The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-08-01
Fresh Air

Bamberger's wife has gone away for
. m~uch-needed rest and his sister 10
keeping house for him. The children
miss their mother, but. after all. It's
rather spicy having Aunt Nan around.
One evening while Bamberger was
taking of his overcoat in the hall, he
called out to whom it might concern:
Il sincerely hope, for the sake OF the
rest of you, that the air Of this house
Is not so vitiated as 1t seems to me-"
Hello. daddy! What's that?" 1t
was his high school daughter, answer.
ing from the living DOE
Il was saying that you need fresh
air in here" He appeared In the
doorway and viewed his three Chill.
dren, snuggled together under the
lamp, reading In stuny content. His
sister was not there.
Kenneth, get up and open the win.
dow, and do it quick" the nan Of the
house commanded. 1.-The air In here
is vile. You could cut 1t with a
knife"
"vile!" The echo sounded from the
dining-room. Then the curtains part.
ed and his sister faced him. "Vilel"
' she repeated. emphatically.
We'll. Mamie, you there?" His tone
became conciliatory. II mean. you
know-coming In from the fresh air
outside"
There certainly a be nothing in
the air of this house as offensive as
your word-vile!"
"Oh, well, I didn't mean it as strong
as 1t sounds. But, really, now, have
you had any of the windows open to-
day."
ANY windows open! Before you
came down to breakfast this morning
I opened the dining-room window, all
three In here, the parlor window, and
the front door! After you'd gone to
the Office they were all open again.
for cleaning and busting. One win
dow in the kitchen is down from the
top all the time from morning till
night. The bedroom windows were
wide open half the forenoon. The
window on the stairway has been up
all day. just closed things q little
while ago to have 1t comfortable when
you came"
Bamberger suppressed a retort that
rose to his lips. "Oh. all right" be
said jovially. I'm glad it's better
than 1t seemed. It struck me as pref
ty hot as we'll as Close" Then he
looked at the thermometer and smiled.
Remembering the children, his sis.
ter swallowed several remarks which
she felt would have been good for
him, before she said calmly: Really.
George, it's out Of place to ask an
intelligent woman whether any win
dows have been up during the day"
She turned back into the dining.room.
where she was giving last touches to
the table. "Cut it with a knife!" they
heard her say Indignantly. 1.-THE
ideal"
The children looked on in open-eyed
delight. There was nothing new In
daddy's criticising the air OF the
house, but to have anybody dare to
talk back-that vas the spice OF hav.
ing Aunt Nan around.
At about five o'clock next day things
began to get spicier than ever. Aunt
Nan, with spirited motions. went from
room to room, flinging up every win.
dow in sight.
"Whew! It's cold," Kenneth grum.
bled, but a word from Aunt Nan turned
his scowl to a grin. Down to the base.
ment he hurried and turned on the
hot air from every register in the
house except Aunt Mans. Then into
that warm and coy spot. by Aunt
Mans invitation, he and his brother
and sister merrily trooped.
ITS just a little April fool joke on
daddy" Aunt Nan explained. III Wa
could get him to complain OF too much
fresh air for once. you see. 1t would
be a great success"
Il say, Aunt Man," somebody pro.
posed, wouldn't 1t be better II We
were sitting down there enjoying II
when he comes? We could put on ou1
coats and things"
Eyes. and spoil the whole el1ect!"
the high school daughter objected,
The right way would be to put on
double clothes underneath and looh
as If We were just dressed for the
house."
A little later four puny-looking per
sons, bubbling over with gtggles. met
In the living-room. Aunt Nan, looking
unusually plump and matronly, pro
posed that they all pretend to be read
Ing. At the last minute Kenneth, with
a brilliant inspiration, presented each
n in the group with a table knife
AS soon as daddy should comment on
the cold every one. instead Of answer
ing, was to lift this knife and begin
to cut the air.
In the dining-room a disappearing
maid sneezed and sneezed again, won,
dering If everybody was crazy.
"'Sh! Here he comes" whispered
Aunt Nan for the seventh time, but
the step outside passed by once more
and died away.
The high school daughter began t.
cough. my feet are like ice," she
confessed.
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