjs
grown tall, and intimate that my chill
dren come honestly by their inclination
to get into mischief.-Ned Given in Bcs-
ton Traveller.