The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-03

XII FAVE US come out on the porca
oncet Lizzie. I got to speak
- somepin to you"
won't it do till I get through the
dishes already, DAMP Lizzie hesitatingy
asked, pausing in her cleaning of tho
supper table to glance up at her tall hus-
band.
Come out now" Dan said with mo-
ton of his head toward the porch.
Dan was accustomed to being obeyed;
he was foreman of a room in a cotton
factory and those under him were wont
to heed the mere lift of his eye. But by
no one in his employ was his word, his
look, his slightest wish so dutfully needed
as by the pretty young wife whom with
the devotion of a strong, deep and coil-
slant nature, he loved.
The dishes can wait, Lizzie. I'll help
you through with 'em then" he said.
taking his hat from nail in the kitchen
wall and walking toword the door. Il
got somepin to speak to you
Lizzies sweet face took ON look of
faint surprise as, lifting their three-year-
old little girl from her high chair, she
followed him.
He turned about in the narrow passage
door. and took the child from her arms
Il tole you l didn't want you to be
carryin the baby so much STILL" (con-
stantly, he said in a gravely reprovmg
tone.
q won't" Lizzie meekly acquiesced as
she gave the child up to MIN.
Dan perehed her on his shoulder and
when they came out from the narrow hall
III
before depositing her on the floor. She
caught his trousers in her tiny fingers
and looked up at him mistakenly. Up
high aden!" she demanded. up hight
Betty want up hight"
AS he tossed her up high" the realiza-
ton of her growing weight gave him an
uneasy consciousness that he was being
remiss in his parental duty in not taF
ing some means, whatever they might
be, for teaching this audacious baby
some of the rudments II least of respect
for paternal authority. Why, she minded
her mother better than she did him He
chuckled inWardly as the incongruouS
fact came home to him, though his heart
tonight was not light enough to be much
amused at anything
NOW, Betty" he said to the child,
you run round the yard and play till
speak somepin to NOM
IN afraid she'll pull them lilies, Dam"
Lizzie anxiously suggested.
Dan hesitatied an instant then a look
of resolution settled about his mouth. lie
took the child by the hand and led her
around the house to the bush of lilies.
NOW Betty" he earnestly spoke to
her as he knelt on one knee and held the
little girl close to him, you see this here
bush?"
- Ess," Betty answered with an unin-
terested air. Want up high! Up high"
she clamored, trying to wriggle out of
his arms.
But he held her firmly Look at them
lilies. Now. Betty, l don't want you to
touch one of them posies, do you under
stand? You haven't dare to touch one
VI them" he distinctly and emphatically
iold her. Now you mind what | tell you,
baby, will you?"
Betty want up high. DAM Up hight
"Will you keep your hands off them
fowers?"
- Ess, Betty want up highu
He tossed her up once more, and when
ne had put her down, with a parting
warning against touching the flowers, he
went back to his wife.
Inn gon TO train her to listen without
beln' watched he said to Lizzie. She S
old enough to understand and to mind.
She's comm four years old. She'll oe
four years old till September. Now If
she does touch 'em I'll have to learn
herr
but that won't put the lilies back on
the bushes, Dan, if she's pulled EN-, F."
Lizzie again anXiously demuTed.
II can't help fur that. We got to be-
gin with somepin to learn her to mind
without bein' watched" he returned.
and, as usual, his word was final, and
Lizzie. in spite of her uneasiness for her
flowers, let him have his way.
'What did you want to speak to me,
Dan? Is somepin the matter, or what
ever?"
Yes He paused an instant, then dog
zedy added I've been set back by the
Meetn'."
Lizzie and Dan were New Mennonites
and wore the plain garb. To be set
back by the Meeting meant to be sus-
pended temporarily from church member
ship. this discipline not only being
counted a disgrace among the brethren
but involved domestic complications that
were very embarrassing.
you needn't mind Lizzie. l don't
mind" Dan affirmed. He was so accus-
toned to Lizzie's minding nothing that
he didn't mind that it never occurred
to him she might have personal and
separate cause for distress in this mat
ten.
"But, Dan. when was you set gack al
ready? Don't
f"Here about three weeks back, don't
you mind Lizzie, three of the brethren
come to see me one evening? And
didn't tell you what they come fur, be-
cause [ didn't see use in your bother
in your mind with their foolishness. You
never heard such blamed foolishness as
they spoke of me that evening Its made
me that put out with New Mennonites
I'll never have nothin' more to do with
emu!
Had a bomb exploded at her feet Lizzie
could not have been more startled and
COMPOUNDED than she was by this unusual
language from her smooth shaver New
Mennonite husband. That he should say
''blamed!" 1t was nearly like swear
ing-and the language of New MennoniteS
is ever restrained and well considered
And that Dan should talk down" on his