The record-union., 1898-08-15
ETHEL1NDA,s REGULATIONS.
Her Instruction by a Young Man
With Large Wavy Ears.

1t was not the fault of the landlady
She strove patiently and conscientious
ly to make the place homelke and
pleasant. There peace might have
leigned and joy expanded had It not
been for lady who thought the land
lady ought to have help That she
meant Wen none would be so cynical as
to deny. She was assisted in her at
tempts 70 make life less monotonous
for her fellow boarders by her daugh-
| ter, a small, seyen-year- girl, with
abnormal powers of obedience, and
whose most prominent facial charac-
eeristics We're freckles and a look Of
resignation. Whenever the two were
present the other people would talk
fast, because they knew any lapse in
the conversation would be seized upon
to require Ethelinda to come forward
and recite. The hard, mechanical sense
of duty indicated by the childs man
ner OF compliance was more appalling
than the selections which she droned
off, halting now and then till her moth
er could prompt her. The ladys name
was Mrs. McGoogan but she was al
ways known as "Ethelinda's mother" /"
The pair had only one rival in unpopu-
Iardty. 1t was a young man with large,
wavy ears. He wore plaid clothes and
tall collar which never harmonized
with his shirt bosom. There was some
thing about his calm self reliance that
impressed the others unfavorably. So
prone are we to misjudge our fellow
man When he had heard Ethehnda's 5
repertoire once or twice he began to
| take a great interest in the perform
ance. He spoke to her mother of The
infants wonderful talents, and he was
often seen with the little girl apart
from the others, keeping time with one
hand while she recited. The others
We're perfectly willing that he should
thus monopolize her genius
A new boarder came to the house: a
member of Congress- a man of impress
sive demeanor, as became his import
ance. There was a hush among the
people who had assembled in the parlor
just prior to the dinner hour They
were all under some slight restraint
all except Ethelinda's mother
''Dearie,'' said she, won't you recite
! something for the ladies and gentle
menu"
AS she spoke she placed her hand be-
tween the child's shoulders and gave
her push out into the middle Of the
floor
Yes" put in the young man with
the large ears, ''recite that piece about
'Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight "
The prodigy i1esitated in embarrass-
ment
'England's sun was slowly setting, =
prompted the mother
She looked up at the ceiling, and, ner-
vously rumpldng a fold of her frock be-
tween her thumb and forefinger, pro-
ceeded:
England's sun was slowly setting.
When the maiden grabbed the bell.
come, what mean your cried the sex
ton.
oh" said she, 81 hate to tell,
But tonight I go out riding
And / have no bell in sight
And fear those bold policemen,
urfeW-must-not-ring- night!
Her mother looked, turned pale. and
gasped, but the young man, with a
bland smile, suggested:
Let's have that new one"
The prodigy promptly began:
We will all be there when the orchestra
plays,
Well give her applause and we'll throw
bouquets.
In the ballet she stands in the foremost
row,
She's somebody's grandmother, boys, you
know
The applause was tremendous.