The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-12-19
CHaPfFR XV


 HIVE Enan TetfeThyk. whose % ~ round eyes were much snflamee ey soap and fy1ct3on. were in the sortEreS cs a caoi wash in the back kitchen: MTK. Tetsrrhy prex,ding.
 The tenpcfx of the little Tetiereyf had Eaoly ehAnKec with . few hcugt &r. end Mr& Tetteghy tAemsslvrf were not more altered than iastlr cIspFsng. uEcally they were an wn- selash. Rood-naturec. yielding n1le race. But they were fighting nos. not unly for the soap and water. but even for the breakfast which xAs yet ln perspective The hand of every little Tet3erby wax against the other little Tetterbyk: and even Johnny's hano-the patient. much enduring and devoted Johnry--rose against the bAhyi Yes. Mrs Tetter- hy. going to the door by mere Accl- dent. saw him viciously pick out a weak place In the suit Of armor where A slap would tell. and slap that blessed child.
 NFRS. TTrTERBY had him into uA the parlor by the collar. in that same flash Of time, and repaid him the assault with usury thereto.
 You brute, your murdering little boy" said Mrs. Tetterby. Had you the heart to do it?"
 Why don't her teeth come through, then" retorted Johnny, in . loud rebellious voice, instead of bothering me. How would you like it yourself?"
 Like it, Sir!" said Mrs. Tetterby, relieving him of his .dishonored load.
 "Yes, like it." said Johnny. How woul d you2 Not at all. If you was me, you'd go for 6 soldier. I will, too. There ain't no babies in the Army"
 Mfr. Tetterby, who had arrived upon the scene of action, rubbed his chin thoughtfully, instead of correcting the rebel, and seemed rather struck by this view of mili- tary life.
 T wish I was in the Army myself, if the child's in the right" said Mrs. Tetterby, looking at her husband, flor l have no peace of my life here. I never have holiday, or any pleasure at all, from years end to years end! Why, Lord bless and save the child" said Mrs. Tetterby, shaking the baby with an irritability hardly suited to so pious an aspira- tion, whats the matter with her now?"
 Not being able to discover, and not rendering the subject much clearer by shaking 1t, Mrs. Tetter- by put the baby away in a cradle and, folding her arms, sat rocking it angrily with her foot.
 How you stand there, Dol phus," said Mrs. Tetterby to her husband. Why don't you do Some- thing?"
 Because I don't care about doing something" MT. Tetterby replied,
 T am sure I don't" said Mrs. Tetterby.
 'I1l take my oath I don't" said MT. Tetterty.
 You had better read your paper than do nothing at all," said Mrs. Tetterby.
 whats there to read in . paper2' returned MT. Tetterby, with exces- sive discontent.
 "what2" said Mrs. Tetterby. '"Po- Nee"
 "It's nothing to me-" said let terby. What do I care what people do, or are done to?"
 Suicides" suggested Mrs. Tetter- by.
 "No business of mine," replied her husband.
 Births, deaths, and marriages are those nothing to you?" said Mrs. Tetterby.
 If the births were all over for good, and all today; and the deaths were all to begin to come of to- morrow; don't see why 1t should interest me, till thought 1t was 8 coming to my turn" grumbled Tetterby. "As to marriages, I've done 1t myself. I know quite enough about them"
 ssIIow old and shabby he looks,' ,'
 H looks" said Mrs. Tetterby watching him. T never saw such a change in man. Ahl dear me, dear me, 1t was a sacrificed"
 What was a sacrifice?" her hus- band sourly inquired.
 Mrs. Tetterby shook her head: and without replying in words, raised a complete sea-storm about the baby, by her violent agitation of the cradle.
 If you mean your marriage was 6 sacrifice, my good woman" said her husband.
 T do mean it." said his wife.
 Why, then I mean to say" pur- sued MT. Tetterby, as sul'tiiy and surlily as she, that there are two sides to that affair; and that I was the sacrifice; and that I wish the sacrifice hadn't been accepted"
 T wish 1t hadn't, Tetterby, with all my heart and soul, do assure you," said his wife. You can't witsh 1t more than I do, Tetterby"
 T don't know what I saw in her, ' muttered the husband, I'm sure certainly, if I saw anything, it's not there now. l was thinking so, last night, after supper, by the fire. She's fat, she's aging, she won't bear com parison with most other women"
 He's common-looking, he has no air with him, he's small, he's be- ginning to stoop, and he's getting bald" muttered Mrs. Tetterby.
 T must have been half out of my mind when I did It." muttered