Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-08-05
Magazine

MrA. Drew sat at the head Of her
breakfast table and pressed her lips
arn1ly together. When Mrs. Drew
pressed her lips firmly together things
always happened. Mrs. White ought
o know" Mrs. Drew looked hard at
. newspaper opposite.
"Um-hum :" came a vague assent
from behind the paper barricade.
"If our son did a thing like that,
should thank some ono TO tell me-"
pcrsued Mrs Drew.
"M-m-m" still more vaguely from
TIE opposite side Of the table, while
Scur son." aged ten, kept his eyes de
ecrously on his plate, quite accustomed
b hearing his virtues referred to.
IAN insult to the aged ought to be
severely punished" reasoned Mrs.
Drew. Tommy White deserves a
whipping that he will remember. I,
Tor one, believe that to spare the rod
b to spoil the child. If Mrs. White
held more firmly to that opinion. she'd
have boys who were not disgrace to
the town"
Willie Drew, quite accustomed also
- hearing the sins Of his playmates
reviewed, still fastening his eyes on
Ais plate, felt with his foot for the
cats tail under the table.
At the foot OF the table Mr.. Drew,
present In body but absent In mind,
said, "Um-huml" again, and began
looking up the price of flour and ker-
osene. He knew that, despite his
wife's convictions on the subject of
child training, the long whip-like
branches Of the weeping willow In
their back yard remained intact, while
q corresponding willow IN Mrs. Whites
yard, shorn of much of its graceful
ness, suggested the ravages Of time
and the misdeeds Of five rugged boys.
Whenever Willie needs a Whipping,
rest assured he will get one," Mrs.
Drew often remarked emphatically to
friends-ths emphasis being especially
noticeable. when Mrs. White was within
hearing.
81 would tell her myself" continued
Mrs. Drew, were 1t not for the fact
that she resented my reference to the
mischief Tommy did on Halloween.
It seems to me very strange that any
mother should resent being told Of her
ehildren's faults when it's for their
interest that she should know. I'm
sure that l should be glad to be told
II our Willie did wrong"
Willie, having succeeded in locat-
ing the cats tail, clamped it vigorously
with his shoes while he regarded his
mother with large, beguIling blue eyes.
There was a mOmentary yawling
and scrambllng under the table, fol-
lowed by a tiger-striped streak shoot
ing from beneath Willie's chair into
the sitting room. Dear me-" cried
Mrs. Drew, In alarm. That's the Sec
cnd time within three days that Tabby
has had 1T. She's such a pretty cat
I hate to lose her, too.
"But as l was saying" she centin-
ued, at made ND my mind then that it
was the last time 1 would try to aid
Mrs White with those boys Of hers.
Still she ought to be told Of this.
Therefore l shall send for Anne Tup-
per-" Her lips frightened on the re-
solve.
Anne Tupperf" inquired Mr.. Drew's
lips, while his eyes roved over the po-
ltical reports,
There was a slight change In the ex-
preston Of Willie's blue eyes as they
followed Tabby.
Yes, 1 think I can prevail on Anne
to tell her Every one likes Anne,
especially Mrs. White. She'll take it
from Anne"
Consequently Anne was sent for by
way OF Willie. Willie went reluct-
antly. He whlmpered and whined.
lie dug a fist into one eye-keeping the
other innocent blue orb fixed on Mrs.
Drew-and pleaded a stomach-ache.
Poor child!" said his mother. "Of
course you needn't go, then. I'll step
across and ask Tommy to take the
note"
at this Willie looked alarmed, and
when his mother took down a bottle
from the top shelf of the pantry and
reached for a spoon, Willie recovered
IN a twinkle, scudding away with the
note before the bottle could be un-
corked-
His mother looked after him with
an indulgent smile. Boys will be
hoys," she murmured.