The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-07-19

4
and wrote letter to Bob. 1t was even
more characteristic than the letter from
his son.
| My Dear ob-"The time has come"
as the walrus said, Ito speak of many
things" Pm in the devil of a fix, and l
guess it's your turn to help out your poor
| old dad. Besides you got me into 1t. 1t
| was you. with your precious Boston ideas,
| that got me to engage a governcss for my
tomboy girl. l blessed you profusely at
first and, as far as Bess goes, l still do.
She is getting quite tame. But the Sia-
mese twins, as you call your brothers, have
set up a three ring circus, and l have to
go around watching the animals so they
won't bite each other and die of hydro
phobia. I'm getting a little too old to
| play the role of rngmaSter with any sue
cess. And it's all on account of Eliza"
as we used to sing.
| This governess whom l got on your adj
| vice is very engaging young lady, and
in fact, she has engaged the affections of
those two pups. / don't blame EN- very
much, either. That's the worst of it. She
says she's twenty-one, but she doesn't
look day over eighteen. A cunning lit
tie brown eyed trick you could hide up
your sleeve. Has an A. B. from Wellesley
and claims she was born and bred in Bos-
| ton, which is really all l have against her.
Il
had to give EN- a couple of thrashings
apiece to make EN- stop playing unheard
of practical jokes Now have to thrash
'em to keep EN- from loving her too siren
uously.
It's getting too much for me. If you
expect to keep my gray hairs out of the
grave, you come home and distract their
attention. You always could manage
them, because you did not have to live
| with them. This is both a prayer and
command. Come home and help your
helpless DAD.
p. S-1f YOU still feel that you must
marry, marry the governess. She's the
| best l ever saw-from Boston too Pri-
vately, l think she was born in Chicago,
and Wellesley is all that ails her. Per-
haps she knows you. l. haven't asked her.
He sent this letter and at dinner
that evening looked around his table
with complacent and chuckling sat
isfaction. The twins looked thin and
pathetic and tried not to eat much.
Miss Gray was demure and smiling in
q dainty dinner gown, and the holden.
Bess, had her hair ribbons properly
tied and both stockings pulled up. Din
ner was peaceful, but there was
tempest afterward, and Mr. Barton
sent the twins to bed at 8 O'clock He
was unusually gentle and patient With
them.
After they had made up for the night
they talked about this. They did not
like the look of it.
did you see how he grinned at her?
Just like an old goat! If we don't set
tie who's to have her and get busy,
he'll end things by getting her him
SELF" said Bert.
Make pretty stepmother. Rather
prettier than her stepsons, l should
say" was the insinuating reply.
Two days later Mr.. Barton came to
lunch with telegram in his hand
I've good news" he said. "Bobs
coming Thursday
Bess gave whoop and jump and
grabbed the telegram, which Bert
snatched from her hand before she
had had a chance to read word.
"Hurrah!' yelled Dick, doing a war
dance speciality of his.
Miss Gray, with very red face,
tried to keep Bess from dancing a Jig
on the table, and Mr.. Barton, seeing
her evident annoyance, spoke apollo
SeticaLy. when you become acquaint-
ed with Bob You'll not wonder quite so
much at this fiendish joy. He's rather
good sort, if he is like his dad.
Shouldn't wonder if you'd like him.
he continued complacently. HE has a
habit of being fond of Boston"
Il shall do my best to like him." she
said prettily to the old man, and. as she
ran upstairs she said to herself, I'm
see that the Boston habit becomes set
tied"
Thursday came. All the family but
Bob was almost carried home on the
family shoulders. Dinner had been
postponed for his coming, and Miss
Gray waited rather nervously in the
dining room. She had donned her pref
test dinner gown, and her eyes We're
very bright and her cheeks very pink.
The twins came in first and stood to
one side to see what Bob would say to
their divinity. In moment they
leaned, weak and helpless, against each
other, and then they feebly left the
room. Bob, not waiting for the intro
duction Mr.. Barton seemed trying to
make. walked across the room and
calmly kissed the gove.ness.
Mr. Barton grew slowly, darkly pur-
pie. 80 you're in this, too, you, you'--
GO easy, dad!" said Bob. II bet you
currency to cookies I'd beat you at this
game. You're skinned. The currency
is mine. Buck up, dad, and salute
your daughter. AS for the twins, they
can't say they don't like their sister,"
A Cunning Baboon.
In South Africa some of the fruit