Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 96, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1912 — Short Furrows By "Abe Martin” In Indianapolis News. [ARTICLE]

Short Furrows By "Abe Martin” In Indianapolis News.

More’n once durin’ our long hard blusterin’ winter I’ve thought about th ole time family circle we used t’ see thro’ th’ windows as we trudged along th’ street thro’ th’ snow in th’ evenin’. Ther wuz mother an’ th’ girls an’ father an’ th’ boye, all huddled around a quart lamp with a green shade in th’ settin’ room, with real contentment written all over ’em. Mother knowed where her children wuz then, an’ father wuz content with only one lodge. Ever’buddy knew what t’ do with ’emselves in th’ ole family circle days. Father had th’ easiest chair on th’ best side o’ th’ two leaf table an’ read Pilgrim’s Progress er talked t’ mother while she quilted er set th’ buckwheat. Emmy made wax flowers er worked mottoes while Alice got her algebry er sewed. Bob an’ Henry played checkers on th’ floor er poured o’er th’ pages o’ Daniel Boone er Robinson Crusoe. Ther wuz a big-thick Bible on th’ table, with th’ pages cut.’ Ever’buddy wuz at home where they belonged. Sunday wuz sparkin’ day an’ th’ column stove ip th’ tidy little musty parlor wuz red hot from two p. m. till ten, an’ th* door leadin’ int’ th’ settin’ room wuz never closed. Bob an’ Henry would shine ther boots an’ git out new paper collars an’ put oil o’ bergamot on ther hair an’ strike out, an’ mother didn’t worry no more’n if they’d gone down cellar after a apple. These feverish days o’ woman’s clubs, ' cigarettes, lodges, the-ater goin’, autos, an’ interurbans have destroyed th’ family circle jist th’ same as civilization destroyed th’ Indians. Ever’buddy from ten years up is lookin' for a pew sensation. Call around t’ most any modern home on th’ most blizzardly winter evenin’ an’ what do you find? Little Kenneth playin’ with his blocks an’ th’ hired girl gossipin’ o’er th’ phone. Mother fe attendin’ a suffrage meetin’, Violyette is gigglin’ her head off at some musical show with a strugglin’ clerk, Edythe ’s visitin’ in Seymour, Harold is in college preparin’ his self fer light employment, father is not available an’ nobuddy has seen Clarence Ter two days. Whether it’s gentle spring, warm, lazy summer, golden autumn er cold, bleak winter, th’ modern family never gits t’gether unless ther’s a funeral—an’ even then ther’s alius one missin’.