Chicago eagle., 1904-06-25
: 4 Case Of TRAINING.
. SUPPOSE you intend to 20 to tn

II
ball over Mt the Flat Reuben T.
Mrs. Butler observed to her son,
as he rose from the breakfast table.
II was calculating to. mother" he
answered. turning with the quick look
of one who expects to be found fault
with.
II don't want to dictate ut ALL" she
observed. smoothly, but merely to suy-
gest that 1t would be an act Of cour.
tesy for you to take Matilda Springer" !"
Matilda Springer.'
"Yes, Matilda Springer; you needn't
exclaim 70. She il as nice girl as
you could nnd, and she seldom gets
an Invitation. am sure 1t would be
quite treat to her. A young man
should pass around his attentions, not
60 too much with the same girl: II be-
comes too marked OF course I'm only
suggesting; you can do as you please"
Reuben did not reply; lie put on his
hat and started downtown. There
was rebelllous look In his brown
eyes. and he said something under his
breath his mother would have been
shocked to hear.
At the foot Of the hill he half
stopped and looked bnck from force
Of habit. How often when lad OH
his way to school his mother had
called him back, when he reached this
point where the road went out Of sight.
and when he rushed home again, hot
and impatient, he would be told ito
hang up his coat, or put book on
the shelf that he had left on a chair
Mrs. Butler was managing won.
an. and her husband and son felt her
hand in every detail Of their lives.
1T is easier to let your mother have
he'd way" John Butler would say;
and the only time he dared to disobey
her was when. without saying aught.
he lay down and died.
II wonder what possessed mother to
get It into her head to have me take
that old maid! Just when I'd got my
new buggy, too, and wanted Clarissa
to ride In It hrst. II will be the big.
gest ball ever given In these parts, and
know Clarissa will expect to 60 with
me. Hang It all! What do care II II
10 'markedY I'd be tickled to death
Il folks knew I was going to marry
Clarissa Brown, and Id been thinking
that during this long ride in the moon.
light might get the courage to ask
her to marry me. But mothers made
up her mind. and I suppose I've got
to take Matilda, or the dickens will bc
to pay. wonder I haven't cut 1t long
ago and run away. guess It's be.
cause she's mother. after ALL" and
Reuben stroked his rather weak chin
perplexedly. "I'll talk II over with
her tonight"
Talk It over he did, with the result
that the next evening he was going up
the steps to the rickety photograph,
gallery. behind which Matilda lived, to
ask her to 20 to the party with him.
Pretty Clarissa Brown. bending over
the sewing machine, hemming blue
dimity rutties for her new dress, was
wondering even then why Reuben
hadn't been around to arrange about
going to the party. She wondered
more as the days went by. and when
the evening came and the gayly deco.
rated coaches and buggies began to
20 by, and she saw Miss Matilda seat.
- by Reuben, q linen duster covering
her freshly laundered yellow cambric
dress, a mutin0us expression came into
her eyes.
"Madam Mother again." she said,
under her breath.
After that Clarissa found It con.
venient to see very little Of Reuben;
II he called, she was busy or out, and
she passed him Oh the street with the
klightest nod.
Reuben was miserable, and MS the
weeks went on, with no. change IN
Clarissa, he began to think she had
given him up for good A change came
over the lad; he grew reckless, and
did not heed his mothers displeas.
ure. He went out evenings, and came
back careless and uncommunicatiye
To her angry expostula tions he replied
that he was going to choose his own
company.
"I'm going to see Fannie West; she's
u giSuS uNSsy B"ss ouu - U0CuluK Tie
card games, and tonight we had IN.
males and beer" aud Reuben took
his candle and marched on to bed.
Mr.. Butler felt cold all over. Fan.
ME West, that little fraxxle. headed
thing. always gigglinG. aud Reuben
turned 50 independent What II he
set out to marry her?
OF course she wanted him to have
Clarissa. only she had meant to show
the girl that she needn't be too sure
Of him, and 30 she made him take
Matilda Springer to the party. Why.
Clartssa was a queen compared to
Fannie West; she was 20 pretty and
dainty, and her folks come from tho
East, while the Vests were nothing
but trash.
No doubt the silly girl was bound
to do all she could to get her Reu.
bsn; he was the handsOmest boy In
town.
Who would have thought Clarissa
would have been 70 resentful, but Il
must be made up. and that right
quickly.
Reuben arose after his nights re-
bellion, expecting to ind a few cold
scraps for breakfast and his mother
complaining and cross; but instead
there was fresh coffee. beefsteak and
eggs. and hot waifies. Dinner, too,
t.l-