Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1903-05-15
HIS FIRST
WATCH&&
BY w. L. WAT S SON

/ L did not come from has mother. On,
l no. Mummy was not a present
giver except on birthdays and at
Christmas time. In fact Mummy was
not associated in his mind with presents
at all. He rather thought of Mummy
as the person who very often did not
give him the things he wanted. But
she was Mummy, just Mummy, and
hundred presents could not alter that
fact. His little life was made up of
Mummy and his meals, with his father
as very irregular, but on the whole
rather nice, if not very understand
able, person, thrown in. Sunday was
Daddy's day. He had vague idea
that Daddy had made Sunday to rest
i'm, and although nurse and Mummy
said it was another Persons day, he.
considered that his father had had
good deal to do with the arranging of
it. AS for Auntie, she who gave him
the presents and never found fault
with him, he figured her forth as a
lady bountiful, who, fortunately, did
not know how bad he could be at
times. 1t was clear to him that
Mother never told her about his pun
isments. Mothers own boy, the boy
of the tears, and the penitence, and
the promises to be good in the future,
and the kiss and the cuddle on the
pillow, and the last good-night, ten
times repeated when the light went
out and he was left alone-Mother's
own boy reckoned on secrecy. OF
course, Daddy was told occasionally;
and so far he had observed without any
of the threatened evil consequences;
and Daddy took strange, views of
things which Mummy and her boy saw
very well only showed how little he
knew of their world.
When Mother went away on visit,
she took home with her, and the
house seemed empty. His voice echoed
when Mummy's ears were not there
to atch it; the doors creaked strange
ly, and at night the stars stared in
upon him threateningly, saying:
snow I've got you alone" No one else
was of use against these stars. He
felt it would be wise really to pray to
God till Mother came back. 1t was at
one of these times that Auntie gother-
self put into his prayer. Sheleft to his
own wit what he should say, and as she
had promised him something special
soon, he added to his nightly list:
"Keep Auntie good" She kissed him
punched the pillow all wrong, and left
him to the long night. No toy that he
could think of would save him from the
silence, and the stars, and the echoes
in the house. When Mother came
back, and home returned, then he be
gan to reckon the days till Auntie's
present was due. 1t was to be giveI
to him after tea on Friday. On Tues
day he plunged deep into knowledge
and philosophy. There were "a hours
in each day, out of which he slept ten
'If l am a good boy, Mummy, ant
go to bed always at nine, and nevel
call you back, the time will pass quick
won't it?"
"And if l sleep an hour longer in th'
morning and cont make a noise tt
waken Daddy, there will be less time
won't there?"
"Could / sleep whole day if L la.
still and just forgot?"
lhefe is no leaf OF Ihe cloch stop
ping, is there, Mummy"
On the Wednesday he said: 81 hop,
Auntie is quite well. If she was ill
suppose she would fseend the present
1t would be very aEsfard aEs I; if She hasn'
bought it, Could " not take tea be
fore we go? 1 ain Sure l shan't b
hungry"
On Thursday, AuHtie called and toll
him the present was bought, and tha
she had to attend to it every night. !
cold fear broke over him. Was it
dog? He did not want dog. Was
a cat? He hated CATS
Couldn't / go with you, Auntie, an
stay with you fill tomorrow, just t
make Eure2"
"Weil, couldn't l have peep at II
30 that shall not be so very much SUI