The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1865-04-13
COURTSHTP AND CLEANING
HOUSE.

1t was the most golden and glorious !
Of September days. The veil Of blue
haze hanging like canopy over the dis.
tant hills, seemed absolutely to quiver
in the radiant glow Of Autumn sunshine,
and the grapes, whose amethystiuc clus.
ter blushed through the trollis of cling.
ing leaves grew deeper in color and
more bloomy, as they had stolen the
imperial dye Of thousand purple sun.
sets and brilliant dawns, as the sun
mounted higher in the oloudlesa dome
Of heaven. No frescocd ceiling, hung
with jeweed pendants, was eyer more
beautiful than this arbor Of grapp leaves,
where light aud shadow mingled in fit
tul arabe,Gue with every moving wind
and So thought Richard Mayfeld, as
he came slowly up The garden path that
led to his brothers house.
The mansion itself, however, was far
from presenting the gala aspect which
pargadea all nature, and our hero's ooun-
tcnance underwent ludicrous transfer
nation, as he eyed the yawning windows
= and wide open doors.
"By all the powers" he said to him
self, "if Isabel isn't cleaning house
again Wei, women are most urac
couutahlo creatures do believe they
delight in turning things upside down,
and making themselves and the rest Of
the world uncomfortable. What's the
use of choking people with dust and de-
luging them with soap and water twice
a year? However, let the proper enig-
mas have their OWE Eqy. I'm sure I
am the last person in the world to OBJ
Iject." :.
I With these philosophical reflections
yet in lis mind, Mr.. Mayfeld deftly
threaded his way by colony of white
wash pals and limo kettles that sur.
rounded the front door and entered upon
the scene Of action. 1t was quite plain
from the shout with which the children
greeted his appearance that he was a
general favorite.
"Hallo, JINGLE Dick, we're cleaning
house" cried Master Henry Augustus
Mayfeld, who was mounted astride a
double up feather bed, basting it fear.
fully with his mothers best silk para.
sol.
"Ain't it splendid, Uncle Dick !" ex.
claimed Miss JIlia, who was endeavor-
ing to "pry out" the principle Of sound
from $50 music box, by introducing a
carving knife into its interior works,
while Mrs. Mayfeld, half distracted by
calls from divers directions, was totally
unconscious of the mischief being
wrought.
"Dick, | am puzzled and annoyed,
she said. Here is John called to the
city by pressing law suit, and the
whole house upside down :"
Thought that was what you ladies
liked" was Dicks rejoinder, as he
perchcd himself on the top of the table
and rescued shell basket from the de
, structiyc grasp of the smallest Mayfelt
5 Of all.
"-And ny cook is gone, and Tie lrt
7 won't burn, and the wall whitener
havn't come this morning, and the par
lor ceiling is half unfinished, and ycl
know the geYing society is to be here to
morrow eyeniuS-and, o Dick, wha
shall do ?"
'Don't fret" said Richard, soothing
ly. "Til make the fire burn, or II
know the reason why; and III fnisl
the ceiling for you"
"You ?"
ayes, I. Didn't whiten my owi
room at College, when We boys smoked
it into the color Of an old snuf-box. AnC
then LII tacI, the carpet down and Sc,
about getting those dislocated bedstead
together"
"But, Dick, you must be too tired
after dancing till two o'clock at the pic
nic last night"
"Me tired? Fiddlesticks! Where
the refractory stove ?"
The very fire was not proof agains
Dicks determination. 1t broke into
cheerful blaze the moment he attacked
the citadel. The skill with which h
next erected a scaifolding and MOUNTED
thereon with a panoply of whitewasl
pals and brushes, was perfectly astoun
ding, the more so, as his slender fingers
rather pale complexion, aristocraticall,
small feet aud hands, conveyed the ide
of one who was adapted only to Broad
way pavcments and glittering ball
rooms.
81 suppose the workmen didn't leag
their wardrobes when they went ava
Q last evening, Bell ?" he asked, when h
f had scaled the rather perilOus height.
) "No," said his sistcr-in-law, laugh
:, ing.
"Then just hand me that oil
> sheet and a piece of old bed cord yor
9 der Now, don't yop admire my tou
D ensemble Z"
: "Uncle Dick looks like ghost" sal
. Master Henry Augustus.
c "No he don't-he looks like the oil
miller down at the pond" struck in Mis-