Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-02-26
towards All


The small, weary-looking man with
the patient eyes climbed the stairs Of
the tenement as the clock struck 6. His
work for the day was ended, but he
showed no sign of pleasure at his home
coming. On the contrary, he seemed
little terrified.
He knocked timldily at the door. 1t
was flung open by a very slatternly
woman with small red eyes, and an ag-
gressively pointed chin.
"Well, I'm sure" she began angrily,
$50 you're late again. Don't know what
you mean by it. I've had the kettle on
the hob since 5. And this is all the
thanks as I get"
I'm sorry" said Huxtable slowly,
"but it couldn't be helped, my dear.
The foreman put me on a special job,
and it meant stoppin' a bit later than
usual or spoilin' the whole thing"
Eyes, your work is all you think
about" said his wife, spitefully, mot
a thought for your home and two chill
dren, not to mention me-"
IT don't think that quite true" he
said meekly.
1t certainly was not. He was good
and devoted, but Mrs. Huxtable would
never admit anything in his favor. She
was one of those women who seem to
regard their husbands as schoolmasters
of the old regime would regard their
unhappy pupils-as something to be
bullied, maltreated and altogether sub
dued. Huxtable had put up with the
treatment for fifteen years. Sometimes,
when he looked back on the past, he
wondered how he had been able to en-
dure his torments with such patience.
'Where's Jack and ArchieT he
asked. as he went to the sink to wash
his hands.
"Ah, you may well ask. Where, in
deed Playin' in the court, l expec'
and gettin' into bad company. But that
comes because their father don't trouble
hisself about 'em. They'll go to rack
and ruin, you mark my words, If you
don't keep tight and on EN-"
II should have thought that was your
Job, so to speak," suggested Huxtable
"No, it's a fathers place to look after
his boys. Besides, you know as how
they don't think nothin' of me when
you're about. It's dad this and dad
that, till I'm fairly sick of hearin'
them say It,"
eyes, 1 think they're fond of me-"
said poor Huxtable, with a little break
In his voice.
mot that they've got much reason to
be-" snapped the woman. but, then,
children alters takes to them as does
the least for 'em. That's what's SO
unfair"
She poured out the tea, and gave the
unhappy Huxtable his meal in silence
He looked round the room and sighed
The weeks laundry was suspended
from string overhead, and the room was
filed with a warm dampness. Not a
vestige of comfort was in sight. A
bleak, wretched home was this-he re-
f1ected-cursed by an ill-tempered wife
who had not even the virtues of her
vices. For the average nagging woman
was generally tidy and clean, but Mrs
Huxtable was neither one nor the 9TH
er. Equally, tyrannical women fire.
quently made good mothers and brought
up their offspring in the way they
should go, but Mrs. Huxtable's complete
equipment for the training of Archie
and Jack consisted of a broken broom
handle. She taught them nothing
which could help them to grow up into
good and useful men. She had, indeed,
spoken the truth when she said that
unless the father looked after them
their futures would be in peril.
After tea HuXtable took out his pine.
This action was always the signal for
unkind comment on the woman's part.
She did not really dislike the smell of
tobacco, but she disliked the idea Of her
husband enjoying himself. So she
shifted groaned and criticised until at
length he knocked out the ashes and
replaced the pipe in his pocket.
Il wish you was bit more even
tempered" he said gently; at 'ud make
things pleaSantCr."
When the children came home, Mrs
HuXtable delivered Il short lecture to
them on the brutality of their father.
The Youngsters, however, did not take