Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-01-17


bit; l shall tell mother l think you
lovely, and that | mean to marry you
when | grow up. Won't she stare at that?
May bring my kite here this afternoon
NO. no. my dear, not this afternoon; we
are going to the shore"
"Oh, then / will come with you. Moth
er," as Mrs Markham appeared at the
door. and looked at us with unfeigned SUP
prise, II can't drive with you this after
noon; am going on the beach with Miss
FeutOn and the children"
CHAPTER xIV,-"BREAD AND SALT"
Thought Mrs Markham looked some
what dispeased
I'VE must ask your mothers perInis,
sion, Master Rolf" then, turning to her.
~ hope you will allow him to go with us
this afternoon" for, in spite OF his rude
ways, felt full Of pity for the lonely lit
tie boy; he seemed to have no playfellows
except poor JudsOn, who was Il low=sptrits
ed, overwOrked young woman, 1t must
have been dreary for him 10 be IN house
hold of grown-up people, who all voted
hiru plague and took no trouble to amuse
him. Spoiled children are seldom happy
ones; and il did not need a second look at
Rolls pale, sickly face to read the lines of
discomfort and peevishness.
81 am rather surprised that Miss Fentcn
should make such a request after her
trcatmeut of my boy yesterda ;" returned
Mrs Markham. ungracioHsly l think
if she had dared to contradict Rolf she
would not have given her consent but
sulky look was already clouding his face.
Never mind about that" he said, inn
patiently; Miss FentUn is going 10 make
the tail for my kite; and | am going or
with her this afternoon, and | shall aud
will 60"
Master Rolf, that is not the way TO an
swer your mother"
you may leave me to rebuke my own
child" she observed, coidly. Very well,
Rolf; you may go, but you need not be
so cross about it. ! came to see about the
children, Miss Fenton: I think It is too
hot for them To 90 on the beach this after
| noon"
Joyce will wear her sun-bonnet; and
there is y nice breeze" | returned, some
| what rufiied by this interference. fancy
she did IL to aggragate me, for there was
no fault to be found with the weather, and
| | knew my mistress always left these
| thing to me.
| She remained for n few minutes making
| little suggestions about the ventilation
and the nursery arrangements, which
| bore as patiently rs | could, though the
| harsh. metallic voice irritated nae dread
| fully. did not wish to be disrespectfu.
| to Mrs. Markham, but did not feel bound
to obey her orders, and | knew / should
tell her so if any grave dispute arose be
| tween US was rather relieved when she
| left the room at last taking Rolf with her;
! but in a few minutes afterward Judson
| glided in on tiptoe.
"Oh, Miss Fenton," she said, IN q pa
thetic voice, ~ am so grateful to you for
| promising to take charge OF Master Rolf
| this afternoon; thought there would be
! such a piece of work; Master rolf thought
| he was going out in the carriage, aud
| Mrs. Markham has friends. and cannot
find room for him; and what | should have
done with him I'll this afternoon, hardly
know"
"lf Rolf is good have no objection to
take charge OF him. ! am very fond OF
children, only they must be obedent,''
obedience is an unknown word to
Master Rolf; returned Judson, lugubri-
ously: times out of number that boy has
got me me into trouble, just because he
got the colone's sword out of his mothers
wardrobe one day, aud nearly killed him-
self, and another morning he fired off his
grandfather's gun, that had been loaded
by mistake, and shot poor old Pincher-not
that he meant to do it; he was aiming at
one Of the pbeHsants.
This was not pleasant to hear, and in
wardly resolved not to trust the children
out of my sight; for who could tell what
unforeseen accident might arise from
Rolls reckleSsnesSs
Mrs. Markham blames me for all that
happens" went on Judson, "and Master
Rolf knows that, and there is no checking
him: he is net nearly SO mischievous
when his mother is near, because she loses
patience, and has more than once boxed
his ears soundly. She spoils him dread
fully and he takes liberties with he as
no child ought to take with q parent: but
now and then. when he has aggravated
her past bearing. L have known her to
punish him pretty severely"
This WIS sad Iniudicious indulgence.
and iujud!CiouS severity. Who could
wonder if the results were unsatisfactory
NO one dares to say word to him ex-
cept his MOTHER went on JudSon; lit is
Just her temper when she flies out at him;
but she worShipS the very ground he
walks on. If his finger aches she thinks
he is going to die, and the house is in an
uproar and yet when he is Iii he is as
contrary as possible, and will not take Il
thing from her, for all her pett!ug and
coaNing.'
1t seemed a relief to Judsou to pour ont
her woes, and l could hardly refuse to
listen to her. She WAS evidently attached
1. -, ,yh, 81, h.
since her marriage; but she was one Of
those helpless beings who are made the
butt of other peoples wills and passions:
she had no dignity of mind to repel even
childish impertiueuce; her nervous, vacil-
latins ways would only increase Rolls
tyraunical nature.
| could understand how a high-spirited
boy would resist any command enforced
by that plain i've voice. A few quick con-
else words would influence him more
than a torrent of feeble reproaches from
Judsou. He was not without generous
Impulses-whst English boy is.-he had
graSped at once my meaning when | re-
buked him for his want of gentlemsnly
honor, but he was too precOcious and over
, bearing, aud had lived too much in the
society of grown-up people.
Nv knowledge of the world was not
great, but know how deficient in reti-
cence many grown-up people are In the
presence Of children: the stream of talk
that is poured into the little pitchers Is
/ often defiled with low conventional views
| OF duty and painfully uncharitable re-
| marks; the pure mirror of child's mind
| and how pure that mind often Isis
frequently sullied by some uuchristian
| observations from lips that to the child
are half divine. See how We offend one
| of these little ones,n was the Masters
warning; aud yet il we could look into
| one of these young minds, we should Of
ten see its placid serenity broken up and