The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-10-09
Che Jribuue.
CHARLEY CARTOONS HOUSE
CLEANING.
A LESSON FOR HUSBANDS.

worn during the after supper dish-wash-
ing process, for dainty white one,
frightened the gas. took up her CROCHET
work. and sat down on her pretty loung-
ing chair opposite the sofa wherein her
liexe lord was entertaining himself with
the evening papers. For few minutes
she worked away in silence, and then
she spoke:
Charley, did you stop at the intelli-
gence Office for me2''
"What for ?" asked Charley, looking
absently up from his paper.
Did you forget that | told you In
tended to begin housekeeping to NOR
row, and wanted couple of stout women
help me?"
Well-yes 1 did, Lily, and that's
fact" confessed Charley. :" But don't
be hard on fellow. Won't tomorrow
do ?'
"Yes, since it must But don't forget
it again, for can't wait any longer. l
want two women for three or four days.
"Why want two, won't one answer? -
90 No. Charley, one cannot do justice
to the work. housekeeping is a heavy
job
" Yes, the way women tx 1t! The
idea of keeping three persons busy three
or four days cleaning small house like
this-only six rooms Now l." with
that peculiar emphasis on the |, which
men are apt to use when they think they
know little more than any one else
"now / could manage better.
"How. pray?" slight, very slight
dash of i'm patience in her tone.
We'll, could clean this whole house
in day or two, without any help at all,
and without getting things into the slop
and confusion you women do, so that
when you come in there isn't place for
the sole of his foot to rest on, much less
his whole body. It's all in the manage
ment, Lily. my dear. management /"
Mrs. Carlton dropped her tidy, looking
at her husband, and sighed. Now, Char
ley Carlton was very good fellow. He
loved his little wife dearly. and generally
let her have her own way. But he had
fallen into a fashion-common to other
lords of creation than himself-of criti-
cising househould affairs rather closely,
and giving advice upon matters which he
did not at all understand, in a way not
altogether pleasant to - orderly little
person like herself.
Little Mrs. Lily wanted TO break him
of this bad habit, and, while she sighed
and looked at him, it occurred to her
that the present might prove good oc-
casiou to give him lesson which should
be bis cure.
Charley, she began, abruptly, did
/ not hear you say once that man had
no business to have theory which he
could not put into practice p
"Well, yes, probably you did. Such
is my belief, certainly, returned my Lord
Lofty, pompously.
every we'll, then. Suppose you put
yours into practice this timer" said Lily,
quietly.
"Yes- ah-I suppose. L don't see
how it is to be done," returned Charles,
slowly.
"Simply clean the house YOURSELF"
returned Lily. "I'll abdicate the throne
entirely, go over to Camden and stay with
sister Mary, and you skal have full sway.
Won't it be good idea? ?"
Hum-ha-well. yes, perhaps it
might" answered Charley. hesitating,
hardly liking to be caught SO cleverly in
his own trap, and yet not quite wishing
to back down from his position.
"You said you could do it in day or
two, without help" observed Lily,
and that would be quite saving of
expense.
So it would" said Charles, approx
ingly. and give you al idea how things
should be done, besides"
Lilly laughed.
Yes; 70 doubt l should get some
new and original ideas on the subject of
housekeeping.
You need not laugh. Lily. Men un-
derstand those things much better than
you give them credit for. Upon the
whole, l consider the plan good one. l
can be spared from the Office. just now,
without Inconvenience. So you can go
over to Mary's tomorrow morning, and
I'll show you how house-cleaning can be
DONE"
"Agreedr' laughed Lily. but
mind, Charley, you must take up all the
carpets and wash the windows"
"Of course-I understand what needs
doing" said Mr. Charley with saga
cious wave of the hand. "I'll hire man
to help shake the carpets and the rest is
easy enough"
"Tm sure you'll find it So" said
Lily quietly.
But there was little twinkle of mali
cious mischief in her bright eye, which |
had MIR. Charley seen it, might have set |
him to thinking.
At an early hour next morning Lily |
Carlton stood in her little parlor prettiiy |
sttired in tasty walking suit. ready for |
her visit to Camden.
You'd better get your meals at a res
taurant, Charley" she said by way of a
parting injunction, and when you get
come over to Mary's and stay
all night. and I'll go home with you in
the morning"
"AlI right" replied Charley: ''you
may look for me about tomorrow night.
And / say Lily, stop at the Office as you
go by, and tell Fred I won't be down to-
day, will you? Just say I'm busy-need
not mind giving him any particulars.
You understand, chi"
"Oh, certainly" and holding up her
ripe lips for good-by kiss Lily ran down
the steps and tripped away.
True to her promise Lily entered the