Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-04-04
Their Wants

Inc man VINO mas family OF cnlIdren
seldom gets a nights rest 1t is one Of
the conditions of that blessed estate.
He retires early because the children
must not be disturbed by his coming up
late. That is good. No fault can be
found with that. His wife is tired, as
she has an undoubted right to be.
She toasts her feet by the fire, does
her front hair up on crimping machin-
cry, puts some glycerine on her hands,
makes sure that the chamber door is
locked and bolted, and a chair with the
lamp and some matches in it set against
it; and then she gets into bed, and says
she knows she shan't sleep wink to-
night She feels just like 1t.
The family man fiops over with his
face to the wall, and is just settling in
to his "beauty Sleep when the piping
voice OF his little son calls out from the
bed in the adjoining chamber, the door
OF which is always left open:
"Pa! l want some water! ! say,
pa! I'm a-dry!"
The family man ignores the cry, hop
ing that the child will fall fast asleep
without enforcing his demand, and he
gives utterance to a vigorous snore,
which all family men learn 10 practice,
and his wife gives him a dig with her
well-trained elbows.
Thomas, don't you hear Genie cryp
He is thirsty. Thomas. How can you
lie there and snore, and that blessed
child choking to death for want OF a
little water?"
Another more pronounced snore.
"Pa"-this time the little voice has
become lachrymose, and the notes arc
raisen a whole octave--"I want some
water! Say, pa! want some w-a-t-e-rv
"Thomasm cries the loving mother,
in voice of dire reproach, "are you
deaf? That child is dying for some
water"
ats too cold to get up!" growls the
family man, thinking of just how
cold and slippery that strip of oil-cloth
in the back hall will feel to his feet,
and how the shivers will run down his
spine when he goes through the dining
room to the kitchen pump. IL want it
cold" cries the child, ''real cold! Just
pumped!
The family man gets out of bed, and
feels for the matches.
Take care, Thomas" cries his wife;
you'll upset the lamp! The matches
are right there under your nose.
Strange that a man never can find any
thing! l knew should have to get up!
Now, mind you lock the kitchen door
again after you, and while you are down
there just see if the front door is bolted.
I have forgotten whether looked at it
when | came to bed"
Thomas unbolts and unlocks the
chamber door, and proceeds down
stairs, and returns with the water, aud
by that time the boy is asleep, and his
ma thinks he had better not be awaken
ed.
The door is secured. the light out,
and then the wife nudges her husband.
my throat feels little sore, Thomas,
I wish you would go down and bring
up the camphor before you 90 to
sleep"
''Put on some bay rum" suggests the
family man.
bay rum, indeed" cries the wife.
"Why, who ever heard of bay rum for
a sore throat? When l am dead.
Thomas, you will think OF this, and
a good and faithful wife to you, and the
mother of your childrenm
The family man gets out of bed again,
and makes another expedition down
stairs, and brings up a bottle of
ammonia by mistake and has to return;
and by the time he gets back the boy
who wanted water is awake again, and
this time he wants milk, and he refuses
to have anything else, and the little
girl in the crib rOuses up and calls for
a drink, and declines to take the water
brought up for her brother because it
tastes hot; and so the family man has to
descend again and unlock and lock all
these doors.
Is it any wonder that suicide is on
the increase?-kate Thorn, in New
York Weekly.