The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-08-01
Sprinkling the Streets.

Mr.. Trevelyan, who lives on Court
street, has had trouble already with his
garden-hose. Since the introduction of
the Holly water system it has been the
delight Of Mr.. Trevelyan to turn himself
into pipeman at sunset, and with his
garden-hose sprinkle the thirsty street
with the clear, cool waters of the mighty
Mississippi. Miss Norah Donavan, a
young lady who is connected with the
culinary department of Mr.. Trevelyan's
house, and is also superintendent of
dormitories and general overseer of car
pets, had often watched, as her duties
would permit, this process of cooling
down the streets at eventide, and she
had been heard to wish that this duty
might be intrusted to her. She finally
framed her wish in a direct petition,
and last evening she entered upon the
active duties of her new Office.
When Miss Donavan took the nozzle
from the hands of her master, it was
pointed almost directly at the middle of
the street, and Miss Donavan conscien-
tiously retained it in this position, while
her whole frame was convulsed
with delight. Presently there came
dashing down the street, in light, open
pheton, two happy young people. In
vain the male young person shouted.
"Hi, there, Isay; turn her off" and in
vain the female young person shrieked
and essayed to hide behind parasol no
larger than water lily. Miss Donovan
only stared at them and wondered if
peradventure they might be crazy, and
when they passed through the torrent
they came out on the other side very
sad, very silent and very damp, not to
say limp. Then the gentleman who
lives next door came out and called to
her as he approached, intending to in
struct her how to shut off the deluging
stream or turn it aside when any one
approached. But Miss Donovan, hear
ing him calling her name, said, "Sorr 2''
and turned about and faced him with
the nozzle doing its level best, wide open
and fire pressure on. He turned
with the first shot and fed for his own
door, the cooling stream following him
every inch of the way, like an angel of
mercy in disguise. But by the time he
reached his own door, he was so thor
oughly drenched that his suspenders
mi1dewed. Then a North Hill street
car came rattling down, an open, sum.
mer car, just crowded with people com
ing in from picnic at Sunnyside, and
when they heard the driver shout
and then dodge, and then swear, they
saw their fate and Miss Donovan, and
Just howled and walled and screamed
and tried to get behind each other, and
crept under the seats, and some of them
even jumped off the car, and all of them
by their frantic gestures, wild shrieks
and singular behavior, impressed Miss
Donovan with the idea that they wert
dreadfully drunk. The street-car passed
on, and when it was beyond the line o.
, Mr.. Trevelyan's garden stream, the dry
, est man in that car could have put ou
confagration by simply leaning bacl
against the house that was burning, ant
) before the car reached the next corne
there were four well-defned suits fo
damages fixed up against Mr.. Trevelyan
, By this time Miss Donovan was prett,
, thoroughly convinced that the manip
/ ulation of garden-hose required tina
1 Judgment and liberal education ant
e shrewd insight into men and motive
t that belong only to the aristocrati
E classes, and she determined to resigl
e her position forthwith. She went int
E the hall, carrying the nozzle with hel
Y and spreading desolation and disma
r wherever she went. Whistp' sh
v shouted, as the torrent drenched tn
}, hat-rack. "Murther!"s she howled, whe
e it knocked the globe off the hall-lamr
e /" Misther Trevel yanW she shrieked
! "where on the wide world is tn
t sthopper?" And then she bent over tn
: irrepressible nozzle and essayed to sto,
it with her finger. The howl of disma
that followed this attempt brought tn
Q startled family up into the nall and i
a less than three minutes every seat in th
It house was taken, standing-room all gon'
and the play declared success.