The Lamar register., 1891-07-18
up. and one Of Kate's aprons f,.tenea

up. and one OF Kate's aprons fastenea
to him. Carl rushed out In search of
his boy. He finally found him in the
chicken-house, breaking the china nest
| eggs with a hatchet he had picked up
near the wood pile. Carl was dis
! posed to give his son thrashing. but,
remembering that It was the day of
oil days in which he must be calm, he
took up the child and carried him in
the house, where he found Grace busi-
ly engaged in creeping through the
dirt that he had swept up and scatter
ing it broadcast over the room. At
| sight OF this, Carl's nerves ouivered.
and he gave the broom kick that
sent IL flying across the room. and the
handle, coming In contact with an
earthen cuspidore, Clipped piece out
of tn e rim
What was that, Carl2n asked Kate
from the bedroom feebly.
"Oh nothing at all" answered Carl.
gulping down his wrath you lie still
and don't worry about me. I'm get
ting along splendidly.n Picking up
the broom he swung it over the carpet
few times, and gathering up the dirt.
I 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 an hour before lunch time,
aud Carl sat down to go through the
morning paper. He mentally assured
himself that he had not found it very
/ uresome TO do the morning work. He
had 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 tke kitch-
en-. Somehow Harold had got bottle
of mucilage, and he was engaged in
polishing" his sisters shoes with its
contents when their father came upon
them. Carl smiled in weak. spirit
less way, and removing the baby's
shoes. set them aside ito be cleaned
by Kate"
After luncheon. when Carl came to
wash the dishes he found the novelty
OF the situation had worn off. and he
did not move about the room as ac-
lively as he had in the forenoon. The
children were pcevish and mischievous.
They wanted their afternoon nap. and
once, when Carl had stepped into the
dining-room. Harold climbed up into
a chair. and leaning on the kitchen
table, tipped II until tho pan of dish
water slipped OF and spilled over the
floor. BY the time Carl had reached
the kitchen, Grace Had crept into the
pool OF water and her clothes were
saturated
Carrs calmness was seriously dis
turbc.l, and closing the kitchen door.
he punished Harold severely. Grace
did 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 tuclSing the sobbIng chill
dren into their crib, he went about
his work.
I'm 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 Carl had finished the work and
] he had just seated himself for the pur-
pose OF resuming his paper when the
children awokc. Gritting his teeth
almost savagely Carl threw down the
paper and gave his attention to the
children. There's one thing that
Kate does, d" he thought that will
not do. for l don't think it is right, and
that is to sit around the house and
hold the children. when they might
Just rs well be taught to amuse them
selves Plncing Grace on the floor
and instructing Harold to play with
her. Carl took up his paper. The
children gradually found their way in
TO tho sitting-room. Carl was deeply
interested in an account of the discov-
cry OF a rich silver deposit in Colora-
do when IA crash in the sitting-room
brought him TO his feet. With 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 it stood and pulled it
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
the debris and looked smilingly up in
to the white face OF her father.
Carl shook with passion. The shiv-
cred vase on the floor called to his
mind. the day years before, when he
had led Kate to the altar und made
her his wife and his companion. On
that day he had promised to love and
protect her and to give her his SYM
pathv in the time of trouble. Had he
done this2 Had he done his duty?
This was the question that arose in
Carl's heart and turning away from
the sight of the vase he went to the
bedside of his wife and frankly told
her how his eyes had been opened to
his shortcomings; how selishness had
devoured him, and how blind he had
grown to his duties and, her wants.