Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-05
A FAMILY AFFAIR.

with smash, and after spending ten
minutes in solemn thought the driver
said:
We'll, III have TO get the consumed
thing down to TompkinsviIie for repairs
and you'd better stay al night at yon
cabin"
Perhaps they cant accommodate me-.
There's no perhaps about it. Folks as
has got house are bound to keep folks
IS has broke down"
went ever TO the cabin, which was
rude log structure. and the ozly one with
in four miles The woman saw me COM
ing and stood IN the open door. Her hUs-
band saw me coming and sat down on a
log. The five or six children saw me
coming, and arranged themselves along
the opening IN the brush fence which an
svvered for g gate. As / came up ap
preached the man and explained the nat
ure Of the accident and asked TO stay all
night.
Stranger. if it depended on me, I'd say
yes he replied as he crossed his legs and
tried to put on an injured look But it
don't depend on rle. l don't amount to
shuctls around yere no mo-"
Now, Ezekiel, what d ye talk Ike that
fur" demanded the barefooted wife as she
came down 10 the log Who's said you
wasn't bossi Who's tried to take the
Lead over you2"
You hey, an right afore the children,
tool You said l wasn't ftten to drive
hogs"
''Shoo, Ezekiel! you began it by saying Z
was extravagant."
''Oh, yes. begun i'll 1 aLlus begin
everything Nobody else never begins
nuthin', and nobody else is never to
blameP
But this ere stranger wants to stay
al night. It's comm night and We can't
say no."
We'll, I calkerlate he kin stay. A
month ago 1 could hev taken him by the
hand and told him to make my house his
home. bet now l hain't got no more rights
around yere. I'm only sighpher now"
The wife took my sachel into the cabin
and sat down on the log with Zeke and
offered him cigar. At the same time the
seven children came and stood in row
before Us, and called out as in one voice.
The teller has dun gin pap cigarF'
Yes, children, said the old man, as lie
scratched a match on his starboard
quarter and Lit the weed. pap has got
cigar It's the fust cheerin thing that
has come to him fur twenty-one years,
end it's proof that he hain't quite forgot
ten BIZ al the world What are We
standin' here lookin' at? Whar's yer man
ners?'
''Hain't got none!" called three of them
at once.
mo, s'pose not, and can't blame We
not bit. Children IS come up without
any father can't be s'pected to hev man
ners- Whsr' We from, stranger"
Bristol"
Right smart huGdle. I've heard. but
I've never bin thar'. Hear EN- say any
thing about me?"
No"
MOI Well. s'pose they've heard Of
me. but didn't want to say anything 70
stranger I'm the man who had forty-twc
biles Oh his back IN one winter"
You did,
Yes: and never got the least sympa-
thy from my family I've also had rheu-
mstism- lung fever, lame back. fever sore,
consumption and yaller fever. Not one OF
she family shed n tear"
is il possibley'
''And broke my leg. lost a $500 mule
BY pizen. he'd my barn burn up. lost
farm on mortgage and buried two chill
dren."
We'll, you have suffered"
.'Sufered2 Stranger, excuse these tears;
but yours ara the first kind words I've
heard since the war closed "
Pap is bellering, DaW shouted the
children. as they ran for the house. and
the woman presently rushed out ard
said:
Now thsr,, Zakiel. You git. and You.
thar, stranger. come in to smack"
Didn't tell you So" exclaimed Ezekiel,
rs he made bolt for the woods. I'm the
discouragedest. downtroddenest. unfor-
tunatest man in all creation. and I'm GO
ing to hang myself"
You dass'nt, and you know you
dass nti- shouted the wife,
You dass MT hang nuthing, added tbs
children
While was eating smack the woman
stood before NE. arms akirnbo. and the
children completed the circle around the
table
From furg" quer.ed the woman as
starter
From Bristol"
Hear EN- saw ANYTHING about rleT'
Il don't think Sc. "
You orter, fer Tn known all over the
state as the distressedest woman in il
And haint We distressed. too?'' irldit,
nalatly demanded the children in chorus
''0f course, bat I'm the distressedest
being a wife and mother"
ANY particular csuse9" l asked
"Morsp ten uliIlynn particular causes.
stranger No human being will ever
know what | have suffered in body and
mind
and we've suffered. too!' eho-used the
children
Yes. some; but Eothing IN comparison
I've had toothache. earache. pleurisy.
clumsy. chills. fever. shakes iaundice enc
bilious fever. sad through the hull OF ii
there has not been one human being &c
feel sorry for ne
els IT possible
And haven't q relashun as VII speak
TO me, on account Of my marrying ZeEdel.
ana if was dying tomorrow not one OF
EN- would come 70 lsy me out for ny