Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1892-01-02
SATuK Jay JAN. 2, 1892.
Mrs. brakes Foolish Ambition
And What Came of It.

SANS'
the Kaw river as you go over into the
city, and you will notice by the waters
edge the wreck of an old dredge boat
This boat has been there long time
and as kindling is more plentiful there
than here, it will probably remain there
until perhaps the Kaw becomes gorged
with ice when the boat may be broken to
pieces and carried away with the cur
rent.
Soon after the boat had become so
securely anchored in the mud. Mr.. and
Mrs. Drake passed that Way on their
spring tour of house hunting.
snow there" said Mrs. Drake with
great animation, "tbere is just the house
we have been looking for. 1t seems to
have been planned entirely after my own
heart. It is in such an sristocratic
neighborhood. Yoa see Sir Chanticleer
now walking in his grounds quite close
by. We may hear the beautiful music
from the henery near and we may desire
to procure the services of some of Sir
Chandeliers family to teach our own
children music later in the season.
There is nothing more to my mind, Mr..
Drake, than the morning lay of Mrs.
Chanticleer."
"My dear Mrs. Drake" responded Mr..
Drake quietly, 1 am satisfied entirely
with you as you are. 1t our children
should grow up to be so beautiful shall
insist that the lay of Mrs. Ducky
Drake will never be excelled." "But the
house, urged Mrs. Drake, though pleased
at the compliment. 1T has a river base
ment where we may take our old exer-
else, then there will be the high and dry
room above where we may receive our
aristocratic callers. I should like to
break loose from all of our old associates
and float on higher plane" "We are
in the swim now,'' retorted Mr.. Drake.
What more could be desired than that
our family should move in that circle and
remain in our old set.
"You are too horrid for any use Mr..
Drake and you have no ambition for
yourself or your family" cried Mrs.
Drake, and she buried her head in the
water to hide her tears.
After number of such family scenes,
Mr.. Drake, much against his inclination,
finally consented to take up abode in
the dredge boat, though the island near
by was his preference as a dwelling.
Mrs. Drake was so much elated by her
new residence that she tried to persuade
Mr.. Drake to abandon his old exercise of
swimming the Kaw every morning for a
drink, but this Mr.. Drake would not con-
sent to SO he usually went alone, while
Mr.. Drake enviously watched her neigh
bors.
"How beautifully they walk" she re-
marked SO often. Il think it is the web
in our feet Mr.. Drake that makes us
wabble So"
Mr.. Drake paid little attention to her
At last hs would simply
shake himself as though he We're finging
water from his glossy neck.
One day wheu Mr.. Drake had remained
away longer than usual wee, tiny duck
ling made its appearance in the Drake
household.
Mrs. Drake looked it over carefully and
said to herself: snow while this child ia
small will Just cut the web that the
dear little thing may walk grandly and
and not wabblo as its parents
are compelled to do" So with a few
snaps of her strong bill she severed the
webs.
Mr.. Drake was so pleased over his
duckling thai he insisted on taking it to
swim at once not noticing its feet at all.
It was from the only remaining egg that
had been overlooked by the boys on their
visits to the dredge coat. The smooth,
pale green eggs that had been the pride
Of Mr.. and Mrs. Drake, as they were de-
posted one by one inthe nest in the boat
only to disappear one by one very mys-
teriously.
Mr.. Drake tried in vain to keep his
on the water by holding it up
with his bill, but it could not swim. Its
teet were no better for swimming than
chickens feet, and it sank to the bottom,
IN easy prey for the mud-turtle which
vas lying in wait for just such dinner.
It's little life was sacrifice to its moth
er's vanity.
Was there ever a parallel in human
history.
81 think" said Mrs. Stransburgh, sit is
lime that duck had finished her setting |
ID the old boat. Go down Johnnie and |
bring the pair and the duckling and we'll
latten them the old way for company
dinner
Mr.. Drake saw them from the river as
hey bore away his crying mate, and he
dove to the bottom to drown his sorrow |
md stayed so long he would have
hinnsalf had not an old friopd |