The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1913-07-31
BOMBA
BY MARGARET BARR

dustria questions, financial matters
and principles of government He
read the newspapers regularly and
was much interested In strikes aud
methods used as auxiliaries. He lived
on a street at the end Of which was
large mill property and when one
day strike was declared did Il great
deal of talking as to the merits OF the
case. At first he took sides with the
strikers, but when they became some
what militant he changed about and
favored the mill owners. Nothing
pleased him so well as to go out into
the street where knots Of people were
discussing the situation and make IL
all clear TO those who were disposed to
listen to him
One day while he was thus showing
party Of strikers just where they
were wrong and how easy Il would be
TO set themselves right his wife, who
was at the window, noticed-what no
was ignorant of-that he was rubbing
his listeners the wrong way. Instead
OF bencflting by his diplomatic advice
their scowls indicated that they were
considering him an enemy. His wife
bcckoncd him to come into the house.
He obcyed aud received n scolding for
his rashncss.
Two or three days after this. when
Mr. Holllngsworth came home from
business IN the evening. rs soon as he
opened the door he was greeted by n
paintlve wall.
"Oh. Frcd"
"For heavens sake, what II II, dar-
ling2"
"why did you talk so TO those Ital.
inns?"
"What have they done2"
Left n bomb ot the back door"
"You don't mean ~"
"Oh I'm 80 glad you've got homcl
I've been afraid Il would go or before
you came"
"Why didn't you telephone the po-
llceY'
II didn't know what 10 do. The bomb
was left about half nm hour ago. su.
san came upstairs und told me that
she had found II nc the buck door just
inside the shed"
"Whnt did she say she foundp"
"A basket. How she knew II was
bomb was that she heard grating
sound like rusty machinery. She
didn't walt 10 hear any more. but came
right upstairs To mo aud told me
about H."
"I'll have n look nt it,
"Oh. don't go near It. Please don'tw
Notwithstanding this appeal. Mr..
Hollingsworth went through the kitch.
en- 10 the back door. Ills wife caught
him by the conttnll aud held him To
prevent his examining H. Making n
virtue OF necessity, he stopped and lis-
tened. There was n succession of small
sounds which Mr.. IIollingsworth at.
trlbutcd 10 tho moving of some mech
anism.
ADO come nway!" cried his wife, tug
ging at his conttnll.
"Thcre's something going inside, but
| can't make out what II is," said tho
husband
The top of the basket was covered
with thin wooden cloth. and at that
moment the latter was raised as II
something were passing under Il
"By Joyc." exclaimed IIollingsworth.
1T looks as II the mechanical con-
trlyancc underneath were rubbing
against the covcr-a c0nccntric wheel,
maybe"
Mrs. IIollingsworth shrieked and
dragged her husband back into the
hall The occasion OF her action was
tiny pun as II u few grains OF gun
powder had exploded.
"This IN all nonsense" said the head
Of the house, I'm going 10 make an
examination"
At this Mrs, IIolllngsworth slammed
the kitchen door and locked II. For
some time no threats or pleadings
would induce her 10 open H. hut finally
she gave way. and the door was open
ed The cover Of the basket had been
pushed of. nnd pair of baby legs were
mingled In confusion. the cover being
wrapped around the legs, which were
kicking In lively manner
"By thunder" exclaimed IIollings-
worth Its n baby"
THE dear little thing" cried the
wife ns she ran toward n child n few
weeks old lying on liz back, It's chubby
fists crammed In it's mouth and making
all sorts Of noises, from the turning OF
Il rusty c0gwheel To the Growing OF a
young rooster, The explosion they had
heard was an infnntile snccZe
Lucky we didn't send for the po-
lice" said the husband. "till we found
out what II was. They would have
laughed ~ u.s. What In the world are
we going 10 do with itf'
I'm going TO keep IT," said the wife,
Going 10 keep IT,"
"Ceualnly"
The couple. having been married four
years without children. had begun 10
think that they would never have any
born 10 them, and after "A good deal OF
Discussion It was decided 10 take the
little stranger in and give Il "A home.
Hefur IA osiJ tbev ealleI her sOmla