Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1898-12-22

at his own door, his feelings had TN
dergone an entire change. lie felt
ashamed - his p~tulance. and especial
is % the slap be- had gwen Robbie. lie
determined 10 find the little fellow and
make the lest amends be could. lie
also felt glow Of kindly sympathy for
his wife 90 her care Cor the babies iha,
was somewhat unusual 20 il.r hurried
business man. Yet be shrauk from
us-etiug lis wife directly. he was not
quite ready 20 acknowledge the mean
ness % hts irritabihty and language OF
he morning. so he decided 10 20
through the di..nc- which was
stiil very cold. ard make a dsiour
through the basement and kitchen to
iouk at the furnace.
In the kitchen Bridget. who had long
been the faithful maid Of all work.
stood gazing into the cooking stove.
where snouidered few black dying
Goals. Her eountenanee wore an ex-
preston that Was a mixture of distress
aud anger. An hour before Mr.. Jones
would have begun AZ once To rate her
sharply for her badly prepared break
fast. but row be only said:
Why. Bridget. what's the matter
With the stoHe2-
We'll. sir. sure there's no dhrait at all
at all. and whin thry 20 make a quick
fire there's the way il serves me. Sure
it, the CRATE that's broken and dropped
down that ehokes the IRE. poor CELL
cant do any cooking on that stove
Mr.. Jones conscience prieked him.
His wife had told him several times
about the broken CRATE; had written
down the name and number of the
stove aud begged him send it from the
city. but he had forgotten H. lie saw
The impossibility OF doing any good
work with such a poor instrument as
this. and then be said;
We'll. Bridget. I believe the b-s-
thing IN this kitchen would be 4 rew
stove entirely
Bridget's face frightened 20 sir.
she said. If only had good stove. and
the pump fixed. sure Id stay. / gave
the mistress warning this morning"
Again Mr. Jones conscience pricked
him. How often had his wife asked him
TO b. sure and send the plumber TO f
that pump But j, had seemed a very
small thing TO him that stove and pump
were out OF order aud 50 he had paid
no attention to the matter.
Passing into the furEace-room his eve
fell On poor old Hans. the man whom he
paid dollar week TO take care of the
furnace He Was IN his knees in front
of the furnace TRYING with all his poor
old strength TO shake the heavy CRATE
by means of the iron lever. 1t was a pa
thetic face and figure the old man pre-
scented. Bridget had overheard Mr..
jones message about the furnace and
had conveyed il 20 Hans. who had re-
ceived il as the knell of his hopes: for
the poor little dollar that he thus earned
was all that enabled him TO keep peace
with the shrewish daughter-in-law VIII
gave him shelter and bed. But for
come reason the shaking of the furnace
had been almost impossible for more
than week. and old Hans was in de-
spair. When he saw Mr.. Jones he
thought the end had come. and the ex-
Il
HIM was ludicrously appealing.
What's the matter, Hans? Has the
crate got stuck? Let me try it,"
Mr.. Jones was a strong man. but he
could not bulge the furnace CRATE. In
stead. however. Of calling old Hans a
fool and threatening him with dis
missal be only said kindly:
Well. Hans. Ie, me 20 upstairs and
get an ole coat and we'll see what's the
matter"
When Mrs. Jones saw Mr.. Jones com
ing up the stairs her heart sank within
her. She OWNED what was the reason
CT his return, but what with the baby
crying, Robbie still undressed, the
house cold and Bridget in temper and
going to leave. she felt utterly over
", elmed. and felt also that her hus-
bands presence would only add TO the
perplexity of the situation. She had
never been accustomed to special help
or sympathy from him in her house hold
troubles, aud so she regarded him as he
entered the room With eyes that were
half inquiring and half resentful.
Hello. Robbie. hurry up and get
dressed and maybe well take a sleigh
ride, was Nr. Jones first rather sheep
ish yet altogether pleasant remark sd-
dressed to the little fellow who had
started 10 run TO bis mother on first