Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-01
A New Use for Clothes. Pins-A Hint
to Neglected Housewives.

Ladies who have husbands who are
neglectful in supplying them with kim
dlings should carefully study the expe.
rience of Division street sister. All
her married life she has had an un-
broken struggle with her husband to
keep herself supplied with wood, and the
greater part of the time she has been
obliged to depend upon her own dizziness
with the ak, and anyone who has seen
woman handle an ak knows what a
dreadful thing it is. Two months ago
she begged of him not to go away with
out leaving her some kindlings. He said
he wouldn't. But he finally did. Then
she hit upon plan. She had four dozen
clothes-pins. She took one dozen of
them for starting the fire. and found they
worked admirably. The next day she
used another dozen, and so she contin.
ued until the four dozen were gone.
Then she went to the store and purchased
another four dozen-having them "put
in the bill" When they were gone she
repeated the errand. She said no more
to him about kindlings For ten years
she had kept up the battle, and now she
WAS tired and sick at heart. He could
go his own way, and she would go hers
patiently, uncomplainingly-until the end
would come
On Monday he signified at the store
that he would like to settle his account.
The bill was made out and handed him
He glanced down the items. AS he ad.
vanced along the column his face began
to work First his eyes slowly enlarged,
then his mouth gradually opened, caused
by the dropping of his lower jaw; and
wrinkles formed on his forehead. One
third down the column he formed his
lips as if to whistle. Four lines below
he did whistle. Half way down he
said:
"Gra-ciousp
A little further on he said:
Thunder
Four more lines were taken in and he
spoke again:
by the Jumping Jupiter!h
Then he read on, shifting his thigh Wig
orously and given vent 10 various ex-
pressions of the liveliest nature. Finally
he threw the bill down.
81 say, Benson, look here; this bill
can't be mine; you've got me mixed up
with some laundry"
That's your bill, SIR" said the grocer,
smiling pleasantly.
81 tell you it can't be-" persisted the
Division street man, beginning to look
scared. "Why, here's fifty.five dozen
clothes-p pins in two months bill. What
on earth do you take me for-a four-story
laundry"
"But it is your bill. Your wife can
explain it TO you. She ordered the
""My wife," gasped the unfortunate
man.
Eyes, sir"
The debtor clutched the bill, jammed
it into his pocket and hurried straight
home. He bolted into the house without
any abatement of speed and, iiinging the
paper on the table before his wife,
knocked his hat on the back of his head,
and said:
Martha Ann Johnson, what does this
mean! There are fifty.fve dozen clothes.
pins in Benson's bill for the past two
months and he says you ordered every
blessed one of them"
"And so did" said she, demurely.
haiti Fifty.five dozen clothes
pins in two monthsi" and he shot down
into chair as if freight car had fallen
atop of him. "Fifty.five dozen clothes
pins in two monthsr he howled. "Will
just heaven stand THAR"
II tell you, you needn't stare at me
that way, Reuben Wheeler Johnson, nor
go to calling onto heaven with your i'm
piousness. / ordered them clothes-pins
myself, and ! have burnt every one OF
'em in that there stove, just because you
were too ALFRED lazy to get stick OF
wood. And declare, before III be both.
cred jawing and fighting to get you to
cut wood, I'll burn up every clothes.pin
in the land and you shall pay for them,
if you have to sell the shirt on your back
to do 1t. So nowm
AID Mrs. johnson, with face like
scarlet, snatched up the broom and went
to sweeping the carpet as If every fake
of dust was red hot coal, while the I'M
happy Mr.. Johnson fastened To the
store and paid the bill. And before dark
that night he had a .half-cord Of wood
sawed, split and piled up ready for use.
-DanbuTy Neaos