The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-01-01
A Sunday
Morning
By F. A. mitchell


mill and an engraving of Benjamin
Franklin. Being in court. not ray
of sunlight could permeate the apart
ment
Six mornings had Weatherby aWaE-
ened in this room. and this was the
seventh-not the seventh day of the
week, but the seventh day since he
had awakened in his own little home.
Turning on his side, his eyes rested
on one of those framed words one
sees here and there in lieu of pictures.
It read "God Bless Our Home" and
under it Remember the Sabbath
Day" He thought of the Sunday
mornings that he had awakened at
home Little Jim climbed out Of his
crib and joined his father in bed. while
Mrs Jim went downstairs to start the
breakfast. Big Jim. on his back,
would hold little Jim up at arms
length. his feet under the child.
Then had come quarrelS between
Weatherby and his wife. Mrs. Wealth
erby was frugal, and Jim was careless
with his money. He was hard for an
economical wife to manage. and some
times she would lose her patience with
him. At last Jim declared he would
no longer stand her narrowing. as he
called it. and left her.
This was a week ago. AS Jim lay
looking at the words "God Bless Our
Home" and Remember the Sabbath
Day he went over and over again in
his mind those happy Sunday mornings
he had spent at home. After he and
little Jim had had their play he had
taken his bath. put on his Sunday
clothes, and on that morning he had
always helped Jimmie to dress. Then
the three had met at the breakfast ia
BILE. on which there was always some
thing nice provided for Sunday morn
ing.
While Weatherby was looking at the
notices on the wall and thinking Of
his home the words were having their
effect on his heart. 1t seemed to him
that there was connection between
the two God Bless Our Home" caused
him to think what home was. how diff
ferent from the lonely room to which
he had moved. and Remember the
Sabbath Day" set him to thinking in
quiet vein. After all. was not the econ
omy his wife had urged necessary?
Suppose he should be suddenly taken
away And suppose his wife should
soon follow him. What would little
Jim do? His father pictured him hus-
tied off to some charitable institution
or. worse. trying at a tender age to
make his living on the streets.
The thought made Jim restless. He
got out of bed, splashed a little water
on his face, dressed himself aud went
downstairs. In his pocket were his
weeks wages that he had received the
day before. He had been tempted to
spend it in Il saloon and went there to
do so. but somehow the place didn't
look as attractive as it had often look
ed when he knew that his wife would
chide him on his return home. The
full amount was intact
He stood in the sunlight. thinking
1t was Z O'Clock. His Sunday morning
breakfast hour at home was half past
8. That home was three miles away.
but he would gladly walk it to have
his breakfast at home He walked
down the street, passing one restaurant
after another. trying to force himself
into one of them to get meal. But
his stomach rebelled.
81 can go home." he said. land eat
with Molly and the kid. But what use?
There would soon be more trouble
about the expenses. and every time
paid car fare instead of walking home
after Il hard days work I'd get scold-
ing"
Then the thought of little Jim left
on the world came to him again.
He was walking in the direction of
his home, and as be thought he walk,
ed the faster. When he had gone mile
he stopped Then he went OIL for an
other mile and stopped again A third
time be stopped and stood looking at
his home Il short distance away.
A clock struck g. Molly was get
ting the breakfast. Who was helping
on his clothes. but could he get the
buttons i'm the holes? Weatherby could
see the window Of the boys room and
fancied him trying to button himself
up" Invountarily Jim started for
ward
A few minutes later Molly Weather
by. standing over the range, heard the
kitchen door open. Turning. she saw
her husband He had roll of bills
in his hand and handed them to her
tits yesterdays pay" he said. Take
it. You can run the finances better
than |. | never want to see cent Of
the money again.
Molly threw her arms around his
neck.
Where's the kid?' Jim asked pres,
emily. and without awaiting reply be
went upstairs.
Hello, pop" cried Jim. Amt
glad you came! This button is too big
for this hole and won't go in at all