Connecticut western news., 1894-01-25
CONVINCED.

OO1N l1NOIDs Peter Carter pushed his chair back from the table and surveyed the faded little face on the opposite side of the tea tray. Faded enough now, though she was barely 27. You would hardly have be- lieyed how fresh and pretty Carry Car yer had been on her wedding day. Her husband saw the change, but somehow he supposed all women faded just so ''There is so much to do, Peter, and the children demand so much of time," pleaded the meek wife. eff were manager in this household. things would happen very differently" "I have no doubt of it." said Carry quietly.
 "There is no earthly reason" went on MT. Carver, ignoring the sarcastic mean ing of her tone, "why the work shouldn't be done and you dressed and enjoying yourself, cultivating your mind or some thing, at Il o'clock every morning that you live. Washing up few dishes, sweeping a room or two-what does it all amount to? Why, my dear, don't you see the folly of asking for servant to,help you do nothing at allg' The morning sunshine crept down the ! pale green wall paper, sprinkling drops 1 of gold on the few little geranium plants | that Peter called "waste of time" and ! lay in noon splendors on the carpet, and I still Carry Carver stood there, thinking | thinking.
 'Carryl Aren't you going to get up this morning? It is half past 2, and"- "I cannot, Peter" groaned Carry, turn ing her face away from the light. .I am suffering such dreadful pains in that foot sprained last night" "Well, what shall do?' "You must take charge of the house. keeping yourself, Peter" said Carry, hiding smile in the folds of her pillow. Its only for a day or two, and I don't know of any help you can obtain. It won't be much, you know"
 '.That's true," said Peter, somewhat | encouraged.
 Please darken the room, and keep the children away, and don't speak to me if l you can help it. have such racking headache, and the least excitement drives me wild"
 caution and went down stairs on creak- ing tiptoe. As he passed. the nursery door duet of voices chimed on his ears
 Papa, papa, we are not dressed"
 Dress yourselves, then, can't youT' said MT. Carver, pausing.
 "Pet is too little to dress herself" said Tommy loftily, ''and mamma always dressed mel"
 Where are your shoesr'
 "I don't know" said Tommy, with his finger in his mouth.
 'I know," said Pet, aptly revenging herself for the hit at her diminutive pro- portions; Tommy dropped them out of the window"
 Crashl went a fancy bottle of cologne of the table as Tommy groped for his garters. Bangl fell Mrs. Carver's rose wood writing desk to the floor, bursting off the frail hinges and scattering pens, envelopes and postage stamps far and wide.
 Mir. Peter Carver was an afectionate father in general way, but human ma ture could not have endured this.
 And he bundled the two little crea- lures miscellaneously into whatever arti- cles came uppermost, rending off strings and fracturing buttonholes in frantic desperation.
 The fire obstinately declined to burn although MT. Carver opened the oven doors alternately and drew out all the Hampers he could spy.
 "Confound the firei" said MT. Carver mopping his wet forehead with the stove cloth. "It won't go. I'll have blaze of kindling and try the breakfast or that"
 He seized the ham and carved several thick slices, which he transferred deftly , to gridiron, and then, elated with hi. success, broke several eggs over the ham
 "Bless me, how they runt" he ejacu lated, rather puzzled. "But know Tn right. wonder why this coffee doesn't
 boil. I'll stick in few more kindling
 that's the idea. There are the childrer crying-hungry, suppose. do believ,
 they do nothing but eat and cry" MT
 Carver rushed to attend the peremptory
 summons of the milkman.
 And then he sat down, tired and spir
 itless, to a repast of half cooked mea
 and liquid mud. by courtesy termed cof
 fee.
 He looked despairingly around at tn,
 chaos that reigned in the kitchen.
 "Nine o'clock, as I hve-and nothing
 done. Well, l see very plainly there'
 no office for me today. Now, then
 what's wanting|
 "The clothes for the wash, please. sir,
 said little girl, courtseying humbly a
 the door.
 "Up stairs and down stairs" went Pc
 ter Carver, laying hands on whatever h
 considered proper prey for the washtub
 rummaging in bureau drawers, upheav
 ing the contents of trunks and turning
 wardrobes inside out for mortal hou
 before ne ;iaA completed the requisii
 search.
 The kitchen was empty when he r C turned.
 : ''Where are the childrenr' was his fir , alarmed thought, expressing itself ul ' consciously in words. p1 "I saw 'em go out of the door, pleas | sir" said the washerwoman's little girl
 The July sun was beginning to glo intensely in the heavens. The payemen ? reflected the ardent shine with tenfol V l1.k ccJ xx<,or Dofar Carvar xuoo n oo ,1