Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-10-03

was not p eased with this arrangement
and began kicking and screaming and
I rocking TO and fro. She swayed her
body so wildly that She finally went
over with crash, ana Carl, dropping
| the broom in the midst of the room.
exerted himself TO quiet the screeching
child. He had succeeded in this when
1t suddenly occurred to him that he
had not noticed Harold since breakfast
and as the outside door had been left
open on account of the heat it was
probable that he had gone out and he
might have fallen into the stream
that ran through the field near the
| house. ,Hatless, with his sleeves rolled
| up. and one of Hates aprons fastened
| to him. Carl rushed out in search Of
lis boy. He finally found him in the
| chicken-house breaking the china nest
eggs with Ratchet he had picked up
near the wood pile, Carl was dis
posed 10 give his son thrashing, but
remembering that it was the day of
all days in which he must be calm, he
took up the child and carried him in
the house, where he found Grace bust
ly engaged in creeping through the
dirt that he had swept up. and scatter
ing it broadcast over the room. At
sight OF this. Carls nerves quivered.
and he gave the broom a kick that
sent it dying across the room, and the
handle, coming in contact with an
earthen cuspidore, Clipped piece out
OF the rim.
"What was that CarlP" asked Kate
from the bedroom feebly,
"Oh nothing at al, answered Carl
gulping down his wrath, you lie still
and don't worry about me. I'm get
ting along splendidly." Picking up
the broom he swung 1t over the carpet
few times, and gathering up the dirt
he concluded that that was good
enough to suit him, and if other
people didn't like it, they could do it
over.
1t was en- hour before lunch time,
and Carl sat down TO go through the
morning paper. He mentally assured
himself that he had not found it very
tiresome to do the morning work. He
bad read about half hour when Kate
disturbed HIM by asking what the
children were doing. He had not
thought OF the children since he began
reading, He found them in TIE kitch-
en-. Somehow Harold had got bottle
of mucilage, and he was engaged in
polishing" his sisters shoes with its
contents when sleir father came upon
them. Carl smiled in a weak, spirit
less way, and removing the baby's
shoes, set them aside Ito be cleaned
by Kate,
After luncheon, wher Carl came to
wash the dishes, he found the novelty
of the situation had worn of. and he
did not move about the room as ac-
lively as he had in the forenoon. The
children were peevish and mischievous.
They wanted their afternoon nap, and
once, when Carl had stepped into the
dining-room, Harold climbed up into
= chair, and leaning on the kitchen
table, tipped it until the pan OF dish
water slipped OF and spilled over the
floor. By the time Carl had reached
the kitchen, Grace had erept into the
pool OF water and her clothes were
saturated.
Carls calmness was seriously dis
turbed, and closing the kitchen door,
10 punished Harold severely Grace
old not relish this treatment of her
brother and the bowling Of the two
children fairly made Carl's teeth
chatter. He soon had dry clothes on
Grace, and tucking the sobblng chill
dren into their crib, he went about
his work.
"Pn have little peace, he
thought, "while they are asleep and
he became conscious of still small
voice within him which weakly as
serted after all, Kate had good many
things to contend with, of which he
had known nothing.
1t was three o'clock in the afternoon
when Cal had finished the work and
he had Just seated himself for the pur-
pose of resuming his paper when the
children awoke. Grittiug his teeth
almost savagely Carl threw down the
paper and gave his attention to the
children There's one thing that
Kate does he thought, that | will
not do, for don't think it is right and
that is to sit around the house and
hold the children, when they might
Just as well be taught to amuse them
selves" Placing Grace on the floor
and instructing Harold to play with
her. Carl took up his paper The
children gradually found their way in
to the stting-room. Carl was deeply
interested in an account OF the discov-
cry Of a rich silver deposit IL Colora-
do when crash in the sitting-roOm
brought him TO his feet With a bound
he was at the door and the scattered
remains OF costly vase that he had
given Kate on the day OF their mar
riage lying on the floor met his eye.
Grace had caught the covering OF the
table upon which II stood and pulled II
of. Shivering With fright at the dis
aster Harold had concealed himself be-
hind the sofa; while the baby, unable
to conceive the extent OF the damage
that she had done, sat in the midst Of