Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-03-03
BACHELOR
AN D Bah
What Happened When He Was
Left In Charge.

urst, and unremitting application 10
novel reading in bed may have some
thing 10 do with the latter
Like the traditional spInster, a bach
elor is authority on the rearing of chill
dren, and | have often exprtssed my
views on the subject at some length to
a sister of mine who is married and
has small daughter aged five. 1t so
happened that have seen little of the
child, as my hours for calling ON my
sister are late, and when | arrive
Grace; the little girl. is usually in bed.
But the other day my theories on the
training OF children received severe
shock. My sister said to me: John,
Robert and / have an invitation to
visit friend of mine for the week
end. She lives out of town and if we
go we don't want to take Grace with
us. Now, I've often heard you say
that you'd know how to bring up a
child, and here's an opportunity Sup
pose you come over Saturday after
noon and take charge of Grace until
Sunday evening, when we come
homer"
This invitation | accepted, although
1t meant giving up an evening at the
club and dinner engagement on Sun
day. | went over to my sisters Sat
urday noon, Just before she left, ready
for business. She said: you won't
have anything to do, John, except to
keep an eye on her, and if you feel
l...e it 10 amuse her, take her for
NAiS tomorrow or something of that
soft Maggie, the nurse, will look after
her meals, put her to bed and all that;
80 don't think you'll have any trou-
l,c.'
Then she turned to Grace, who had
been standing by her side, gazing at
me with wide-eyed stare common to
children and which to my disgust
made me feel somewhat uncomfort-
able.
Grace" said my sister, mother is
going away for Sunday, and Uncle
John is coming here to stay with you.
Now, be good girl and do what he
tells you"
AS she left the room l turned quick
ly to the child.
Don't you want to play, Gracie? |
asked.
"Yes!" she responded with enthusi-
asm; i'want to play horsie."
To anyone needing strenuous exer-
nian can recommend oborcko,, n !, 49,,
ed by my niece or rather as played by
her uncle at her direction
Procuring a piece of string some
what the worse for wear, she ap-
proachel me and requested me to take
it in my teeth.
You diets on de floor" explained
Grace, SO down on my hands and
knees went. The equestrienne sat on
my back, kicked me in the sides and
pulled violently on the string. l crept
painfully about the room, continually
urged on to greater speed, until final
ly stepped in the hall for rest.
My sister was careful housekeeper.
but my hands and the knees of my
trousers showed the traces of their
contact with the carpet AS was ex.
aiming them Miss Grace said Want
to play horsie on de piazza, uncle
John"
20, no, DEAR" / expostulated. "It's
cold outside and" l stopped. Tears
were gathering in her eyes and her
lower lip was beginning to tremble.
Very well, we'll 60" assured her,
but you must put on your hat and
coat"
| assisted her on with her wraps and
we went OF on the "pazazza." 1t was
a clear, cold autumn day, and the sun
was shining. A beautiful day for q
walk. But l was playing horsie. Up and
down on the cold piazza l crept, my
hands and knees getting sorer every
minute. | hadn't thought to put on a
pair of gloves, and after two or three
laps decided they'd be useless.
You is a fat, slow horsie," remark
ed my rider as started on what | de-
termined should be the last lap of the
circuit. Just as | reached the steps
in front of the door Grace suddenly
dismounted with cry of joy and ran
down the steps. | raised my head and
there on the sidewalk stood the Only
Girl, trying to repress a smile, while
my rival stood by her side grinning
malevolently.
was sight. My hands were black
my trousers ruined, my hair was rum.
pied, the string which l dropped was
tangled up in my collar and was
dripping with Precipitation, cold as it
was
you look warm, Mr. Blake" grin.
ned my divinity with a smile.
Having hot time, John?" grinned
my rival
My sister left me in charge of
Grace" explained, and am engaged
in amusing her. This game is known
as horsie.' It's little Bit strenuous.
They smiled and passed on while I
told my niece that it was time to go
in and that we'd play "horsie" again
some, other day When it came time
for her to go to bed the nurse nm.
dressed her. then picked her
up and was about to deposit her In |
the bed when she reminded me she
had to say, her prayers.