Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-06-30
"No1u, Pa; Do Be CAREFUL"
az e. W. kEmeLs.

kEMBLE.
, your tooth today. Lizzie?" he inquired.
Its just hopping up and down and
swelling n aching SO l can hardly
see; that's how it is" mumbled Lizzie.
in a fair flow of descriptive phrase, de-
: spite her anguish.
And no guns going to be fired off
today declared Ma. at h opening
of the breach in Pas defenses.
Lizzie's words had smltten him sore
~, and his resolution. at that cry in
slant, was Wavering. But Mas words
were the call to battle.
1T amt. amt it?" he demanded.
He rose and. reaching above the man
telpiece. took the weapon down.
p Mitchell" said the wife. II COM
mand you to let that gun bel"
Ma" returned the rebel, grinning
now. as his spirit rose at the touch of
mans natural ally. you come on out
side and see me let 1t be-"
Ma was always at a disadvantage
when 1T came to action. She knew it
only too we'll. Long ago, when her
weight began to be q burden and she
changed from agreeable buxomness to
the slow stoutness of age. she had real
ized the necessity of ruling by moral
suasion. because she was no longer able
to catch offenders, young or old. 1t
was n magnificent testimony to her
qualities of intellect and character that
by the time it became an effort to rise
from her chair, she had entire house.
hold obedient to her nod.
Pa she remarked, in a voice that
was terrible in it's very quietness ana
restraint. II haven't ever yet had oc-
caslon to use my authority to the limit
with you. l won't talk any more. I'll
act"
Pa was duly. a%nxiously. impressed.
"Whatll o do. Map he incurred.
LOOKING at her really worried
You just leave this house with that
sun IN your hands,' she answered
portentously, land then you'll see
who would think hare before standing
pat on three of a kind a pair in a
poker game. Those early cronies of
ms. All lost to him since his marriage.
would nave known that interpretive
look and made ready for trouble.
Well. ma" he observed, in a voice
which was even louder than hers had
been, I'm goin'-now. What are you
thinkin' OF dom about it?"
Mas voice responded, suddenly go
ing up in the air, shrill in it's excitement
and irritation.
You'll see. Pa Mitchell. Just you
go, and you'll see.",
Pa gazed at her with what was all
most a twinkle in his eye.
Ma. dear" he remarked pleasantly.
I've called many a bluff when l vas
younger; 1 amt too old to call one
now"
ne marched to the door. The chill
dren pelted after him. Hannibal. in
spraddling haste, beat all of them to
1t; then ran in circles and canine in
decision q. pending further developments.
once more suffering the pangs of an
nual defeat. surged out to the fence,
resigned to perish with the rest and
hoplne that some warning words might
still avert catastrophe. Even Lizzie.
Tor all her certainty that her wisdom
tooth would jump out of her head, came
to the porch and stayed there. pre-
sumabl out of the line of fire.
Ihe stiffness that fell as pa elevated
the weapon to clear the roof of the dis
tant woodshed made a time of sudden
youthful courage and trembled where
thev crouched. Little Daisy chung to
her mothers skirt. Hannibal sat APP
paled.
Now. Pa: do be careful!' called ma,
her hands clutching in apprehension.
The old gun roared-and, as ever, re-
NAMED intact. Pa, in victory's elation,
jumped up in the air and cracked his
heels together-once; not three times.
as he did in the days of his youth.
He bore the u to the woodshed,
there fondly to clean and oil and re-
AOob III HS WIZ lie nOuRlI
Again he had declared his i%ndepend-
ence. Why not make it a revolution?
Why not? The first American revolu-
tion had lasted about seven years after
that first memorable Fourth of July;
how long must this one of his last be-
fore Independence could be assured and
peace would brood owe the home?
considering the kind Of fighters the
British We're" he muttered, calculating,
and considering the kind of fighter ma
is, I'd say about IA years. And I'm an
old man now"
He rose. again the bent broken figure.
to return to the house. His glance took
In ma, portly, near the step. The old,
fond, quizzical grin contorted his kind.
n~utcracker face: and he said to HIM
sci, very gently:
Mas a good soul, anyway. She al
ways means we'll"