The Republican journal., 1877-05-31
The House Cleaning.
harlcs Swa

Ihe House Cleaning.
Mr.. Walter Ammidon laid bis knife and
fork down with Il gesture of absolute
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 foul
humps Of sugar into his coffee, utterly re-
gard!css oi the misery in his face.
"Dreadtu tearing "-that's perfect
nonsense, Mir. Ammidon. AS if you were
very much inconvcnicnced 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 odds years"
Mr.. AmmldOn gave Il 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 table of Mrs. Bene-
diet in a chronic state Of hustle and cross
ness, and the servants impudent, tired
and sulky: OF wide open doors and Win
doWs where the draughts tore through.
He was Il gentleman, however. Mr..
Ammidon was, and so repressed his i'll
temper and disgust and mental maledc-
tions that house cleaning was Il purely
malicious instigation of his Satanic ma
.icsty for the torment Of mankind.
"We'll be 50 nice and sweet and clean,
Mrs. Benedict went on, with horrible
checrtulneSs, "and I've been thinking
that I'll have your rooms newly papercd.
Mr.. Ammidon. I'm sure you'll like that y
every much-When it's done, madame y
And he cut his meal short and rushed
out of doors into the cool, fresh October
evening air.
"Ah, bah | can already experience
the agonics Of last spring, Good heaven
the woman must be made of east iron to
attempt such a siege again. 1t is no Won
der her husband died if he suffered two
attacks Of house cleaning Il year, and |
shall die or 60 crazy unless ! leave her
but suppose all women are equally idi-
Otc'
A groan of genuine misery broke from
his lips as he strobe along, his hat jammed
over his eyes-vcly unlike the handsome
gentleman he really was, with his frank,
cherry face and pleasant mouth, with the
white, even teeth, and the half curling,
thick dark hair, and the grave, intclli-
gent eyes, that nothing could rutte as
the idea of Mrs. Bcnedict's Scmi-annual
'tearlng up; courteous, refined, genial
gentleman, whom society found Il puzzle
because of bis persistent bachclorhood,
when it knew of at least Il half-d dozen
women who would have jumped at the
faintest chance of an offer of marriage
from hm--who himself wondered why
he had never fallen in love-and whom
pretty little Mrs. Baldwin, the blue-eyed,
blonde haired widow, with no incum-
brance, a house of her own, and an in
come of three thousand a year, often felt
quite piqued with that he was so very
unimpressionable
SO Mr. Ammidon strobe along, almost
mechanically turning corners, his pace
gradually growing slower, and then, all
at once, he heard the brilliant tones of a
piano Of some skilled hands played, and,
looking up, found himself in front of a
warmly lighted, cherry, hospitabc house
the very house where Mrs. Bessie Bald
win lived
Nv NoIlll ttob w tlo 81 SltlI llll0l WV III
between the pictures in his imagination
that he involuntarily paused -o one the
picture Of the way Mrs. Benedct's board
ing house would look next day the other
of how Mrs. Baldwins elegant little home
always appeared when he called there,
and as it appeared now through the lace
curtalns-q warm, hosptable, invit-
ing.
And like Il revelation from heaven it
came to hinl-an idea, a determination
that was 50 strong, so resiStless that be
walked forthwith up Mrs. Baldwm's front
steps and rang the dOor-bell, wondering
as he did why the music had ceased, and
where the player had gone.
'I'll marry ncr if she'll have me, and
then we'll see how many times Il wear the
house is cleaned; that is, if
Then the door opened and the maid
invited him into the paror, with the in
formation that Mrs. Baldwin had Just run
into ancighbor's by side gate, but would
be back directly if the sick child was bet
ter she had gone to see.
Mr.. Ammidon cnsconced himself in the
easiest chair in the room-a great, deer
wide cushioned affair that was drawn III
| by the little low table under the chandr.
licr.
BLESS her pretty blue eyes! Gone tC
see Il sick child like that like it
| What blessing that it occurred to me t.
offer myself to such a good hearted
cheerful, tender, fond little woman as sht
is; and what a miraculous fool | hav,
been not to have done it long ago. VIII,
| feel as if had been in love with her al
along; and | believe | have been ane
| never knew it.
His handsome head leaned comtorta
bly, against the cushions, and his well
shaped, well booted feet were crossed on
a low ottoman near the fire that burned
costly and brightly.
He waited ten twenty thirty min
utes, and when she did not come at tn,
expiration of three-quarters of an hou
Mr. Ammldon was conscious of a keel
disappointment that astonished himself
''At all events, my object shall be ac
conplshed, SO far us | can accomplish
it," he thought.
And he took his gold and ivory pel
and wrote an ardent, courteous, undeni
ably eager statement of his case. askin.
her to be his loved wife, and begged al
answer on the morrow, when she shoult
be visiting Mrs. Benedict.
81 accidentally learned you would TAX
tea with us tomorrow night" he wrote
"and | must know at once when NEE
you if am the blessed man hope to be
If you can look favorably on my suit le
Inc know by answering Yes to the frs
question put to you. If it is otherwis
| will not trouble you further
Then he signed himself suitably, pu
! the folded and addressed note conspicll
ously on the top of pile of newspape
and sheet music on the piano, and tool
his leave, in a strange whirl Of excite
ment and expectation.