The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-03-22
IFenton. Never had the once where Ne

renCOn. never had the once Wnere M
kept books for peppery and unrea
sonable coal merchant involved him X
SO many trying situations His wife
true to the arrangement, had presented
, herself at breakfast arrayed in hei
walking dress, and offered to make sug
J gestions about curling Mabel's hair,
tying on her pinafore and mending q
mitten brought to her just as the one
maid rang the bell for breakfast. Han
nah was in the secret. for she had al
ready been to ask his advice about the
mullins with q giggle, and Tom and
Harry had been told by mamma that
their father would lay out their clean
clothes and give them any help they
needed In the toilet line. BY the time
he sat down at the table he was q des-
perate man. His own toilet had been
sketchy In the extreme, and he had
literally had not minute to think.
Mary in the gayest Of spirits took his
bundle of bills and went of, remind
ing him not to forget to sort the wash
ing just brought upstairs, and that this
was the day for sweeping the parlor.
And hope" she said, cruelty, at
parting, that you will find time to
give at least fifty strokes of the brush
to your back hair, James, dear"
The pen refuses to record what
James replied under his breath to this
heartless taunt-curses not loud, but
deep-for when man has said fare
well to his back hair 1t is hard to be
reminded of 1t. The day wore on. He
hardly knew why he did not fling off
the yoke and go downtown as usual, |
but some logged perversity in his ma
ture kept him at his post, and, to his
own grim amusement, Hannah's de-
light and the children's astonishment,
he did his best to take up all his wife's
forsaken duties She had not exag-
gerated when she said that her house
was full, and that she had not time to
think of herself. thousand and one
little tasks sprang up on every side.
Housework seemed to him many
headed hydra, and one being knocked
off. another instantly appeared in its
place to distrust and bewilder. Late
in the afternoon, as he sat down for a
moment to rest, seeing a spare quarter
If an hour before it was time to lay
The table for supper, a loud cutlery
arose below stairs, and the twins APP
oeared, bearing poor little Mabel be-
;ween them, q damp, doleful object,
covered from head to foot with mud. ,
The children talked all together, and at :,
he top OF their lungs, trying to ex-
'lain how Harry had playfully poked
lis sister, and how she had lost her
valance and had fallen headforemost
nto the gutter, sin the very gutterest
lace, papa" and the poor man tore
lis few remaining locks as he bore his !.
aughter off to the bathroom for a
omplete change of clothes, involving
he intricacies Of buttons, strings and
ms all over again.
At $50 Mrs Fenton returned. A day
pent principally in the open air had
roved veritable tonic, and she was
leasant sight to see, with becoming :
Dior in her cheeks, and eyes unwonted- .
: bright, as she tripped upstairs lightly, )
! spite Of her forty years; bursting =
ito the nursery in such hustle and p ,,
'ir of good spirits that it grated upon :.
ne nerves of her husband, PROSTATE !,
pom the sofa after the exhausting pro- v
ramme of his housekeeping. y
The fun died out of her voice, though v
ot from her glance, as she bent over ?,
I'M, saying, softly: Poor, dear James =
ill in your morning dress? What does ~
lis mean? ! am afraid you are get
ng into untidy ways"
Mr.. Fenton groaned by way of reply. al
MARY" he murmured, feebly, after al
moment, will you accept an hum h;
ed mans apology? never dreamed as
fore what never-ending round of 81
ork a woman's life could be. I'm a h,
'rfect wreck-but speak for myself az
on will never hear another word of h,
iticism from me If you look like a L.
g bag" h,
Mary dropped kiss on his fevered I'll
ow. 1t was the seal of her forgive n;
IS A quick look about the room A.
owed her its disorder, but she kept in
r amusement to herself.
II have had busy day too" she pur- he
ed brightly. taking off her bonnet. tn
first your bills. The people who
red them were so astonished when Les
oman walked In to collect that they
nded over the money without a 90
,rd, and before eleven o'clock my
cketbook was full. That was the end M,
my duty. Business is rather anus 40,
:, James, think, and not too excit-
:, for 1t left me good many hours, ora,
u see, before 1t came time to come ~
me, SO went to Cousin Lizzie's.. -;
lanes gave start. Cousin Lizzie La
s butterfly of fashion, for whom
rvs tongue was usually lash of :
I'm.
e', oousin LiAz,e' ana said: LIZ Rol