The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1893-12-29

raised in clouds of dust by his vigorous
sweeping.0
'sPhew!" Glad enough was he, hav-
ing at length finished, to get into the
open air, burdened with few doubts
as to whether, after all, he SO very
much enjoyed the new order OF things.
II dom, really believe boys were
made to be housemaids," he concluded.
But it's only an experiment. There
won't be any trouble in getting back
to mothers dear, careful ways" con-
scious of an unexpressed yet decidedly
increasing respect for his mothers
ways.
Late in the day Fred rushed back to
his room to make ready for an evening
to be spent in company which he held
i'll high esteem. Fred's slovenliness did
not, as a general thing, extend to the
care of his person, his mother having
often had occasion to wonder at the
neat appearance with which he con-
trived to emerge from the chaos OF his
room.
''Thunder!' Fred stood for a mo-
ment at his room door, finding the situa-
ton worthy of his strongest expletlve.
The dust from which he had fled lay
thickly upon everything, adding dis
mally to the prevailing disorder.
81 forgot all about the things mother
spreads over things when she sweeps.
| How | hate dust on books! Well" seiz-
ing towel and hastily whisking it
| about, 81 haven't time to do much dust
ing now. Jack Harper will call for me
in quarter of an hour
Buttons off? l forgot to take my
best suit to mother. And there's lit
tie rip near the coat cuff, but l can ink
that"
Setting the ink on the bureau, he
carefully darlened the white streak.
but as he turned from study OF the Ell
feet, his brow took on deeper cloud.
''My white tie III the backing box!"
He snatched it up. 1.-The last one l
have left! And all these" tumbling
over a number which were mixed in
with other things thrown on the table,
''are covered with dust. Perhaps this
one will do; but there's a spot on it"
Selling towel, he carefully rubbed
the front of the lightest-colored tie he
could find But it was the towel which
had already done duty as buster, and
was streaked with the sooty dust which
prevails in house in which bitumln-
Gus coal is used.
AS the tie soon looked rather worse
than better, Fred threw both towel
and tie from him with an angry eXcla-
nation. They struck something on the
bureau. which went with them to the
floor.
ooh, that ink! And all over those
books l left there! What shall l.
Mother! motherr'
Mother. quickly appearing in answer
to his loud cry of distress, could not for
bear smile at the mixture OF express
sions on Fred's face. Despair, mortifi-
cation and comical sense OF the ludi-
crous seemed striving for the mastery
SO mother" he said, after she had
done her best to arrest any further mis-
chief from the ink, twill you take me
back?''
''Take you back?" she asked, not
quite understanding what he meant
YES, me and my room. I've given
up I'll take all you have to say on
the subject of boys and tidiness if only
QUILL wind me up and then keep
ne running. But first will you please
70 down and tell Jack Harper 1 can't
20 to-night?"
why can't you, dear? thought you
were so anxious to CO."
80 was; but look at me. Buttons
off. Rips. 1 can't find a clean collar
in that middle, and my white ties
spoiled"
''I'll ask Jack to wait for you a few
minutes. think we can manage things
yet"
Most boys who have mothers can
imagine the quickness with which her
hands flew from one thing to another
in making that particular boy look as
boy should look. From hidden
depths of her own stores tie was I'M
earthed. Buttons went on and rips
hid themselves from sight. At the end
of quarter of an hour Fred joined his
friends wiser and happier boy.
Some hours later he turned the
light high for satisfied gaze about his
room.
''This is jolly! Everything clean, ev-
erything in place. Well, it's rather
mean in me if can't cooperate with
mother and Susan in keeping myself
straight. guess its best for folks in
this world to help each other run each
other, and not be always making things
harder for each other-1 mean me, for
mother and Susan-and other folks for
each Other.'
With which very Indefinitely ex-
pressed but very sincerely felt senti-
ment as to every days small duty, Fred
went to bed.-Sydney Dayre, in Inte-
rior.