Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-11-17
4 QUIET EVENING.



copyrighted nv Lee & shepard. Boston, and
published by special arrangement with them
Mr.. Bodwcll, of Nelson street, sat
Gown for II quiet communion with hii
family and the newspaper on Thursday
evening All the children but the eldest
had eaten supper. and he was industri'
ously engaged at that task. Mr.. Bod
well drew mp to the lamp. selected an in.
teresting artIclc that would undoubtedly
engruss bis wife. and commenced to re
produce 1t, while she, patient woman
kept her eyes on the children. as the
father WAS very sensitive to foreign
noises wien engaged i'll reading. Bod
well had got down the column some
twelve lines, and was just laying him
self out on the big words, when one 0;
the girls, while taking unusual precau
ton to step around scuttle of coal
actually stepped into it, and bewilder'
ing crash followed.
"Merciful heaven shouted Bodwell,
what was that" Mrs Bodwell ex.
plaiucl the other children Uttered, and
the girl, being II wise child, knew hel
own father. and sagacinusly left. Agar
Bodwcll picked up the paper, and Civ.
ing it a spitcful twist, resumed the ar
ticle 1t was moment or two before
he resained his composure, but tht
author was a man acquainted with the
business, and the skill with which he
handled the subject soon conquered Bod.
wells mind. He became wholly alb
sorbed in the matter, and at one point
he involuntarily brought down hi!
clinched hand with a force that amply
expressed his own feelings and very
forcibly stirred up those Of one of the
children, who had caught the full effect
OF the descending fist.
"Will somebody cut me opcn?" plead
ed the dcspairing man, as he caught NJ
the shrieking offspring and fell to rub
bing its back, while the mother dashed
after the cainphor, and the other chill.
dren. awestruck by the affair, rushed
into the hall to laugh. 1t was full five
minutes before the injured one was qui,
etcd, and by that time Mrs. Bodwcll eX.
pressed u desire to hear no more Of the
article; but Bodwell was determined
then to finish it any way, and he resumed
the paper. During the progress Of the
next reading Il little girl came in to Dor
row a flatirOn, and the mother got up tc
give 1t to her, moving about SO quietly
that Bodwell was not interrupted. The
eldest boy was still at his supper. He
was a good boy. Whenever he wanted
anything he stood up and reached for il
himself ana did it very quietly.
Just as the little girl departed witt
the tlatiron, the heir, who had his fa
theirs boots on, stood up to reach ovel
the table for the sixth tart. The mother
in returning detected the vacant chair
and fearing some one would fall over i,
and make another disturbance, she
thoughtfully moved it back to the wall
and just got by as the heir settled back
with the coveted tart, and finding moth
ing but thin air to receive him made a
desperate effort to save himself, but
was too late, and came down on the fool
with crash that made every timber ir
the house squeak and the Mortified parent
on looking up, was nearly pctritied will
amaZement to see his own boots clawing
madly among the dishes, while the dis
tractcd occupant was vaiuly endeavorinc
to extricate himself from under the table
That wound up the evenings entertain
ment. The disguised Bodwell put OF
his coat and fled down street, leaving
the very sore and mortified heir to sup
press the mirth indiscreetly displayed by
the other children as he best could with
the agencies at hand.