Year: 1869

9n ynbepenbsnt fam
drink of water, in doing which she upset brim-
ming pail, and then stopped to quench her thirst
from the brook she had made. Next she proceed
ed to investigate an escritoire upon small table


in the corner Of the sitting room. The large black
marks the ink made upon the paper pleased her
very much but, continuing this occupation, the
ink-bottle was soon upside down onthe carpet, the
liquid spreading rapidly. Though Elias educa-
tion was limited, she had learned to discriminate
somewhat between right and wrong; her last act
she concluded must be of the latter class, and to
make amends, she endeavored to scrape up the ink
with her hands. At this moment a fly lit on her
nose and with the same hand she routed him.
After this it would have been difficult to deter
mine to which of the five races she belonged. The
next scene of action was the kitchen-closet, when
q pitcher of milk was partly drank and the remain
der poured into pan of -four; Ella began to
knead its contents; but she preferred more room,
80 she dragged the pan into the centre of the par
lor, the door Of that apartment being ajar.


A few moments after, Mr.. Easy entered with
his sons, determined to shut them up for the rest
of the afternoon. But what was his horror to find
his kitchen a6oat, the sitting-room carpet stained
beyond all probability of restoration and the par
lor strewn with -four and literally covered with
paste His first idea was of voyage to Austria
liza, and of leaving each one to his fate but then
came the thought of his poor wife.


IF have such hard time in taking care Of
the children for few hours, said he, "what must
be poor Susan's trials, staying here all the time,
and not only taking care Of them, but attending to
all her other duties? I always thought women
had very easy time, but give up that idea now,
and only wonder that so few are in the insaue-asy-
lums From this time forth am EASY no longer,
but will be industrious and frugal; and if at
home the domestic whirlwind blow Olympus-high,
I shall not attribute it to her, but, remembering
this day seek for the true cause"


After musing and resolving what to do, he set
himself about restoring order once more; but it
seemed to him to look worse when be had done,
than when he began; for as be had not thought to
wash the children hands and remove their soiled
clothes, they had been going about leaving their
marks. Neither did his brain suggest to him that
if he let the paste dry on the paror carpet itcould
be removed without injury; but he undertook to
wash up the floor in the same manner as ne had
done the water and ink from the other rooms, and
with the same cloth too. AS he thought hot water
would be best, he went to some trouble to obtain
lit; and after carrying into execution his threat OF
shutting up the boys, he went on with his work.
We leave the reader to judge how much the beau
ty of the carpet had increased an hour atterward,
when with tired muscles and aching heart he arose
from his humble position.


But we will not follow Mr. Easy too minutely
through all his troubles on that eventful afternoon
While Jimmy and Benny were prisoners in the
bedroom, they amused themselves by playing ball
around the room, and circus on the white counter
pane. In short time the wash bowl and pitcher
were in fragments, the looking-gass cracked, and
the counterpane dangling on the floor.


Mr.. Easy in his anxiety to keep the youngest
one quiet, gave her whatever she desired. AS ne
found she was Mrs Easy in miniature when thwart-
ed he gave her bread and butter to spread for her.
self, silver spoons to drum with, scissors to cut
newspaper-and when his back was turned, she
cut her curls and strewed them about the floor.
Then she called for the sugar-bowl, which he
considered perfectly harmless, but the room was
soon througed with fies By this time, Jimmy
and Benny, after promising good behavior, had
gained their liberty, and wished for drink Of mo-
lasses and water Their request was granted, and
they were permitted to mix it for themselves
their father having taken seat in despair, and
made up his mind to await patiently the result OF
all this chaos, when his half should
return. But q scream from the kitchen brought
him to his feet again, to behold Ella dripping with
molasses, large vessel of which Benny had up
|set.


Ella, with blinded eyes, grasped the first object
that came in her way, which happened to be her
father, with his Sunday pants on Alas poor
Mr.. Easy, on finishing his cleaning operation, he
found his pants so bedaubed with -four, paste and
ink, it would have been hard to tell if he were a
baker or printer; so as his best ones were the
nearest at hand, he doffed his Toured garb, and
now what misfortune Mr. Easy was mad, stark
mad, and at that moment he caught glimpse of
the rod of correction which lay on the shelf, and
which he had often thought it was all nonsense to
use; but he was now of a different mind, and he
piled it dexterously until it became too Short and
then ended the tragic farce by putting them all to
bed supperless AS he had not much appetite
himself it did not occur to him that they might
not be similarly inclined


After the children had cried themselves to sleep
and the house was once more quiet, Mr.. Easy pom
dered in his mind whetherit would be best for him
to see his wife, or his wife to see the house first
and he came to the conclusion that the former
would be the better mode of proceeding He
knew she intended to stay in the evening" so as it
began to grow dark, he crept softly down stairs,
went to clothing store near by, and purchased a
new pair pants and few other articles to match
them then, going to his room, he made an entire
change of apparel, II will lounge in threadbare
coat no longer" he mentally exclaimed, as he sur
veyed himself in the glass and saw the change in
his appearance; "but will throw off these idle
habits have INDUCED in, and be man among
men; nor will burden my wife with so many
cares until from necessity she is compelled to neg
lect the culture and habits of our children. y
| With thoughts like these he again went into the
street and stopping at the next door, rang bell,
which summons was answered by young girl.


''Nancy," he said, my wife has gone out and ]
,no oono ton Will Won sit with the children q