The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-05-04
Their Wants.

T1e man who has a family of chill
dren seldom gets sights rest. 1t
is one of the conditions of that
blessed estate.
He retires early because the chill
dren 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 crirnping ma
chinery. puts some glycerine on her
hands, makes SIRE that the chamber
door is locked and bolted, and a
chair with the lamp and some match
es in it set against it; and then she
gets into bed, and says she knows
she sha'n't sleep q wink tonight.
She feels just like it.
The family man fiops over with his
face to the wall, and is just settling
into his "beauty Sleep when the
piping voice of his little son calls out
from the bed in the adjoining cham
Der, the door of which is always left
open:
''Pal l want some water! l say,
pal I'm dry"
The family man ignores the cry,
hoping that the child will fall asleep
without enforcing his demand, and
he gives utterance to a vigorous
snore, which all family men learn to
practice, and his wife gives him
dig with her well-trained elbows.
Thomas, don't you hear Genie
cry? 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 are raised q whole octave-"I
want some water! Say, pa! l
want some w-a-t-e-r!"
''Thomasl" cries the loving moth
er, in q voice of dire reproach, are
you deaf? That child is dying for
some water"
otis 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 coldl" cries the child,
"real cold! Just pumped!'
The family man gets out of bed,
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 anything! l knew.I should
have to get up! Now, mind you
lock the kitchen door again after
you, and while you are down there
just seeif the front door is bolted.
have forgotten whether looked at
it when / came to bed"
Thomas unbolted and unlocked
the chamber door, and proceeds down
stairs, and returns with the water,
and by that time the boy is asleep,
and his ma thinks he had better not
be awakened.
The door is secured, the light out,
and then the wife nudges her hus-
band.
my throat feels little sore,
Thomas, | wish you would go down
and bring up the camphor before
you go to sleep"
"Put on some bay rum" suggests
the family man.
bay rum, indeedv' cries the wife.
"Why, who ever heard of bay rum
for a sore throat? When am dead,
Thomas. you will think of this, and
l a good and faithful wife to you,
and the mother of your children!'
The family man gets out of bed
again, and makes another expedition
down stairs, and brings up q bottle
of amonia 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 take anything else,
and the little girl in the crib rouses
up and calls for Eusink, and de-
elines to take water brought up for
her brother because it tastes hot;
and so the family man has t o descend
again and unlock and lock all these
doors.
Is it any wonder that suicide is on
The increase?-New York Weekly.