New-York tribune., 1919-03-02

n our house. Especially a winters even
4 ing. Often and often I have paused
in the midst of an absorbing tale to
look around our sitting room with slow
kind of happiness. Such : square, old
fashioned, low-studded place, with sturdy
beam running unashamed across the centre
of the ceiling; the friendly lamp in the
middle of the table. and all of us sitting
whirligig fashion about it.
= The master of the house is partially
eclipsed behind his paper; an occasional
chuckle, disgusted grunt or a final burst
of opinion on the topics of the day pepper
his nightly perusal of the news. Grandma
is gently intent on religious weekly; her
steel bowed spectacles rest half way be-
tween the bridge and end of her nose. She
says she sees better thus. In any case they
seem to fit nicely with the general scheme
of her makeup, white hair parted smoothly
in the middle and snowy apron over gown
Of soft black A regular "over-the-river-
and-through-the-w grandmother, who
at the age Of eighty-nine is perfectly Gu
pable Of pumpkin pies and plum puddings
The mistress is hummingly concerned
over rent in her lords jacket. 81 should
think, Peter Miles," she exclaims, nipping
off length of thread with her teeth, "I
should think, by the looks OF thas coat, that
you had used it for doormat" Then we
all laugh. We laugh a great deal at our
house. We laugh at the hens and we laugh
at the cats and we go into stitches over the
calves. 1t all seems funny enough to US
Last winter I remember Of being totally
incapacitated for half an hour over the
gambols of a three days'-o calf, which re.
fused to go into the barn at milking time
By some great luck the barn door was left
open and it possible for him 70 get into
the lot about sundown The lot was low
and lately swollen by the recent rains.
which had frozen night to a smooth,
CLASSY surface. The calf took his bearings
and tried tmid slide. He liked it. He
tried it again and liked it better. The
third time he threw caution TO the winds.
lifted his absurd tail and skinned the
length of the pond called the family to
witness, that is, the mistress and grand
mother We watched delightedly frem the
kitchen window. But comedy was fast
piunging into farce For some reason Peter
Miles did not think the performance as
amusing as we did perhaps it makes
J e.
up a milk pail. climbed over the bars int,
the lot and confidently went for" the cali.
It took him exactly fifteen minutes We
laughed until the tears made the scene
swim crazily. Peter did not laugh He
made the circuit of the lot four times, the
milk pail jangiing on his arms and whang-
ing against the apple trees as he passed
The calf had always turned the next corner
We opened the window and shouted advice.
wait by the barnyard until he comes
round again"
Put down your milk pail"
Catch hold of his tall"
And it was the result of this last admon-
ton which finally won the day Peter did
"catch hold of his tail" and enjoyed
swift and dizzy ride across the lot again.
The forces were Joined, but not in the
proper overwhelmingly, the barn door
steer inn"
Il ami" came back in q desperate howl.
Pm steerin' i'm for all he's WORTH
The pail banged and bumped The calf
doubled his speed. At last, by mastery
stroke on Peters part, they both shot into
the barn and were no more.
Then, of course, there is the evening,
almost dearest of all because common 70
all.
Here come the cats" remarks Mistress
Miles. They come like the Campbels,
those cats
Hello, Charie!" we call out in friendly
greeting. Topsy comes in for her share
Of attention also, but in a less boisterous
manner. Topsy is languid but canny. She
is wise with the wisdom of waiting and she
has waited long for cat.
Every night at 9 o'clock the cats must be
put out" l entertain feeling of distinct
pleasure in the proceeding, not from any
ill-will to the cats, nor glee in their prob
able say, certain disinclination for the
ceremony, but from the certainty OF it.
Things happen much in this wise
1t is bedtime. Charlie lies in sleepy
abandon on the end Of the couch. Topsy
makes a neater ball of herself in the black.
wooden chair near the stove. go to. the
front window where the crab cactus stands,
and raise the sash. Then 1 return for the
victims. Both warily unconscious
Charlie apparently has eyes in MS tail,
for those in his head are tightly closed
Topsy opens hers and regards me gravely.
They both know what IS coming, yet they
never fail to present a fine air Of studied
innocence.
pick up Charlie, laA, limp weight Of
warm fur. He lies exactly as gravity pulls
him. Not culver in his tai, not a stirring
OF his whiskers- He feigns unbroken SUM
ber: il availeth not He is handed across