The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1893-09-09
A BOYS ROOM.
His Experience at Taking Care Of
1t Himself.

"Where is my vest? Oh, here 'tis-
Just where / SHE'D it last night"
Fred picked up his vest from behind
the bed, and then looked around for his
collar.
Il wonder, now, if that collars been
carried off to the wash! just like
Susan. If ever l get hold of one that
fits me better than any other, and
would like to hold on to it for n little
while; off 1t goes. Oh; here it's. l for=
got 1 was Standing by the window
when I took it off, and left it on the
sill. But it's all limp. Dear me, what
a draweri | wonder who interferes
with my things? I'm sure / never got
it into such a muddle as this"
Stirring among collars and neckties,
turning things up and down in a way
that would lead anyone reasonably to
give him credit for any amount of dis
order, Fred at length found a collar.
Now, my necktie. Where did l put
the one l wore in the morning, when l
dressed in the afternoon? OF course,
some one wa in here Strengthening up
my room. / never know where to find
anything after that. Come in"
Fred turned a face full of abused ex-
PRECISION toward the door as his moth
er's entrance followed her tap upon it.
Good morning. Are you ready for
breakfast, dear? Here is n of your
neckties."
''Yes, the very one I was looking for.
Who took it away?'
Susan carried away for the wash the
clothes you took off when you dressed,
and this was among them. You must
have thrown it down."
Yes, l knew somebody must have
been here"
MY dear boy" mother looked around
with Il discouraged face, "how often
must / speak to you about keeping
your things in better order? You really
get worse and worse. come in here
and set the room to rights, and by the
next day it twill be as untidy as before
20 mother, tidy may do very well
for girls or women. It's a real girls
word. I think"
Good for either boys or girls. am
sorry to see such an ugly habit growing
with YOU"
Really, mother" said Fred, with n
return of the injured look, ''one would
think from your talk that you thought
it a real sin-that you look upon it as
you might look upon lying or stealing
and such"
mo. But in evil habit is evil, make
the best you can of it. Its indulgence
is sure 10 have an evil effect upon the
character. A person slouchy and SLOW
emily in his small habits is pretty likely
to be so in the greater thing in his life.
i wonder you don't find enough incon-
venience from your carelessness to lead
you to wish to improve"
My carelcssncss, mother? Why, if
my things could only be left alone, Id
get along well enough. When | come
into the room, | never know where to
find anything, because sore one has
been setting things in order. OF course
Idon't mean, mother dear, that all you
do is not the very best that could be
done; but a boy, you know Fred put
on a dignified air, cant be expected to
be just like a girl, and ought, think,
to be allowed to follow ont his own
way a little in his own room"
"How do you think it would work if
you were left to your w way?' said
his mother with a smile.
Entirely? Why, mother, I think it
would be fine"
"Ihave a great mind to let you try
it." she said.
do, mother" said Fred, eagerly. II
Fever could see the use-with all re-
spect for you, you UNDERSTANDABLE this
everlasting sweeping and busting. I'll
agree to take entire charge of the room
if l may be left to myself"
"Well," said mother, still with the
smile, Il think Susan would better
make your bed
NO" interposed Fred. Sometimes
! have things lying there that | don't
want touched"
Then she need only attend to the
washstand. You may bring me any
thing which needs mending, for I'm
afraid that it might make the keeping
of our agreement difficult for mt if /
made visits to the ROOM"
81 will. | want to do the sweeping
myself-that is, if it needs any sweep
ing-for Susan always plays the mis-
chief with my specimens"
"You may try it" And mother went
down to breakfast, still smiling.
For a few days Fred rejoiced in his
new-found freedom, as he called it
freedom to fling his things this way
and that, in full assurance that he
rrrar1l haua tha loitrht ~ Epl,n- fhar,
exactly where he had flung them.
But 1 must say it gets a little mo-
notonous," he admitted to himself,
with n little shake of his head, Ito find
all my coats and vests and trousers
piled together on the same chair, and
to hunt among dirty collars for clean
ones. Who could have dreamed that
mother settled up for me so often?
But it is a privilege to have a chance
to keep my specimens just as 1 want to
keep them"
But even n privilege may be over
done, Fred was obliged to acknowledge
one morning not long after. He had
brought a friend in to see his geologic
al specimens and his collection of But
~terfiies.
AS usual, he had set things out Of his |
hands just where it was most COM
venient TO set them. ARRIVING at home 4
rather lgGkMezesSe11n he hsassolne
in hastily ana k0hs TO bed ins.tHe aaxte,
sAasng fosgosenstoeek5pek5&h Is
aFsIs rs zexcisiaasd sillis
bed TO. take rather = biiscorsoISfssySns