Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-11-26
FIVE BACHELORS KEEPING HOUSE.
BY MARY CLARKE.

holding a warm, laughing discussion.
Susy Arnold the young hostess, who kept
house for her two brothers, Harry and George
took one side of the question, while three
other gentleman beside her tall brother OPP
posed her. Charley Grey, a blue-eyed, curly
headed man, whose round face and boylsh
air formed an apparent contradiction to the
assertion he made of having five years before
attained his majority; Joe Morris, who, from
Spanish mother inherited jetty hair and
ewes, and a pale complexion, and from his
father fine tall figure, and a frank, lnge-
NOUS expression; and Milton Dacres, whose
small figure and bashful ways accounted fully
for his nickname Minnie these three, with
the masters of the house, waged playful war
on the little brown eyed maiden, who sat so
demurely on the sofa.
"Say what you please said Susy,' ''you will
never convince me of the superiority of men
in the capacity of housekeepers."
but maintain" said Joe, {" that men can
keep house without women, but that women
can not do so unless we shall assist them"
"For instance" said Harry, when your
Biddy was sick last winter, Sue, how could
such a mite as you have brought up coal, kept
up the furnace fire, and lifted about wood,
unless your two brothers had CALAMITY re-
ieyed you of your care"
out three-"
"a truce" said George, laughing. ''That
was my fault but accidents will happen in
the best regulated families as-somebody,
name forgotten-Once very wisely remarked"
81 only wish you could keep house, for |
would accept Aunt James invitation to travel
with her this summer were it not for leaving
you"
II have an idea here" cried Charley Grey,
can idea which, if you will agree to act up
on, shall fully cure women of their indispen-
sibility-ahcm! that word nearly choked
me-"
'"rhat ungalant sentence should have quite
strangled YOU" said Susy.
present company always excepted" was
the reply.
''The idea, let's have the idea"
Suppose we keep house here, while Miss
Su5y travels"
''IIere ?" cried Susy aghast.
eyes, why not?"
But" said Susy, ''rm sure Jenny would
not stay"
eve don't want her; we want no women
about"
Visions of muddy boots on the parlor sofa,
cigars in the flower vases, pipes on the center
tables, spittoons in the best he'd room, and
frying pans in the library, fitted through the
Young laly's mind, but before she could re-
monstrate, Harry said
$50 be it hurrah for bachelors hail.
Pack up your trunk, Susy."
'But Harry"
"Glorious cried Charley, "not a petit
coat within the doors for a month"
But"-again said poor Susy.
Ono fuses about tobacco smoke in the
curtain" chmed in George.
''Wont it be gay ?"
"Gay I" groaned the little housekeeper.
q Law in a supply of cigars, George sug-
gested Joe. "When do you CO. Miss Susy? ~
"Monday Aunt James letter says Monday,
said Harry.
MONDAY, then We will come, bag and
baggage, on Monday morning"
''On an express stipulation that not wo-
man performs stroke OF work tor us tor a
month"
With MANY Il flourish, amidst the gayeSt
tests. George wrote solemn contract, by
which they bound themselves to ask no SER
vice of any kind at woman's hand for one
month from the date of the following Monday,
June :, 1868, and all put their signatures to
the Important document
Susy seeing that her brothers really were
in earnest, tried to think she was glad to go,
and added her laughing directions to the
schemes proposed. At a later hour the con-
clave broke up and Susy retired with head
full of plans and heart full of sore misgiv-
ings
Monday morning dawned fair and clear.
Six o'clock saw Sucy drive away from the
door in the carriage, the trunk strapped be-
hind, the lady's pretty travelling dress, and
the shawl of her cousin and cavalier, all be-
speaking travel Seven saw the servant de-
part to spend a month with her mother in the
country.
Nine o'clock witnessed the meeting of the
merry young bachelors.
"Now then" said George, after the first
greets were over, a, as the eldest host, will
take charge to-day. As Susy says, "when
are yon going down town?
q have nothing to do to-day, so I'll stay
to assist you," said Minnie.
"Thank you!"
"What's for dinner?" said Joe, trying to
look like the head of some respectable family,
and failing most deplorably in the attempt.
"You'll see at three o'clock"
:" Is that the hour ?"
eyes"
"Remember," said George, q wait for no
one. Punctuality the soul of dinner, as
somebody once said before l mentioned the
fact"
Having seen the others off, George and
Minnie went into the library for smoke, to
nrepare them for the Herculean task before
them.
''See," said George, producing cook book
tive are safe"
Mrs. Hales, that's woman?" cried Min
ME.
''Roast lamb, potatoes, green peas, aspara
gus, and strawberries"
''Thatl do. Don't you have to shell peas
or something?"
otis awful hot" said Minnie, after a snort
silence.
"Horrid !" -,
Suppose we she'll the peas up here. Its
cooler here than in the kitchen suppose
there's fire there"
"Of course"
.srll go and bring them up"
They're in basket on the table. just
leave the rest of the things down III the
kitchen"
Smelling peas was rapid work even for un
accustomed fingers, but it is a matter OF taste
whether the thorough smoking they had fro m
the two actively pulled cigars, improved their
flavor.
"Now, what do you do with them?" said
Minnie. "There amt many" he added as
he looked at the little green balls rolling
about at the bottom of the huge market bas-
ket, and then eyed the large pile of shells on
the floor.
'You boil them, of course" was GEORGES
answer
''Oh, suppose we go down."
"Well, come along" said George, taking
up the basket
The fire burned brightly; Jennie had left
IL