The Washington times., 1905-07-30

! .
he lost himself IN reveries in which he
saw his daughters employed as house
maid in them. He studied the faces and
words of the preprietors. when they
visited the new buildings to guess If
they would make kind and considerate
employers He put many an extra
stroke of fine work upon the servants
rooms he finished, thinking: who
knows but my Matte may live here
some timer"
But Saul Matehin found, like many
others OF us. that fate was not SO
easily managed. His boys never oceu-
pied the old shop on Dean street, which
was built with SO many sacrifices ana
so much of hopeful love One OF them
ran away from home on the f1rst init
nation that he was expected to learn
his fathers trade. shipped as cabin
boy on one of the lake steamers, and
was drowned in a storm which destroyed
the vessel The other. less defiant or
less energetic, entered the shop and
attaiGed some proficiency in the work.
But as he grew toward manhood he
became. as the old man called It. "trif-
iing;" a word which bore with it in the
local dialect no suggestion OF leyity
or vivacity. for Luke Matchin was as
dark and lowering a lout as you would
readily find. But it meant that he be-
came more and more unpunctuai, old
his work worse month by month, came
home later at night, and was continual
Is seen, when not in the shop with
gang OF low rufians. whose headquar-
terg were in a den called the Bird OF
Paradise on the lake shore. When
his fatheF demonstrated with him. he
met everything with sullen silence. IL
Saul lost his temper at this mute inso-
ienee and spoke sharply, the boy Wouid
rctort with an evil grin that made the
honest mans heart ache.
Father. he said one day. you'd a
big sight better let me alone, IL you
don't went to drive nae out of this
ranch. I wasn't born 10 make a mig
ger of myself in a free country. and
You eaf, iust bet your life I amt a-goEng
to do tt
These things grieved Saul Matchin so
that his anger would die away. At last.
one morning, after a daring burglary
had been committed in Bufiiand, two
policemen were seen by Luke Matchin
approaching the shop. He threw open
back window. jumped out and ran
rapidly down to the steep bluff overlook
ing the lake. When the officers entered
saul was alone in the place. They asked
after his boy and he said:
"He can't be far away. What do you
want OF him? He hain't been doing
nothing, I hope"
s.Nothing, so far as we know. but we
are after two fellows who go by the
names of Maumec Jake and Dutch
George. Luke runs with them soner
| times, and he could make a pile of
money by helping of rs to get them.
"I'u tell him when he comes in" said
Saul. but he never saw or heard of his
son again.
with his daughters he was scarcely
more successful. For, though they had
not brought sorrow or shame to his
house, they seemed as little amenablel
to the discipline he had hoped to exert
in his family as the boys were. The
elder had married, at fifteen years of
age. a journeyman printer; and so, in
stead of filing the place of housemaid
in some good family. as her father had
fendlv dreamed, she was cook. house
maid and general servant to a man
aware of his rights. and determined to
maintain them, and nurse and mother
giving the more important function
precedence1 10 six riotous children.
Though his child had thus disappointed
his hopes. she had not lost his affection
and he even enjoyed the Sunday after
noon romp with his six grandchildren,
which ordinarily took place In the shop
among the shayings. Wixham. the SON
ln-law. was not prosperous. and the
children were not so well dressed that
the sawdust would damage their clothes.
u u
ol-Ff
dren was our acquaintance. Miss Maud.
as she called herself. though she was
christened Matilda When Mrs. Matchin
was asked, after that ceremony, WHO
she was named for?" she said, Nobody
In particular. I call her Matildy because
it's a. pretty name, and goes well with
Juriidy. my oldest GAL. She had
evolved that dreadful appellation out OF
her own mind It had done no special
harm, however. as Miss Jurildy had re-
christened herself Poguy at a very ten
der age in q praiseWorthy attempt to-
say rogue" and the delighted parents
had never called her anything else.
! Thousands of comeiy damsels all over
this broad land suffer under names as
revolving. punished through life. by
| the stupidity OF parental love, for slip
I of the tongue in the cradle. Matilda, got
/ OF easy IN the mater OF nlckHaineS. De-
ing called Matte until she was pretty
well grown, and then having changed
her name suddenly to Maud. for rea-
sons to be given hereafter.
! She was a. hearty. blowzy little girl.
/ Her father delighted in her coarse Wig
or and energy. She was not a. pretty
| child, and had not a particle of CO.
/ quetry In her, apparently; she liked to
! play with the boys when they would
allow her. and never presumed upon her
/ girlhood for any favors in their rough
| sport and good-natured as she was.
! she was able to defend herself on occa-
/ sion with tongue and fists. She was so
/ full of life and strength that. when she
/ had 10 playing to do. she took pleasure
! in helping her mother about her work.
| 1t warmed Saul Matchin's heart TO see
! the stout little figure sweeping or scrub
bing She went to school. but did not
learn enough to hurt her, as her faith
| er said; and ne used TO think that here.
| at least, would be one child who would
/ be a comfort 10 his age In fancy he
/ saw her in neat print dress and white