The record-union., 1895-01-12
ONCE UPON A TIME.
tConyrIght. 1894. by Edgar L. Wakeman. All
- RIGHTS reserved.

ley.
"Its 90 up or go down, Tillmanw she
would remark in little bursts of asthma
and enthusiasm to her husband.
.sYes. Cynthy Ann" he usually re-
nlied with a start, as though caught in
the reasonable act of dropping back
IN the worldly race, AZ believe you are
right. But you are woman of remark
able vigor. You never get tired, Cynthy
Ann"
'Tired? Gettin' tired is gettin' behind,
Tillman. There's no half way work
about livin'. Anybody that sets still
gets run over and fattened out. Keep
pullin', Tillmanv
"Gou are always right, Cynthy Ann.
hope sometime, though" he would
often family urge. "we can get bit of
rest. l sometimes think, Cynthy Ann,
rests better than being Governor or
President
"Oh that's the man of it!' Mrs. Till
man Plumley would Indignantly retort.
That's jess the man of it. Always gig
GIN back! Always layin' down! Al
ways quittin'p'
Don't, Cynthy Annu'
Don't DON'T me, Tillman Plumley!
Don't 'don'P me. You we're jess a far
mer at first. You'd stayed a farmer but
for me! Then Jestice Of the Peace. You'd
stayed Jestice but for me! Then Jedge!
You'd stayed Jedge but for me! Then
member OF the Legislator. You'd stayed
member but for me! Then State Sena-
tor-all through my toilin' and managin',
an saviu' am scrimpin'-an', if you had
your way, you'd stayed Senator, when
you could go to Congress, or be Governor,
or mebby President himself My
hG1T T,N1l ,,y,1I - go
not. No, no, mol"
Then Mrs. Tillman Plumley would
have a turn with her asthma which al
ways left her in state, and brought ten
der concern into Iillman Plumley's hon.
est eyes and great veins into Tillman
Plumley's forehead, and the rising man
would plunge forward in the cursed game
of American politics, as recourse OF
lesser evil than a smileless, thankless
home.
A home under these conditions, through
the exquisite law of compensation, is
usually rich and impressive in it's sec
Ondary crop of human growth, and Till
man PIumIey's home was no exception
TO the rule.
There were Victoria Geraldine aged +;
Ramsey Ulmar aged 8; Anne Elizabeth
aged 5; BuIwer LyttOn aged 10; Grace
GeneVieve aged i; and Robert-plainly
christened before the years of affiuence
ter. shy, quiet thoughtful youth of IS
vigorous savages Of the modern sort.
They've got go in 'em, Iillman: all
but Robert" Mrs. Tillman Plumley
would urge with kindling eyes when
their various brutalities came to notice
"Robert'll never be nobody, with 'lectric
apparatuses an all that bosh. Too much
like his father. No backbone!"
Again, when the young Plumley fiends
would set upon some defenseless nurse
and drive her from the place. the ambiti-
Gus mother would croodIe them upon her
asthnatic breast with
WHATS nurses to children with sech
spritn'
Nurses is nobody!" they would chorus
GppTovlngly.
Nurses shan't abuse my poor dearies,
shall they, preciouses? Not even ifyour
cruel brother an father is on their
side ~
All this, as though brother and father
had lncited the vicious nurse to secret
child torture; whereupon Mr.. Tillman
PIumley, with grOan, would retire to
write out an advertisement Tor another
nurse, Robert would steal away, white
faced and silent, wondering If all homes
were like his own, and the Plumley child
rabble would in turn roar their various
intentions toward the next nurse who
should be doomed TO brief existence
among them.
Dora Brice.
Away up among the New England hills
she had lived her brief days, for she was
scarcely Il years of age, with an old
grandmother, distant relative of Mr..
Iillnan Plumley. When the last peace
had come upon Grandmother Brice, little
Dora, for the 1irst time, turned her face
toward the great world wOuderIngly.
Some one had written the Plumleys
about her. kind-hearred Tillman Plum
Icy showed the letter to his wife and
wondered if they could not give the girl
home.
Not as ekaI, Tillman. If as nurse,
yes. Mebby she could earn her keep"
SO II was settled that little Dora Brice
shoGld come from the old New England
hills 10 the hills behind the Hudson, and
when Illlman Plumley met her at the
station with his carriage and saw what a
mite OF thing she was, his heart smote
him Tor what he knew was before her.
''N on see, Dora" began the eminent
man when they had set out for his home
together, "our children are rather-rather
forward Public life is a liCtle hard on
home life, and Mrs. Plumley, while the
best woman in all the world, of course,
is a trie easy with the children. Now
Dora, don't you think you can win them
over?"
sure, sure, Mr.. Plunley. Why.
know worlds OF lovely stories and tales.
i
This, radiant at the prospect of the lit
tie Plumleys' enjoyment
Grandma BrIce was always telling me
those sweet old tales. Isn't it funny
though? They all begin with, once
upon time.'"
splendid splendidp' returned Till
man Plumley, obviously. ''Do try to
win them over. Try, also, TO win Mrs.
Plumiey Over-I mean,n said Tilmau
Plumley as be noticed the girls blue
eyes open wide. ''I mean make Mrs.
BIumiey ieel that you have very great
interest IN the children, ana that you
don't mind It a little rough at times.''
"A little rough, Mr.. PIumIey?"
well, children are children, and
mothers are mothers, you know, Dora
'N-e-s.'
And sometimes they're all unreasona-
BILE, and trying aud nagging and hetchel-
ing TO anybody under them, Dora"
II nder them, MIR. PIumley?''
"A e.; tending the children and things
like that"
"Why, Grandma Brice always told me
that The care OF children was the sweetest
thing in ali the world, Mr. Pluiniey: that
their innocence, their helpIeSsness, even
their boisteTOUsness, and, above all, their
affection tor those who love them, would
almost soften the hardest heart. Dora ,
she often said TO me, always trust any
one whom children love- How can car
ing for your children be hard for me, Mr..
PIumleyY"
Tillman Plumley's face was mass of
ouivering wrinkles. de stopped his
team sharply.
"Dora Brice" he said determinedlv.
my house is no house for you to go to,
NV wife is no woman for you 10 be with.
NIy children are no children Tor you TO
know. Robert excepted. He is a noble
HE l,,-- (,