The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1888-12-14

machine, though the duties l once had
were heavy compared with the slight
demand upon my time now"
Then followed details as to the ar
engagements of the trip, the friend who
had volunteered to keep house, and
expressions of gladness that Sadie, too,
would be home, to brighten things up
for the dear big boys.
The dear big boys had grown rather
misty about the eyes. Sadie suddenly
refolded up the letter and caught up
her hat. There's Lou at the gate.
Goodbye, boys. Forgive me being
entirely frank with you. I'll see you
again about this business.
When she had gone the boys were
singularly silent. You will oblige
me, Jack, if you'll fall on me and
break all my bones!" Stanford said
slowly. Jack was 1.-The biggest of the
big among the boys and weighed a
hundred and forty.
Il could crawl through a lznot-hole. p"
he replied.
mo you couldn't, F." Eugene said, and
though it was a favOrite joke, nobody
smiled.
Fritz, with his eleven years, his
dimple and his ''lithp" had disappeared.
There was hot gingerbread again
when the tea-beu rang, and it seemed
to him less endurable than before.
'What was the matter with the
| boys?" Mrs Beman asked her hus-
band that night.
Its never worth while to study the
motives of the boy, my dear. The
goat, the spider, the kangaroo, are all
laid down in natural history, but the
! boy''-and he wiped his hands with a
gesture full of meaning.
1T is on my mind, don't care, :"
Mrs. Beman reiterated. Whenever
she didn't care, she was taking things
seriously. Il promised their good
mother that I'd see to those bOys-the
house was a minor matter in fact.
must investigate the trouble to-mor-
row, for trouble there is, l am sure.
They hadn't even appetites. Think
what an anomaly, a boy without an
appetite! Mrs. Vance said hot ginger
bread would comfort them in any dis
tress. Why, Arthur" and the little
lady locked quite despairing, "only
one Of them touched it, Stanford, and
he choked and left the table,
Trouble indeed! The boys pretended
to sleep at once that night. They had
nothing to say to each other. Each
supposed the others asleep. Each
tried to lie very quiet and each groaned
at the thought that the dear patient
mother had been deeply hurt at their
treatment of her, when they would
have resented the slightest annoyance
! caused her by any other. Love her!
| Each grOaned harder at the reflection
that his own conduct was to blame for
her doubt of it, Suddenly there was a
| stir in the far corner. Fritz had
bounced out of bed and down upon his
knees. There was a dim light in the
room. Three boys might have beer
discerned raised upon their elbows
staring. Fritz at his prayers a second
time!
Shows his good sense" said Stan
ford, in a subdued whisper to Eugene
with whom he slept.
''Well, I've had that out" said Eu
gene. did some good, too. No mat
ter how dull my head is. as sure as
get to my knees, the Lord sends me
some spicl1 and span idea. I'm going
to sleep now. I'll divulge the plan to
morrow"
Sadie came again next day.
"rve an ide2r' Eugene exclaimed
with some force.
'Dew tellr' and Sadie laughed, mer
rily. mot all by yourself, Eugene?"
"Well, no, not all by myself" an,
Eugene looked wisely at Stamford
1T came from our best Friend las
night. Let me tell you, Sadie, we ar
going to do an old German trick to begil
our new conduct toward mamma. We
are going to give her real littl,
demonstration as a welcome home.
remember the time she got back from
that district mission convention ant
we were all playing ball on the lot
and didn't even come in to see her til
tea time. 1t wasn't because we didn'
, love her; it was"
because we were blind fools, >
Stanford interrupted.
"But here's a point, boys" Sadi
r said, suddenly. ''Auntie mustn't know
that have had any hand in this sight
{ to-the-blind business. I'm not goini
even to hint any help to you about you
p welcome to her. She must not sus
pect me. 1t must be all your own per
forming, straight from your Ow
l heartsr' With that she marched Of
down the gravel path to the gate.
= "Of courser' shouted four boys afte
her.
, I'VE aren't going to have MANN
thinking we have peeded lessons o
I how to love her. Trust us to do i
= alone" and Jack tossed his head i
concert with three other heads.
1t was the sweetest time of the yea
in Vernon, but October days were CON
ing on and the flowers were GROWN
scarce. Flowers we must haver' tn
+ boys had said, and Fritz hung over tn
@ late roses, the sweet Alyssum an
Chrysanthemums, as though his FOND
G est hopes lay in their blooms.
Eugene, who had graduated and wa
q at work on a salary, was keeping som
very bright dollars up in his collar
r box for very bright purpos,
4 Jack and Stanford still in schoC
t decided upon one thing the
1 could do, at least. They could ear
n money after school hours, and betwee
r them hire old Aunt Dinah to make
$ great cake, with Welcome" on it
" chocolate frosting.
I've thought of something new,
}, Jack exclaimed, rushing in, quit
r breathless, one evening. you kno
d how mamma has admired Mrs. Green
/ dress window seats? l mean to ri
N ono mn and have IL all ready for he