Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-01-03
CHAPTER L.
THE WORLD NEEDS LOVE.

OdCh 70 LAC OlO IuCStlOA. w hoC al =
we to do? You know l am not strong
enough to keep house alone. We can't
afford to break up our home and go
into a hotel, and yet it seems almost
the only thing left to do. WRat shall
eve do?"
81 don't understand why all our girls
stay SO short time!" exclaimed Mr..
Ward, irritably. And then he looked
across the table at his wife, and hfs
look softened little as he noted more
carefully her tired face and the traces
of tears on her cheeks.
ooh, I don't understand It'll All 1
know is that they are all simply hor-
rid. I do everything for them and
never get anything but singratitude
from every one of them! The idea Of
Maggie leaving me today, of ''all the
days, just when Aunt Wilson was COM
ing, and Alfred home from college, and
Lewis down with his accident; it is
more than can bear, Richard. If you
were, any sort of a man, you would
know what to dol" g - q
well, am any sort of a man, and
don't know in the lea st what to- d." re-
piled Mr.. Richard Ward to himself, as
his wife laid her head down on the
table, regardless of several dishes
overturned, and broke into sobs as a
relief to her feelings which had been
growing in hysterical power ever Since
Maggie, the hired girl, hadsthat morn
ing not only given notice of her de-
parture but had actually left, after a
brief but heated discussion about the
housework in the Ward family.
The two children at the table turned
frightened looks first at the father and
then at the mother, and the youngest
of them began toery.
''Stop that, CARL" exclaimed Mr.
Ward, sharply. Then, as he pushed
back his plate with the food onoi I'M
touched, he muttered to. himself:
I'm losingal my Christianity over
this miserable higed-girl business. It's
breaking up our home life and wreck
ing the JOY of our very children"
The child's lip curled in a piteous eff
fort at control and the older one be-
gan eating again, looking from father
to mother anXiOusly.
Mr.. Ward rose, and, going over to his
wife, he sat dowR by her and stroked
her head gently.
S'There, Martha, you: are all worn
out. Just go into the sitting-room and
tie down. George and I will do up the
dishes, won't we, George? Well play
hired girl tonight, won't WEI"
LET me help, tool" cried Carl.
*Yes, you can help, too. Finish your
supper, and We'll have jolly time
washing and wiping. Now, Martha,
you go in and lie down. Well get
things Strengthened out somehow"
Mrs. Ward feebly protested, but al
lowed her husband to lead her into the
sitting-room, where she sank down on
lounge.
1--we got splitting headache, Rich
ard; leave the dishes until morning
You're tired with your business"
NO, 1 don't like to see them lying
around. Besides, dirty dishes have a
way of growing with miraculous rapid
styswhen the girls gone and things &C
lapse into irritation again.
Its not my fault" exclaimed Mrs
Ward. sharply. Carl, stop that noise,
she added as Carl began toegather VI
some of the dishes, piling the bigges1
plates on the little ones and letting
several knives and forks clatter to the
floor in his eagerness to help.
Don't be always nagging the chill
dren, Martial" said Mr.. Ward, angrily
losing his temper for the tenth tim.
that evening. The other times he hat
lost it silently.
Its always: Step that noisel' from
\mother when her head aches," sait
George as he tried to pick UP tn
knives and forks quietly, and let then
drop twice before he had them back Oh
the table. O
'.See me helpi See me help!" sun:
Carl as he started towards the kitchen
door with his arms full of dishes. TIL,
pile was too heavy for his strength
and, as he neared the door the column
began to topple, it balanced for mo
ment on the edge of safety, and thel
fell with a crash. The child looked a
athe ruin moment in terrified silence
then sat down on the floor and began
TO cry.
Mrs. Ward sat up on the lounge an
booked at her husband almost saw
ageiy.
Richard Ward, if you don't do some
thing to change all this.
She did not finish her sentence, blu
Hay down and turned her face to tn
wall in despair. And Richard Ward, o
the firm of Mead, Ward and Company
known in business circles as q good
agreeable. and fairly successful mel
: Ghant, and in church circles as a cor
sistent member and active christia
man, turned from his wife and wen
out into the dining-room with a loo
on his face that his minister had neve
seen. and a feeling in his heart tha
was a good way from being wha
might be expected in a man who wa
..in good and regular standing" in th
Marble Square church.
'tItsWould be..very funny, if it wer