The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-10-16
The ketch Temper
By !. McROSS.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

4 NDREW KETCH swung the big
"A barn door 10 with a bang, gave an
old tin pail in the path kick that lift
ed IL high in the air before ii descend
ed into a snowdrift 20 feet away; then
lie hurried up the path to the house.
his heels angrily crunching the snow
1t every step.
Left his work and gone to the house
at four o'clock in the afternoon. he
muitered "I'll see what he means by |
such doin's. Id lick him f"
lie stopped; Robert. who had pre-
ceded his father few minutes before.
had left the kitchen door ajar, and
something the young man was saying
70 his mother and sister Emily caught
Andrews ear and arrested his foot:
II tell you mother, I won't stand
his day longer, no, not another hour,
the red colt is dead, Prince and Charlie
have come down with the distemper,
and OF course father blames me, just
as he does for everything that goes
wrong. work hard from early morn
ing until late al night, and what do
Get for ite Abuse, blame, scolding
and ugly looks And he's just as mean
10 YOU and Emily as he is to me. When
has he ever spoken a pleasant word
to you?"
Dir. Ketch held his breath mo
ment. waiting his wifes answer. but
he could not hear her words, only the
low. soothing tones; then he heard
Roberts angry voice again:
Il say am going 10 leave, and
want you and Emily 10 come with me.
In his last letter Brother John sent
a check large enough TO take all OF MS
TO The city. lie will find work there for
me- ard we will have a home without
ugly words or actions
20. mother. do. do let us go; you
know how unhappy father makes all Of
US here
Andrew choked little; could that
be his Emily. his little girl, speaking?
Were all Of them against him? He
strained his ears to hear his wifes
decision. and he caught the calm, slow
spoken words:
II have been looking for this: ever
since John ran away have known
that IL must come, and quite while
ago I decided that when the time came
for me to choose between my children
and their father, should stand by
-
You will. will you?" Andrew burst
into the room. his face distorted WIZ
rage. so you've decided TO leave me!
fine wife you are-turn against your
husband when he's in the most trou'
HE, Talk about ugly looks Who
wouldn't look ugly with all I've nae
10 bear this past year? First, ther'
was the wood lot got afire and burn
IN all that hard maple I'D got read!
for market. there was clean Thousand
gone"
yes" interpolated Robert. "an'
Won poured all your wrath out upol
me. though it was your own careless
ness that set II atire.
"Then there was the Jersey COW
Maid $500 for. and she slipped on IN
ice and broke her hip and had To
killed. Then
who was to blame about the COW!
Robert again interrupted. when 70
ordered me TO turn her out, told 20
that she was liable TO slip on the ic'
hut YOU said. do as tell you and MN
your business but II was weeks "
fore YOU quit nayging me about IL.
NOV it's distemper with the horses
Andrew continued. zone dead anu !"
sick. and all Of you propose leaving u
"a bear it alone; well. go then. Y
,us. ne fast as you can lift your fe'
out Of the house, !.
lie shook his cIenched fists al
wife. who kept on. mechanically darl
snr a hole In a stocking.
ANDREW" she began. gently y
he silenced her.
go. | tell you; never want 70 =
your face or hear your voice again.
she closed her lips little more hrI
IL than usual. folded the stocking 81
laid II upon the mending basket AZ
silently went 10 her room, and Robe
and Emily went to theirs.
" was not long before the three cat
mack 10 the kitchen ready TO lea'
ana without word or glance az a
drew. who was walking up ana oo'
a. ru,m. they left the house