The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-06-30
MOTHER
HUBBARD
BY J.. A Flynn.
By ]. A Flynn

> HOBBAHD\
BY J. A Flynn. ,
) She Had a Sharp Tongue,
but a Good Heart. >
|~v\/\/N\/~Nx\N
It was dead low water with The Week
ly Compendium when Nine. de ID Mode
quarreled with the editor, and he en-
gagged new young lady for the fashions.
Her name was Violet Raikes, and she
WAS rather nice to look at. She sat OPP
posite to mel am subeditor-so the fact
impressed itself upon my notice. But
somehow didn't take to her. She was
fond of slang, she bicycled in nationals"
and she hoped that I didn't object to a
cigarette. l felt inclined to say that !
objected to her altogether, but didn't
She was remarkably smart in her work,
and I couldn't afford to object to any one
who was useful.
She hadn't been with us more than a
fortnight when the editor was laid up,
and had to be editor, sub, leader writer
and political critic all at once. Then our
financial expert went bankrupt and bolt
ed, 80 I had to do the city news In addi-
ton.
The next week our sporting authority
disappeared-he had backed some Of his
own tins, poor fellow!-an we couldn't
get another.
The only members of the literary staff
left were our art and theatrical critic,
who doesn't know horse from dom
key; our tame poet, who doesn't know
anything, and Miss Violet. l felt had
about come to the end of my tether, and
l said so pretty forcibly.
Miss Violet looked up from some out
rageous costume which she was drawing
and laughed at my outburst. She was
always laughing.
"Don't put yourself out" she said. "Ill
knock of the sporting news for you."
jerked my eyeglasses from my nose in my
amazement.
"Your' said. "YouT'
"Why not7"
"What do you know about it?"
"For the matter of that. what did he
know about itY' She nodded her head
several times and pressed dimplcs in her
| cheeks with her pencil. "You really can't
do any more YOURSELF" she said.
"No," I said YEARLY. "But l am
afraid
"You needn't Be. I'll run 1t out to-
night, and you can cut 1t up tomorrow
morning"
Sine wrote the sporting article as II she
had been brought up in stable, AMI
| from that time she became our sporting
tipster and allowed herself an extra Gig
l arctic when she and were working late
| in the evening. She always insisted upon
lending hand when was extra busy.
you'll kill yourself IL you don't mind"
she remarked suddenly one evening when
we were, making up the next issue.
had Just announced that we were short
and must do another column.
II can't let the paper break down." l
said feebly. l had been working for u
hours, and nature was almost exhausted.
"Of course not Fill up with this"
| She threw over manuscript headed
ANSWERS to Correspondents" and began
laughing as usual. Il knew we would be
! short"
"WhyY I said. "What? Who are
| the correspondents"
| Il am, of course. You didn't think
| there were such things as correspond
| ents, did you?"
"Umph! don't know
you're q fine editor!
didn't reply. was deep In the man
uscript which might have passed for
page out of several journals could men
ton. Nellie O." was given recipe for
sponge cake, "Devout Lover" was ad-
vised upon the etiquette of presents,
"Molly" was cautioned against the per-
| nicious habit Of smoking cigarettes ga
most unbecoming and unladylike prac-
tice'), "Abstemious" was encouraged In
teetotalism, "True Tommy" wasatold to
persevere with his Obdurate ladylove,
"Flossie" was warned against slang,
"Carcful Housewife" was recommended
to insist upon having IA penny scenes
for shilling, etc.
| Upon my word" said warmly,
"you're little brick. I only wish could
| get you something extra for
"Oh, shut up" she said. She was CIV
| en- to saying things Of that sort. l
thought it a great pity, because she was
otherwise very charming girl, but l
| never COuIu LUieIulC my Nhhe
| in a wOman's manners.
| No sooner had the number appeared
than real applications for advice poured
In, and our correspondents column be-
eame a regular feature. When we had
a spare moment, she would read us some
Of the letters with her answers. She
used to make us roar. She was such
comical girl-never could be serious about
anything. The pseudonym she adopted
was Mother Hubbard.
About this time the paper commenced
to 90 better, and advertisements came in
more freely. persuaded the proprietor
to give Violet raise, and offered to do
the Exporting" myself now that we could
afford a city editor, but she wouldn't
hear of it.
"You couldn't do it hnlf SO WELL" she
1,ated. SNOW don't get savage, old
chap. Have cigarette"
II WISH" said. "you wouldn't talk in
that beastly manner" She flushed lit
| tie.
when want you to edit my CONVEX
sation, III ask you," she rejoined tartly.
So shrugged my shoulders and went
on with my leader.
|. lou nave Dcen E1au enough, bne Oh
served few minutes later, "for me to do
a mans, work, though you want to keep
me in my place as q woman
II do not look upon womanliness as q
degradation"
"Nor do l object to manliness in a
man."
"If you mean that T.
| you'd better attend to your leader, or
It will be worse rubbish than usual"
1 concluded my peroration in furious
silence. l rather pride myself upon my
leaders. Then made few remarks.
80 did she-not very few. She made up
by never speaking to me except on bust
aess for the next week. was sorry, be-
cause-well, there were good points
about her.
The following Monday we were stop
ping late, az usual, and for once the poet
was keeping us company. He wasn't 60
ing home till he had found something to
rhyme with "my hearts DESIRE" he said.
violet's suggestion Of my tart's Maria"
caused him to decline further conversa-
ton with her. Hes very touchy over his
1 yhymAe. 60 We were terribly dull until