The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-04-03
JUST LIKE FATHER.

f1It tuC dAtCluOOu Tic Wtu0 udQ
been marshaling the storm clouds.
With the falling of night it had in
creased to gale, and whirling snow
filled the air. But indoors, where
mother was preparing supper, were
light and warmth and cheer. A loud
stamping of feet at the back door an
nounced the return of father and the
boys from finishing the chores. A
moment later. with shout as of the
Joy of battle, they were inside shak-
ing the loose snow from caps and
coats, and through the open door has
swept the keen northwest wind,
searching every nook and Granny of
the large, comfortable one-room hew-
ed log house.
cts going to be cold night,
mother"
eyes, father, but we shan't suffer. .
answered mother, as she placed on
the table great pile of slices of fra
grant, toothsome "rye and Injun"
bread.
mo-" said Rier, the older of the
boys, neither will the stock. I tell
you, we gave 'em good feed and
lots of bedding, and they're as cozy
and comfortable as you please. That
log barn, where the horses are, is
most as warm as this house."
"You bet - shouted the noisy
Marsh. "And didn't it seem good to
get into the cows nice shed, out of
the wind? l think it ID be fun to curl
up there under a pile of straw and
stay all night" /"
"Well, 1 think" remarked sister
Emma, as she placed the steaming
bowls of hot milk beside the plates,
IT think, silly, that before 8 O'Clock
you'd be glad to come in and curl up
between warm blankets under a pile
of mammals comfortables - Sister
Emma was fourteen-and wise.
Come, now, if you've got washed
and combed, come to the table or l
shan't get the dishes done tonight. :"
The family were settling down for
long, pleasant evening. Mother
was rocking little Anna to sleep and
grooming a lullaby that to her babies
was the sweetest music in all the
world, though she never could sing a
tune in her life. Father had taken
needle and thread and was sewing on
pair of pants for one of the boys,
for father had been a tailor in his
younger days. Emma, her dishes
done and put away, had sat down
with her knitting work-a woolen
stocking for herself. Rier was stuff
fng the stove with hickory wood. A
heavier blast than any before beat
against the house so furiously that
the eyes of the small boy of the group
bulged out, as he asked:
"Will it blow the house down,
papa?"
lust then there came knock at
the door, and an awkward, bashful
young fellow was admitted-a neigh
boris son. He was welcomed to the
circle and given chair near the fire.
Turning his back to the stove, he sat
down astride the chair seat, with his
| arms resting on its back. Father,
always intent on hospitality, tried to
engage him in conversation, but sue
ceeded in getting only monosyllables,
till suddenly the boy burst out
"It's mighty fine night A fell
low could have mighty fine ride, if
he had mighty fine sleigh, and a
mighty fine beast" The boys snick-
cred, and Emma dropped stitch,
but their guest rushed on: "Our
best beast got cut. We reckoned ole
Mother Berry done it, but we hahn t
named it to 'er yit."
"Oh, 1 don't believe Mother Berry
did it, said father soothingly. Father
always had a good word for the alb
sent. "You haven't told us how
your mother is"
"Marm's powerful doncey today"
"And your father, isn't he any
better? -
mo, pap says he feels although
other" Having thus delivered him
self, he seemed to have nothing more
to say, and soon "reckoned better be
| gojn'."
"Poor old Mother Berry p said
father, when he was gone. "She has
a temper of her own, but I don't be-
lieve she meddled with B olan's S
horses"
"How good home seems such a
night as this, with the fire roaring
inside and the wind roaring outside, "
remarked the elder son, who already,
at eleven years of age, had gained in
the home the sobriquet of "the par
son." Marsh, let's have some
nuts"
So the two boys cracked jokes and
nuts for while, and rehearsed for
future use the droll speeches of their
evening visitor. Then Rier picked
up a book-he always had one al
hand-and Marsh climbed the ladder
to snuggle down in the warm nesI
that awaited him in the roomy attic
At 9 o'clock the book was laid aside,
and Rier followed up the ladder
Emma was soon asleep beside little
Anna in one of the two beds which
occupied two corners of the great
room. By and by their mother climb
ed the ladder and put an extra com
fort over the boys, and tucked the
edges carefully under the feather bed
with breathed thought of thankful
ness that they were so warm and snug
and safe at home.
Father went to the door and looked
out into the whiteness of the night
white above, white below, and whit,