The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-12-25

typhoid fever and Kester nursed her
as a mother would have nursed her.
The year following, the mainstay of
the household, blessed Mrs. McMurtry.
died suddenly of heart stroke~and that
was blow to Kester and his brood.
Fortunately, Lily, the eldest, eighteen
then, took over In total the duties
which she had hitherto shared jointly
with Mrs. MeMurtry, and Leila, Ed
NEE, and the boys, all lent shoulder
to the wheel of household. Kester as
always shared the burden. Absolute
ly without sense of pride or artificial
barrier, he would think nothing of
coming home of an evening washing
out towels, helping drape one of his
daughters into half-made party
dress, or assisting with the dinner.
False pride? POppycOck. Nonsense.
No reason why man shouldn't do
whatever chores present themselves.
Silly convention that certain duties
belong TO one sex or the other. He
who hesitates is lazy.
ry off, those household chores auto
matically grew lighter. AT forty-three.
Kester was grandfather. AT forty
five, his last child had left the nest.
Life of course was simpler now.
Financial responsibility lifted, sons
and daughters well on their own, his
own vigorous health unimpaired, there
seemed future and good future ahead
for Hester.
Father will marry again, now, the
girls decided among themselves anc
affectiOnately set about scouting for
timber worthy of him.
AS matter of fact, Kester's
thoughts did turn that way. Even
with their devotion, his children had
their own interests now. Life was no
longer the hurly-burly affair grow
ing family had made it. He had done
a good job The wife who had died
bearing his last child. would have
blessed him for it. His tribute to her
lay in his success.
Slowly. hut rather definitely, Kes-
ter's thoughts began to turn TO the
desirability of meeting some WON
1t was along about this time that
MyrOn's seven-year-old son began TO
exhibit certain qualities in his little
makeup that secretly, for months. had
been disturbing his parents to no small
extent.
On various occasions. for this and
that fragrant offense, the child had
been sent home from school, finally
ing with final dismissal from school
authorities who could no longer cope
with him.
For another six months, secretly,
and eager to spare his grandfather the
fact, MyrOn and an adOrably pretty
wife struggled with the serious prob.
lem Of this boy.
When he was nine, however, there
came about the shocking occasion of
MyrOn Junior being apprehended be
fore the Juvenile court.
IT was astonishing. the equanimity
with which Kester took this mortal
blow to his pride. AS the wife of N.Y.
ron put it, there was something &C.
tually heart-hurting about the way in
which the grandfather of Myron Ju-
nior walked with the child out of
court. hand in hand. quietly, and with
sweetness of manner that seemed to
hold at bay the threat of violent hys-
terra which had lowered over the child
during the courtroom procedure.
No doubt about It. father is simply
a genius with children!
Kester himself evidently believes so.
Myron Junior lives alone with his
grandfather. in a small house they
have taken on the outskirts Of town.
He is serious. difficult. sometimes
vicious little problem. There are
some days when Kester cannot even
report for his work. Myron Junior Is
one of those special cases that can
battle physicians. parents. teachers,
alike.
Kester is sometimes baffled. but Sc
cure in the confidence that he can
cope with his problem.
Father will never marry now, his
daughters agree, little sadly. His
genius with children won't let him.