THE SMALL BOY’S EXPLANATION.
It was Sunday evening. Angelica had invited her young man to the evening meal.[[1]] Everything had passed off harmoniously until Angelica’s seven-year-old brother broke the blissful silence that had settled like a rainbow on the family circle, with:
“O, Ma! You oughter seen Mr. Lighted last night when he called to take Angie to the drill! He looked so nice, sitting ’long side o’ her, with his arm”----
“Fred!” screamed the maiden, quickly placing her hand over the boy’s mouth.[[2]]
“You just ought ter seen him,[him,]” continued the persistent informant, after gaining his breath, and the embarrassed girl’s hand was removed; “he had his arm”--
“Freddie,” shouted the mother; and in her frantic attempts to reach the boy’s ear she upset the tea-pot, sending its scalding contents into Mr. Lighted’s lap.[[3]]
“I was just going to say,” the half-frightened boy pleaded, between a cry and an injured whine, “he had his arm”--
“You boy,” thundered the father, “away to the wood-shed.”
And the boy made for the nearest exit, exclaiming as he went, “I was only a goin’ to say that Mr. Lighted had his army clothes on, and I’ll leave it to him if he didn’t.”[[4]]
TABLEAUX.
[1]. Dining-room scene. Father at right and mother at left end of dinner table; small boy and Angelica at side facing to audience; young man on opposite side, back to audience; servant in side rear, with glasses on tray.
[2]. Angelica’s hand is over the boy’s mouth, he evidently struggling to get away from it.
[3]. Tea pot upset, mother trying to reach the boy.
[4]. Boy disappearing through screen door at left rear, but half faces audience.