Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-04-29
NO. lol.
Misfellamenns.
From the Danbury News.l
MIR. PERKINS WASHES THE DISHES.

MIS-. fEkhlNS WASHES The DiNHES.
Mrs. Perkins being very busy in prepar-
ing to move, last week, Mr.. Perkins vol
unteered to wash the breakfast dishes one
morning. Mrs. Perkins gladly accepted
his offer, and went up stairs to take down
the back bedroom curtains. She had Just
| reached that locality when the voice of
Mr.. Perkins rolled up the stairway:
"Where ) the dish cloth ?' Under the
sink" she answered back. A moments
silence followed. Mrs. Perkins found
wooden chair, mounted it and reached up
to the curtain sticks. II can't find that
dish-cloth," came the voice Of Mr. Perkins
up the stairway. "It's under the sink
hanging on nail, told you," she re-
peated. ut ain't there, / say" urged
Perkins with some warmth. Mrs. Perkins
got down from the chair, descended the
stairs. and opening the door under the
sink, pointed silently but significantly to
the hanging dish-cloth. With the same
discreet silence Perkins took it down, keep
ing his back towards his wife. Mrs. Per-
kins re-ascended the stairs. with the SIM
pie advice to Perkins to "keep his eyes in
front of him." Again she mounted the
wooden chair. and took hold of the cur
| tdihe. hdtiluy SuOutcu IcTkluS.-
"Well?' exclaimed that lady, with mar
the skin often me-" he explained. ''Put
as she turned back to her work whats
that" said Perkins from the foot of the
stairs Mrs. Perkins got down from her
chair, with compressed lips and flashing
eyes, and stalking to the head of the stairs
frowned down into the anxious face of
Perkins at the foot. 'Put-cold-water-into-
it," she recited in an elevated key. do
you hear that P" "Well, you needn't get
mad about it," grumbled the unhappy
Perkins, as he disappeared. Mrs. Perkins
j returned to the chair, mounted it again,
and weariedly took hold of her task. Five
minutes passed uninterruptedly. One oil
the curtains was down all right. The
wooden chair was moved to the other
window, and was again ascended, when
| Perkins voice Glove the air of the stairway.
''Matildy.' Mrs. Perkins thought she
would drop. We'll, What is it now ?" she
cried. where's towel to dry them
things ?' he shouted "Look for it, said
Mrs. Perkins in a voice adapted to her own
| hearing and satisfaction, and then raising
| her voice for his benefit, she added:
'Whcrc it always is; on the nail back OF
the pantry door" Another silence follow
ed the Withdrawal of Perkins. A moment
passed. at amt there" said Perkins
from the foot of the stairs. An expression
fitted over Mrs Perkins face at the re-
cepton Of this information, that deserved
Il better billet than the four bare walls OF
an empty room. at must be there" she
replied in yoce of smothered emotion.
"Well, IL cant see it," he said. There
was a half Il minute silence. Mrs. Perkins
was evidently waiting to hear him move
away in renewal OF the search, but no
such sound reached her. II declare, Dam
iel, she suddenly snapped out, ''you are
enough to try the patience Of saint.
tell You that towel is on that nail back oil
that pantry door. and anybody with his
eyes half open would see it," 'If you
know so much about it you had better
come down here and find it yourself"
said Perkins, with ting Of sarcasm. "Do
20 and look for it again, Danil," pleaded
Mrs. Perkins. 1T don't seem as if couldgo
down and up those stairs again this morn
ing" Perkins shuiiied away at this ap-
peal, and Mrs. Perkins with sigh turned
her attention to the curtain. She was
made nervous by the frequent Interrupt
lions, and her progress in taking it down
|
gone So long that she was beginning to
think he had found the towel, when his
footstep was heard at the foot of the stairs,
and again his voice ascended. lit amt
there" Mrs Perkins came down from
her chair so suddenly as to cause Perkins
to wink where he stood. The next instant
she swept down the stairs with flushed
face and hard, determined eyes. Perkins
moved away in advance and preceded
her TO the pantry entrance, and stared in
side triumphantly. She waved him aside
with her hand and the simple words:
Get away you block head" and pushed
| by him. The towel was not on the nail,
but her quick eye detected it in plain view
on the first shelf, and with hardly pause
She straightway reached out and picked it
up. There, do you see that ?" and she
shook it in his face. To say that Perkins
was not surprised would be to misrepre-
sent his feelings. but the towel was not on
the nail, and Perkins desperately clutchsd
nj this straw II told you it want there
he said WANT there !" exclaimed Mrs.
! Perkins ,pitetully. at was right in front
of your eyes, and anybody but block
head would have seen it at once" well
give it to me an I'll finish Them" said
Perkins in tone of voice that indicated
the subject was becoming distasteful to
him. I'm finish them myself" said Mrs.
Perkins firmly. And might have better
done them myself at the first, and saved
my strength, for goodness knows have
little enough" Il tell you I'll do them,"
protested Perkins. mo, you have done
mischief enough for one day." said Mrs.
Perkins. hysterically, land you had better
go down street and enjoy yourself with
your cronics." The unhappy man retired
from the room in great depression, and
eventually disappeared down street, NUT
tering to himself, at want on the nail
any way