Two Sides to a Story

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There are always two sides to a story, and the price of deceit is oftentimes severe repentance. Mr. Billiken looked for a wife of good family, and got her. Mr. Billiken needed someone to care for his seven small children, but he didn't say anything about the children until after he had married. It happened this way. Mr. Billiken had had a strenuous summer in caring for the seven younger Billikens and he needed a rest. Leaving the seven in care of a trusty nursemaid, Billiken goes to the seashore, where he meets Mrs. Mary Moore, a winsome young widow, with whom he falls violently in love. Not thinking of the seven at home, Billiken proposes and is accepted. Now it happens, as we have said before, that there are two sides to a story, and the price of deceit is oftentimes severe repentance. Mrs. Moore is the mother of six small children, but it did not occur to her to tell Billiken, or that he might object to her having so many. Billiken goes home, looks his seven over, shakes his head dubiously, and decides to wait until after the marriage before telling the bride. Mrs. Moore also thinks it advisable to refrain from mentioning her offspring until after the wedding, and so both remain in the dark concerning each other's children. The marriage takes place; Billiken goes home to make ready to welcome his bride to her new home. The seven ply him with questions regarding their future mother, until, conscience-smitten, he decides to take the whole tribe of them to Mary and tell her all about them. When the new Mrs. Billiken returns to her home the six greet her with curious questions concerning their new dad, all expressing their desire to make his acquaintance. A little frightened, she bundles them all out of the house and starts toward her new home. The families meet half way. The shock is a terrible one, of course. "William," sobs Mrs. Billiken, "I have deceived you. Forgive me!" "Mary, neither had I fully explained," says Billiken, taking her in his arms and commenting on the side as he looks around at the small multitude. "Gosh, what a bunch of kids!" The youngsters see the joke and forming a ring encircle the "Newlyweds" in the frolicsome game of "ring-around-the-rosy." Deciding to make the best of it, Mr. and Mrs. Billiken, accompanied by the thirteen, make for the Billiken home, wondering despairingly how they will care for the throng of young folk.