The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-02-11
WHY HIS FATHE REVOLTED.

Hello. there, What are you doing
here? This isn't your night of" We're a
few Of the greetings that met John Blake
the other evening when he walked into
the clug.
No. 1 know it isn't my night Off
rather sourly rejoined MI Blake. as he
sank discontentedIy into a chair But the
truth is fellows. I've strlIck-regularly
strickland you can expect to have me
show up here every night until my terms
are met.
"Jm''-this to the champagne
all around; this is the night I celebrate.
If IT should ever be written up in the
papers-this what 1 tell you-it should
be headed in big, black type. The Revolt
Of Father - began Blake as his friends
drew around the table expectantly.
1T happened last night. when my wife
told me TO go Up stairs and turn Johnnie
over. Johnnie you know. is my son and
hopeful heir. my pride. the apple of my
eye. the one in whom all my hopes are
centered. etc. etc. Johnnie is ali right.
but ne early contracted the nladdening
hab bit OF not being able 10 go to sleep,
except when lying on his back, and, if
person goes TO sleep lying on his back.
you know. he viii have bad dreams. So
long ago it was arranged-by my wife
that Johnnie should go to sleep on his
back. and that later his fond father would
come up and turn him over.
During five Of Johnnies precious seven
years Of existence I have Interrupted my
reading about 10 O'Clock every evening
except on my nights off-to go up and
turn him over.
Well. last evening I was in the middle
OF an exciting chapter whe IA horrible
sound came from upstairs. and my wife
said she guessed Johnnie must be having
a bad dream. and that I better go up and
turn him over.
You know how it is-you never can
+ tell when the worm Will turn. But this
/ was just about 30 times. or FIVE times
$50 times too many, and l said Johnnie
he hanged or something equally unpa-
/ ternaL
/ Just then Johnnie woke up with a
I howl. called down that he had been hav-
/ ing an awful dream. and that father had
forgotten TO turn him over.
o. lever mind. darling, called up my
wife. in melting tones. while the look she
- - lllt tlllLttu ll4t 40 tAlt bt-4S- 50 ~
.sIep again and mother will come up
and turn you over-father is too busy to
think Of his little boy
Now. did you ever hear of anything 50
id.otic? Letting a child grow TO be seven
/ years old. and having to turn him over
/ every night.
Last night was only elimination.
( however. began to strike in regard to
johnnie week ago
Pretty cold weather We have been hav-
ing. YOU know and my VIII suggested
that l let Johnnie siep with me. This
was all right. but I absolutely refused TO
let him put his cold feet on me. I tried
+ To reason with him. ! told him that when
l was a boy of his age / had to sleep in a
room without any steam pipes-let alone
steam-aud in the morning always had TO
get the Ratchet to crack the ice in the
water pitcher
But did This kind OF talk have any af-
feet You don't know Johnnie. After I
would set through with my little sermon
he would call out TO his mother that
father wouldn't let him put his feet on
him. and his mother would call back.
p Come with mother darling: mother won [
let Qcr pet nave colo IcDlSlto anu more
lwadll. of that sort. WheTeupon the
+ young rascal would scamper of 70 his
mother.
T-s the principle Of the thing I object
u. Of course. and therefore. I've given
warrinE. I won't let Johnnie use me as
warming pan. and ] won't turn him
0ver-these are my ultimatuns. or should
I say ultimate delivered 10 my wife last
nisht
she called me an unnatural father. q
cruel. heartlcSs wretch and a few nice
things of that sort. This morning At
breakfast. she was so chilly that. I de-
clare -he coffee was cold I didn't %
home To lunch. and this evening at dinner
there was the same frigidity in the at
mrsrhere. Johnnie came in for even more
than mis- usual share of attention, being
siren a second piece n pie. to pay for his
fathers cruelty.
when I left the house tonight, heard
my wife telling Johnnie 10 go TO sleep, and
that she would motif orgey to turn him
over. New York GLOBE.