Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1907-08-28
IN Nrsa-A' Nsss-rs| N.Os--"sSf1Ois|
Training The !
Children !
By RENE BoUcHELLE.
Copyright, BY Joseph B. Bowles.)

hers, and now my time has come 10
prove 1t, even If month is mighty
short time to show what body can
do"
Janet Burton's remark was called
forth by the receipt of letter from
her sister, asking If she would keep
house and care for her FIVE children,
ranging in age from one to IA, while
she went away for month. In reply
ing, Janet not only acceded to her sis
ter's request, but intimated she would
be glad to relieve her Of her house
hold cares for two months instead Of
one.
1t was with the spirit and zeal OF a
true missionary that Janet took charge
of her small nieces and nephews, as
she was sure their faults were those
Of training and not inherent, and would
soon be corrected by her wise manage
meat.
Their parents left Monday morning
on an early train, and her enhghten-
ment and their education began at the
bD-akfast table, where fried chicken
ccculicd Tie place of honor.
First the twins quarreled over who
was to get the pulley bone. Janet cut
the Eulley-bcne in two, and gave each
one half; but instead of causing salts
faction, the twins were as sulky dur
ing the balance of the meal as only
eight-year-old youngsters can be, and
paid no attention whatever to their
aunt's explanation that she had done
the only wise and reasonable thing
under the circumstances.
"Aunt Janet, mother isn't here, so
can't | have coffee for breakfast"
piped up six-year-old Margaret.
mo, my dear, you can't do anything
while your mother is away that she
would not allow, for that would be
disobedience,"
Il don't care, and papa always let
me have it when mammals gone"
Good Heavens was it possible
that Sarah had no more control over
her children than this thought Janet,
as she hurriedly gulped down cup
of coffee, so as to be ready for the
next outbreak.
But the balance of the meal passed
off quietly, and after seeing that the
baby was properly fed she set about
getting the Oldest boy off to school,
Now, William Henry had reached the
( age when the grub is transformed into
butterfly, and Solomon himself
couldn't have been more particular
about his raiment.
Aunt Janet, | want clean collar
and handkerchief" These wants were
supplied, and Janet returned to the
lunch she was preparing.
Aunt Janet these stockings have
got hole in them; please get me
another pair" Back she went and
searched until she found whole pair
and again returned to the unfinished
luncheon.
After several other stops to hunt for
missing articles the lunch was finally
prepared, and the young man started
off to school, fully 80 minutes late.
Her troubles broke out afresh next
morning when she found that the
twins and Margaret had gone off be
fore breakfast, no one knew where
The place was searched, high and low
and falling to find trace of them any
where, she alarmed the neighborhood
and started out parties in every direc
ton looking for them. Breakfast was
forgotten entirely, and only baby
Louise, serenely unconscious of the
state of affairs, cared for any. Hel
demands for sustenance for the inner
man were so loud and insistent, how
ever, that her distracted aunt was
| finally compelled to heed them, as the
nurse had gone off with the others in
their search for the children.
About nine o'clock the truants
slipped in the back gate and made .
Decline for the kitchen. The cook:
shout of:
Glory Hallelujah, here dey isl
DlGu5itl JdICl plOlupJly vi Lie SCSuS
| and in the excess of her gratitude al
their safe return, she would have
fallen on the culprits' necks and wept
tears of joy-only each pair of arms
encircled three or four huge bull
| frogs, and the twins were so muddy
and dirty f7cm head to foot that Il
was difficult to distinguish one from
the other, while Margaret was scarce
~ any better. Eugene explained thai
early that morning they had become
possessed Of aNsudden desire for some
bullfrogs' legs for breakfast, and haC
gone to the pond for them, carrying
Margaret along to hold the bait, I'm
fortunately they had both tumbled in
and the reason they were so late get
! ting home was that so many people
We're prowling around, and they haC
had such time lodging them.
Corporal punishment was against
her principles, SO Janet marched then
to the bathroom and, after thorough
scrubbing, put them both to bed tC
mediate over the way Of the trans
| gressor.
1t was out Of the question to send
William Henry to school at this late
hour, and that young gentleman spent
the balance Of the morning in front Of
1 an -IN p