Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-11-15
room. with a sealskin coat on first. and

room. with sealslxin coat on first. and
| freeze.
| Kate puts her handkerchief to her
eyes and ratshes from the room.
| Mrs. B. begins lifting osa the sticks
Nth the tongsl. l am sorry that Kate
is so nervous to-day. THIS is the re-
suit of too much excitement and hotel
life all summer. I declare there is
hardly spark of fire left here; ] must
put in some more paper and kindling-
wood to start it up again.
She gets d0a0n on her knees, and is
bxsy putting TN more paper and
ksndling-soood. after carefully
lifting out the blackened sticks on
to the hearth NTH the tongs. sClsesl
! the door opens and Gertrude APP
pears.
Gertrude. Why, mamma. what are
you doing in this smoky room with all
those charred sticks? EGertrude has
on waterproof. and carries an nna-
brelto in her hand. 1t will do you
/
here [she hastily throaos open too aoi's-
dososl, if you must have fire, though
/ can't see why you feel the need OF
one to-day.
Mrs. B. Close those windows at
once, Gertrude; you are freezing the
house. which is damp and cold enough
already. Please don't imagine that
every one else is in a state of ferment
| just because you have been taking vio-
| lent exercise. / wish that Kate had a
little more of your vitality, and l feel
sure you could spare good deal if
necessary.
TGertrude closes the scf7sdoecs.
Gertrude. Oh, very well, will shut
them, though it is ever so much warm
er outside than it is in the house.
Now, will watch you make a fire.
[Ihroaoiag herself into an armchair. ]
It is such fun to see some one else
work, and have always been glad that
making fires was not one of my accom-
plishments, it usually makes people so
cross. always own up that I know
nothing about it, and what is more, do
not ever intend to learn. ''Where
ignorance is bliss" you know. will
leave you and Kate to enjoy the wis
dom and share the folly together.
Rises And now 1 think that shall
go and take off my things, and when
come down expect you will have a
blazing fire. She turns tos0ard the
door, and then comes back. On second
thoughts, must be magnanimous for
once, however, for 1 can not let you
handle those black sticks when 1 am
going right up to wash my hands.
Before Mrs. B. can reply, she seizes
one of the sticks, but instead of putting
it IN tie CRATE. she drops it IN the middle
of q sohtte rug near by. and begins to
dance about the room. Oh, dear, why
didn't you say those things were hot.
mother, when you saw me taking hold
of them.
Mrs. B. grasps the tongs and res
cues the stick from the aclsite rata,
Uhere ii has already singed a
black place.
Mrs. B. Oh, why did I have such
impulsive children! Who asked you
to take hot sticks in your hands. when
1 was going to use the tongs? I am
sorry for your fingers, but you have
almost ruined my rug.
Gertrude. My fingers would have
been dreadfully burned if had not
dropped the stick, and l am sure, of
the two, it is better to have the old
rug suffer. / think said that making
fires was not much in my line, and 1
presume you do not care to have me
help you any more, now that l have
finished putting on the sticks for you.
Gertrude disappears.
Mrs. B. has replaced the bloUer,
and after touching q match to
the paper. sits doaon 10 It'll q sigh,
and takes up her soork; the fire
roars cheerfally for a teU mo
aents, and then begins to crackle
dou6tfully. Mrs. B. takes off
the bloscer. and after pohing the
sticks about, replaces 1t again.
Just as steps are heard on the
piazza. The door opens, DIS
closing Mr.. B. home from toaon.
Mrs. B. (,OeIcOnsing him brightly. 1
am so glad that you came out early,
Fred Trying to ignore the fire and keep
his attention from 1T Is there any
news from town? Oh. Fred, just come
over to the window and see how
beautifully the maple leaves are turn
ing! believe will throw open the
window and let in some fresh air.
Mr.. B. Yes, it would be good idea;
it seems very smoky here. Have you
been trying to start fire? He acalks
back from the aOindoaU and takes off the
6loUer.] thought SO.
Mrs. B. (hurriedly). Oh, yes-we-
THAT is, Kate thought that the house
was rather damp, and so she started a
wood fire, and / think it must have
smoked little. [Regai'atng compo-
sure That wood which James sawed
is thoroughly damp, and so the fire
went out. 1 have been trying to start
it up again, and I had put on the
blower just before you came in but
you see it is out
Mr.. B. (disdainfutly). Yes, l see it
is out / never saw a woman yet who
knew any thing about building fire,
or even understood the first principles
of the thing. And such perfectly
simple thing too, when one goes about
it in the right way! One newspaper.
one stick of kindling- wood, and then
plenty of big logs; that is woman's