Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-09
THE HOUSE CLEANING.

luUo despair.
Not going to clean house again, Mrs
Benedict! Why, it seems as if we had
only just recovered from the dreadful
tearing up process of last spring."
Mrs. Benedict slowly dropped four
Jumps of sugar into his coffee, then
handed it to him, utterly regardless of
the misery in his face.
g Dreadful tearing up!-that's per-
feet nonsence, Mr.. Ammidon. As if you
were very much Inconvenience last
May while the carpets were up and the
curtains down and the painting going
on. Of course | shall clean; it's my
habit, and has been for twenty odd
years" Et8.|# I8 a
Mr. Amnidon gave little groan at
the sad fate that awaited him-that
awaited all bachelors in boarding houses
in the shape of several consecutive
days of bare floors and the odor of soap:
of cold dinners eaten wherever it was
convenient to set the dining table; of
Mrs. Benedict IN a chronic state of hustle
and crossness, and the servants I'M
pudent, tired and sulky; of wide open
doors and windows where the draughts
tore through. ....a..- s-. -.
l.
Ammidon was, and so repressed his i'll
temper and disgust and mental maledic-
tons that house cleaning was a purely
malicious instigation of his satanic
majesty for the torment of mankind.
Well be so nice and sweet and
Clean" Mrs. Benedict went on, with
horrible cheerfulness, "and I've been
thinking that I'll have your rooms newly
papered, Mr., Ammidon. Pm sure you'll
Ike that? -f fs.. .ssmaa !
" Very much-when it is done, mad
am" sz7ag 81 d
And he cut his meal short and rushed
out Of doors into the cool, fresh October
evening air. -rr a.ruz.
'sAh, bahl can already experience
the agonies of last spring! Good heaven !!
the woman must be made of cast iron to
attempt such a siege again. It is no
wonder her husband died if he suffered
two attacks of house cleaning year, and
| shall die or 90 crazy unless l leave her
but suppose all women are equally
idiotic.o ~. ~. -..,4-rr.. :, -
A groan of genuine misery broke from
his lips as he strobe along, his hat JAM
med over his -eyes-very unlike the
handsome gentleman he really was, with
his frank, CHEEKY face and pleasant
mouth, with the white, even teeth, and
the half curling, thick dark hair, and the
grave, intelligent eyes, that nothing
could ruffle as the idea of Mrs Bene-
diets semi-annual g tearing-up"- "a cour-
teous, refined, genial gentleman, whom
society found puzzle because of his
persistent bachelorhood, when it knew of
at least q half-dozen women who would
have jumped at the faintest chance of
an offer of marriage from hinl-who him
self wondered why he had never fallen
in love-and whom pretty little Mrs
Baldwin, the blue eyed. blonde haired
widow, with no incumbrance, a house
of her own, and and an income of three
thousand dollars year, often felt quite
piqued with that he was so very unim.
pressionable. srf ~
So Mr. Ammidon strobe along, almost
mechanically turning corners, his pace
gradually growing slower, and then, al
at once, he heard the brilliant tones of 8
piano as some skilled hands played, and
looking up, found himself in front of {
warmly lighted, CHEEKY, hospitable house
the very house where Mrs. Bessie Bald
win lived. .-n..e fs-a- r,. .ss,-e- 80
The contrast was so strikingly vivid
between the pictures In his imagination
that he involuntarily paused-one, the
picture Of the way Mrs. Benedict's
boarding house would look next day, the
other Of how Mrs Baldwin's elegant
little home always appeared when he
called there and as it appeared now
through the lace curtains warm
hospitable, inviting.
And like a revelation from heaven il
came to him-an idea, determination
that was so strong, SO resistless that he
walked forthwith up Mrs. Baldwin front
steps and rang the door bell, wondering
as he did why the music had ceased and
where the player had gone.
"Tll marry her if she'll have me, ano
then we'll see how many times year the
house is cleaned; that is, if
Then the door opened and the naio
invited him into the parlor, with the In
formotion that Mrs. Baldwin had JUS
run into a neighbours by the side gate
but would be back directly if the sicl
child was better she had gone to see.
Mr.. Ammidon ensconced himself IL
the easiest chair in the room-a great
deep, wide, cushioned affair that was
drawn up by the little low table under
he chan d elier.
Bless her pretty blue eyes! Gone t.
see sick child; | like that like it
What blessing it occurred to me to Offer
myself to such good hearted, cheerful,
tender, fond little woman as she is; and
what a miraculous fool | have been not
to have done it long ago. Why, honestly
feel as If had been in love with her q
along; and [ believe | have been, and
never knew it."
His handsome head leaned comfort
ably against the cushions, and his we'll
shaped, well booted feet were crossed on
low ottoman near the fire that burned
costly and brightly.