Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-02-06
Ny mother did without any

/ When he reached Althea lodge every
thing was disorganized. Ethel was pull
ing the feathers out of the peacock S
tail; Bob was galloping around the barn
yard on the back of Pounce, the pony.
We're having such fun, pal he cried.
! ''Pounce hasn't been fed, cause [ couldn I
find the key of the oat bin, and the cow is
lost. Such fun!''
''Where is Miles ?" roared the father.
MA S discharged him. -
'What for?"
cause he talked saucy to her.
Mr.. Cavendish stood moment staring
at the pony and the peacock, boy and the
| girl.
Ethel" said he, ''let that bird go.
Robert, get off the pony at once and come
| into the house.
Ethel obeyed reluctantly, Robert with
alacrity.
We've got company, chirped the lat
ter YOUTH company, pa! | most forget
to tell you. And mas in bed with
headache, and there's no one to get them
any supper. Hoo-ray!''
Mr.. Cavendish hurried into the house.
The parlor was undusted, yesterday flow
ers were wilted In the vases, and the fire
had died into mass of feathery cinders.
Through the open door was visible the
| dining-room, with the remains of the
| breakfast still visible-as dispiriting a
scene as could well be beheld.
| And there In the midst of all this for
lornity, sat Mrs. Burgoyne, his sister from
! the west, to whom he had frequently
boasted of the perfection of the wife
! housekeeping arrangements, and Mrs.
| Ridgway, who once years ago, had been
| sort of old sweet heart of his. Of all
people, he was most anxious that his home
should appear pleasant in the eyes of those
| two women! And now
He made the best of it, however. He
| extended to them an ostentatiously hos
pitable welcome, hurriedly built up blaz-
ing camel coal fire in the CRATE, and has
! tened upstairs to where poor Mrs. Cav
endish was deluging her forehead in
cologne and endeavoring to twist up the
wet braid of her heavy hair into company
order.
Julia, said he, what does this Mean
| Miles gone
Il discharged him, -" said she resolutely.
''you said | was perfectly justifable In
doing so if he spoke impertinently to me.
And he did so.
But what am | to do?"
Precisely the question asked you this
morning"
Mr.. Cavendish had nothing further to
say for himself. He simply muttered
some kind of an anathema between his
closed lips.
''Do you know" he said, ''that there is
company down-stairs?"
Eyes; but until this moment have been
unable to leave my bed
My dear, he said, compassionately
putting his arm around her shoulder,
does your head ache so hard?"
1t is better now, James"
Il do believe" slowly observed Mr..
Cavendish, that l have been fool
"Oh, james,
Il wish ! hadn' flown into such a pas
sion with poor Lucy. And all about
nothing, too, when one comes to think OF
! it..
Mrs. Cavendish laughed Historically.
I'VE all make mistakes, James, said
she. ''Wait a minute, dear. I'll GO
| downstairs with you now, if you'll give
me your arm. | couldn't ask your sister
and her friend up here with the children
sick with measles, could I?''
WHO is with them now--the children,
| | mean?''
"a handy young girl from the village
Lucy's sister"
"Couldn couldn't she help US with
the dinner?" ventured Mr.. Cavendish
'She is too young. Besides, she has
had no experience. But, james,
Yes. Julia.
"Open confession is good for the soul, >
said Mrs Cavendish. Lucy came back
| to me about two hours ago. She said you
bad sent her away, but she could not beal
to leave me at such time. She is getting
dinner down stairs now"
''She' Il trump" cried Mr.. Cavendish
Scarcely had he introduced his wife to the
ladies in the parlor than the folding doors
of the back room slid open. revealing a
bright fire and Widespread table, decor
ated with spring fowers-daffodils, tulips
| and a few purple spikes of lilac. A pain
of ducks had been roasted In the best and
most tempting style. There were sweet
breads and chicken salad by way of en-
trees; delicious steam pudding sent forth
its perfume from the kitchen; and Lucy
was just bringing in the tomato soup.
Mr. Cavendish nodded good-humored-
ly toward her. She courtesied respect
| fully.
You needn't worry about the horse
and COW, sir, she said, in low voice.
Peter Frink from the Low farm is COM
ing to attend to them
While the family were discussing the
steam pudding and prune pie, Lucy slipped
into the parlor, and, to use her own
terms, Strengthened up" the disorder
there, and the last impression taken away
| by the visitors was one of neatness and
| comfort.
Mr. Cavendish drew long breath as
he watched the retreating footsteps of his
company toward the road that led to the
| train.
Julia" said he, turning to his wife,
| I've come to the conclusion that times
have changed since my mother did
the work for ten children without any SER
want.
Il quite agree with you" said Mrs.
| Cavendish
And ] was entirely wrong when sent
Lucy away; and you were quite right when
you discharged Miles. Henceforward, my
dear, we II try to mingle little common
sense with our housekeeping. Eh-shall
we?"
And Mrs. Cavendish smiled as she as
sented.-Helen Forest Graves in Phila-
delphia Saturday Night
La Grippe in Ancient Times.
Away back in the fifth century there was
an epidemic of malignant influenza IL
| Europe, extending into Asia and Africa
which assumed the form of a plague
carrying off many thousands of people
1t is to this calamity to which Haydn
| Dictionary of Dates refers when ex-
planning the origin of the salutation
s'God bless YOU thus: 1--WE are told