Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-09-16
Kit and Tnnar.


ny ttcrrrA r. HAls
The trouble was in the dumb waiter. All |
had seated themselves at the dinner-tablc |
and Amanda had gone 10 take out the din l
ner she had sent up from the kitchen on the |
dumb waiter. But something was the mat
ter; she could not pull itup. There was the
dinner, but she could not reach IL. All the
family, in turn. went and tried; all pulled
together, in vain; the dinner could not be
stirred.
No dinner 90 exclaimed Agamemnon.
d" am quite hungry" said solomon John.
At last, Mr.. peterkin said, g am not
proud. am willing to dine in the kitchen
This room was below the dining-room. All
consented to this Each one went down,
taking a napkin
The cook laid the kitchen table pat ON It
her best table-cloth, and the family sat down.
Amanda went to the dumb waiter for the
dinner, but she could not move it down.
The family were all in dismay. There
was the dinner halfway between the kitchen
and dining-room. and there were they all
hungry 10 eat it
What is there for dinner 2" asked Mr..
Ptterkin.
Roast turkey" said Mrs. Peteikin.
Mr.. peterkin lifted his eyes to the ceiling.
Squash. tomato. potato, and sweet po-
tato, Mrs. Peterkin continued
Sweet potato' exclaimed all the little
boys.
:" avn very glad now that | did not have
/ cranberry" said Mn. peterkin anxious 30
| find a bright point
Let us sit down and think about it, said
/ Mr. peterkin
81 have an idea" said Agamcmnon, after
awhile
Let us hear it, said Mr. Peterkn. 81 Let
each one speak his mind"
The turkey" said Agamcmnon, "must
be just above the kitchen floor If ! had a
ladder and an axe, | could cut away the
plastering and reach it,
That is a great idea, said Mrs. Peterkn.
." II you think you could do it, said Mr..
Peterkin.
Would it not be better to have a carpen-
ter 2" asked Elizabeth Eliza,
d" A carpenter might have ladder and am
axe, and think we have neither" said Mrs.
Peterkin.
A carpenter! \ carpenter" exclaimed
the rest
Il was decided that Mr.. Peterkin, solomon
John and the little boys should 60 in search
of a carpenter.
Agamemuon proposed that, meanwhile, lac
should 20 and borrow book for he had an
other idea.
This affair of the turkey" he said, re-
minds me of those buried cities that have
been dug out, lIercuaneum, for instance"
"Oh yes" interrupted Elizabeth Eliza,
and Pompeii"
"Yes," said Agamemnon, "they found
, there pots and kettles. Now, | should like
q TO know how they did it, and mean to bor-
row book and read. think it was done
with pick-axe.
So the party set out. But when Mr. Pc
e terkin reached the carpenters shop, there
4 was no carpenter to be found there.
. lie must be at his house, eating his din
i mel" suggested solomon John.
Happy man." exclaimed Mr.. Peterkin,
S he has a dinner to eat :"
/ They went to the carpenters house, but
$ found he had gone out OF town for a day IS
p job. But his wife told them that he always
5 came back at night to ring the nine o'clock
bell.
I'VE must wait till then" said Mr. Peter.
kin, with an effort at cheerfuness.
At home, he found Agamemnon reading
= his book, and all sat down to hear of IIercu
: laneum and Pompeii.
! Time passed ON, and the question arose
= about tea. Would it do to have tea, when
- they had had no dinnerY part of the
family thought it would not do; the rest
a wanted tea.
: 81 suppose you remember the wise lady
, from Philadelphia, who was here not long
ago. said Mrs. Peterkin.
- "Oh yes" said Mr. Peterkin,
oh, yes" said Mrs Peterkin.
:. "Let MS try and think what she would adj
, wise u.s." said Mr.. Peterkn.
81 wish She We're here" said Elizabeth
! Eliza.
: think" said Mr.. Peterkin, she would
: say let them that want tea have it; the rest
can 60 without"
SO they had tea, and, as it proved, all sal
: down to it. But not much was eaten a;
there had been no dinner.
i, When the nine o'clock bell was heard, Ag
amemon, solomon john and the little boy,
rushed TO the church, and found the carpen
ter.
; They asked him to bring a ladder, axe an,
pickaxe. As he felt it might be a case O
: fire, he brought also his fre-buckets
W. When the matter was explained to him
D., he went into the dining-room, looked int,
y the dumb waiter, UNFINISHED a cord, and ar
= ranged the weight, and pulled up the dinner
a There was a family shout.
"The trouble was in the weight, said tn
10 carpenter.
~ THAT is why it is called a dumb waiter,
Solomon John explained TO the little boys.
b. The dinner was put upon the table.
~ Mrs Peterkin frugally suggested that the
" might now keep it for next day, as to-da,
was almost gone, and they had had tea
- But nobody listened. All sat down to tia
II roast turkey and Amanda warmed over tn
- vegetables.
~ Patient waters are no losers" said Aga
memnon.--St. Nicholas JorJ July.