The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-01-06
THE AUTHORS CONFESSION.

an, putting the finishing words to
my narrative on this 3lst day OF de-
cember, A. d. 1862. l am sitting in
my husbands "den." rs he persists
i'll calling the mostinviting ro ON III the
house. especially inviting to me when
he is in it. l sometimes enter when he
is away; but confess that then the dead
smell of tobacco smoke is not SO
agreeable. would, in his absence,
put his room in order, and have onca
or twice attempted it, but have re-
ceived anything but thanks for my OF.
ficious service.
amor rather was-little Edith.
Another little Edith is just now gone
to bed, and the four corners OF her
crib are hung with stockings. Tho
grand New Years demonstration is,
ond edition OF huge Christmas tree.
George (no longer little Geord'e) will
spoil the child. and tell him so.
Georges father and mother. and my
father and mother (ior Uncle Charlie
is father now, will dine with us to-
morrow. We dined with him OH
Christmas day, as We always have
| since VIC were married.
George sits now on the other side OF
his big library light, n wasteful gns.
consumer. can't make him content
with blaze OF proper size; and so
am forced to turn down the parlor
gas and sit up here. for economy's
sake, when there is nobody in the
house but ourselves. How easy it is
to find excellent reasons for what you
wish to do! But. then, know if l
dill not come and sit with him, he
would carry his awful pipe
"Get away, George! You hateful
man! Your whskers and mustache
are worse than IL Turks and your
meerschaum breath is intolerable!
Take that! and that"
| do not know whether have hurt
him or not, ior his pachyuermatous
skin is tougher than q rhinoceros.
My own fingers smart and ache so
that | can scarce resume my pen.
Eut here! here! George Merrill, Esq,
counsellor and attorney at law, has
struck an attitude, and is going to
make q speech.
"Nila. 40 the use OF this?" holding
up his smoking-cap, nnte-nuptial pros.
ent from me, "What is the use OF this,
ii under it, MS q helmet. am not to
smoke! And of this?" thrnsthlg out
the mcerschaum, which blush say
gave him in my maiden folly. "What
is the use OF this, if am not to smoke?
All honor to the German Fatherlnnd,
which has released lis from the costly
tyranny of the cigar, and gives us
comfort in the celestial clay, which
our sweethearts and wives present to
us!
"You women are tho hcralds OF
prudence. You have lectured mo on
the extravaganza OF little Edith's
presents. though you know in your
heart that you enjoy them more thun
she. What is the use of children?"
| trembled n little here. For when
Edith fought me this morning in the
bath-tub asked myself this question.
But never told George.
"What is the use," he continued,
"of children? Listen, Light OF my
Eyes, purveyor of my pipes and
smoking caps, and thus, inferentially.
OF my Lynchburg, and will tell you.
1t is q blessingt hat children come
along in relays, to mark the post
houses IN the Journey OF life. But for
the children there never would be any
| sbiilANSkSASllSSs IAiSCl Nv ULC WOuISIl
and after 40 the men would forget
that ever they were born, ii our chill
dren did not keep our birthdays.
christmas would be nothing with.
out the children. And MS to New
Years, that has but II bilious look,
and, without tie children, would be
intolerab!e. Everybody is forced up.
on some committee OF ways and
means, and stationers advertise new
blank books, as if the old were not
blank enough, and all the blanker ior
their entries.
"But for the children We could be
glad to forget that there is such
thin, as q New Year, that there WAS
such thing rs an old. But they light
TN us along the road of life, and mako
the holidays iubilant. Christmas and
New Years are delightful for their
presents, and for the many other
Things VIC buy and do to please chill
dren! Why, there's that duck OF u
w.hat-doyou-call-it, you've just
been embroidering for Edith; where
could we find excuse for such pretty
things, except for the children? And
now will sit down, amid great ap.
plnuse."
The applause came in loud screams
from Edith's cradle.