Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1893-09-08


In real regret he gathered up the
crushed remains of the pretty winged
creatures he had taken such pains and
such pleasure in mounting. While
doing so his attention was for Che first
time drawn to the condition of the
carpet.
"Well it really is dirty. And no one
can say ever liked dirt Why, it looks
as though some one had been throwing
lot of wool and feathers under my bed,
I'll give it a sweep to-day, undertook
to do my own sweeping. l suppose
folks think boys can't sweep"
Fred put all his strength into the
welding Of the broom. 1t had been a
rainy week, and Susan's careful hands
had not supplemented her morning care
of the room by gathering with brush
and dust-pan of the mud which his
careless feet brought in. 1t was now
dried and ground into the carpet, to be
raised in clouds of dust by his vigorous
sweeping.
''Phew!" 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 don't really believe boys were
made to be houscmaids, I" 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
iii high esteem. Fred's slovenliness did
not, as 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-
trivcd 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 expletive.
The dust from which he had fed 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 il
about, II haven't time to do much dust
ing now. Jack Harper will call for me
in a quarter of an hour.
Buttons off? | forgot to take my
best suit to mother And there's lit
tie rip near the coat cuff, but | can ink
that"
Setting the ink on the bureau, he
carefully darkened the white streak
but as he turned from study of the eff
feet, his brow took on a deeper cloud
MY white tie in the backing box!'
He snatched it up, "The last one
have left! And all these" tumblinG
over a number which were mixed il
with other things thrown on the table,
'are covered with dust Perhaps thi;
one will do; but there's spot on it."
Selling a towel, he carefully rubbed
the front of the lightcst-colored tie hi
could find. But it was the towel which
had already done duty as a buster, ant
was streaked with the sooty dust which
prevails in house in which bitumiu
Gus coal is used
AS the tie soon looked rather worst
than better, Fred threw both towe
and tie from him with an angry cXcla
nation They struck something on thu
bureau, which went with them to tn,
floor.
''Oh, that ink! And all over thos,
books | left there What shall l.
Mother! motherl'
Mother, quickly appearing in answe
to his loud cry of distress, could not for
bear smile at the mixture of expires
sions on Fred's face. Despair, NORTH
cation and comical sense of the ludi
crous seemed striving for the mastery
30 mother" he said, after she hat
chief from the ink, Twill you take M
back?"
Take You back?'' she asked, no
, quite understanding what he meant
Yes, me and my room. I've givel
up. I'll take all You have to say Of
the subject of boys and tidincss if onl
/ you'll wind me up and then kee
me running. But first will you pleas
go down and tell Jack Harper can
go to-night?"
"Why can't you, dear? Thought yo
were so anxious to 60"
$50 | was; but look at me. Button
off. Rips. | can't find clean cola
in that muddle, and my white tie
spoiled"
"Ill ask Jack to wait for you fc,
, minutes think we can manage thing
yet"
Most boys who have mothers ca
imagine the quickness with which he
hands flew from one thing to anothe
in making that particular boy look a
.. n boy should look. From hidde
depths of her own stores a tie was ur
earthed. Buttons went on and rip
hid themselves from sight. AT the en-
of quarter of an hour Fred joined hi
friends wiser and happier boy.
Some hours later he turned tn
light high for a satisfied gaze about hi
room.
: This is jolly! Everything clean, {,
= erything in place. Well, it's rattle
: mean in me if can't cooperate wit
mother and Susan in keeping mvse
t straight, guess its best for folks i
this world to help each other run eac
S other, and not be always making thing
- harder for each other mean me, fc
v mother and Susan-and other folks fc
e each other"
n With which very indefinitely c,
pressed but very sincerely felt sent
= ment as to every days small duty, Fire
!, went to bed Sydney Dayre, in Int,