Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-08-13
The Oiled Feather.

pet" said Samuel Parsons to his wife, as
he finished screwing Oh new lock to
his front door. Sam. of course, needn't
have said "there's pet" unless he
liked ; but be used to think that it was
great shame that women We're called
all sorts OF pretty names before they were
married, but none afterwards. II say"
says Sam, many of the poor creatures
are cheated with them three pretty
names poor folks they think they'll
always get them; but they become
mighty scarce, after the finger is in the
ring
We don't mean to tell all the names
Sam called his wife before they were
married but now he called her "pet;n -
and as soon as she heard the loving word,
she threw down her duster on the chair,
and sped off to the kitchen for the flask.
The flask had feather in it, as such
TASKS generally have; and Sam, taking
the said feather between his fore-Hnger
and thumb oiled the key of the street
door right WELL and then locked it and
unlocked it dozen times. At first it
went Stiff and required some strength
OF wrist to turn it; but, as it was worked
to and fro, and the oil began to make its
way into the wards, it work ed more and
more easily, at last, Tommy, SANS lit
tie son, who was standing by, was able
to tI;rn it almost with a touch and then
Sam pronounced that it would DO.
The operation finished, sam thought
he'd just give his knife touch of the end
of the feather; less than drop out of
the flask would do; just mere touch
that was all it wanted and presently, to
young Tommy's great delight, his father
made the blade go " ar9 down, click,
click. Tommy evidently approved of
the result, for he began to click, click
with his tongue and the roof of his
mouth, in imitation and how long he
might have delayed his father, we can't
tell, # It Wete n9t mat Mrs. Parsons
caught him up in her arIus and made off
with him, sac calling Tommy Ii 'saucy
rogue" and kissing him on the way,
| and he on his part click, clicking, as
though his mouth were cutters shop,
and you were opening and shutting ev-
cry knife in it.
! Some folks might think that Sam Par
| sons mad done enough in the oiling way
for one day; but there was one thing
more to do, and then he would Le quite
ready to take his potatoes to market
One or two of the wheels OF his wagon
had been trifle creaky, and so he took
the grease pot, and gave them touch of
its contents. You could have rolled all
he put upon them into the size ofG coup
e Of marbles, but it was quite enough :;
the wheels gave over their creaking. If
the old proyerb be true, "Silence gives
CONSENT" no doubt they approved of
what Sam had done.
"Now, then, I'm off to Market said
Sam, "CiOod bye, Jenny, pet" Oh tnat
little word pet" didn't the GINNING
fellow oil his wiie's temper, and evon al
most her very joints, for her days work,
when he called her that little name ?
"Good bye, Tommy, my darling" Oh,
you cunning man, there you are with
your oiled feather again for when Tom
my was naughty, and his mother rs-
minded him thai sne must tell his father
when he came home, and "father would
be sore grieved IL his darling was
naughty" wasn't Tommy good? for,
child though he was, he was able to rea-
son thus much in his mind: Tommy .
fathers darling, and Ae Won't veA him !;
dariings ought not to vex those who love
them. Never mind, good reader, if
there's flaw in the logic; nursery logic
is sometimes very funny reasoning, but
it answered the purpose naughty rom
my became good, and click clicked 81
| pOut eEO AOu0S DIS CllChct
instead of sprawling and bawling on the
ground and all because his father hap
pened to call him darling" before he
went out.
"I say, Polly" said Sam Parsons to
his one servant-mind, as he left the
house, "don't forget to clean up those
irons, if you can manage it, there's a
good lass; you'll find the oil-flask hang
ing behind the kitchen door" And so,
with a cheerful smile ON his counte-
nance, Sam Parsons took his departure
for market. All! cunning Sam; before
he went he oiled his wife and child, and
now he oiled his servant-naiG and
when ne turned his back upon his own
door, he left smiling faces and glad
hearts behind him, and I warrant, he
found them all smiling to receive him,
when he came home.
II have great faith III OIL" said Sam
Parsons; II oil almost everything; this
very morning 1 oiled the lock of my
street door. and my penknife, and greas-
ed my wagon wheels; and ] oiled my
wife and child and 1 gave the servant
maid touch too; and, tell you what
it is neighbor Joe: I slip along famous
ly, where find many another sticks
"Ru9ty 1oe's' torn nail seemed to give
him fresh twinge when the penknife
was spoken about; and so as to the wife,
his conscience reminded HIM how bear
ishly he behaved to her at breakfast.
What 90 you mean by oiling your
wife, man ~ said Rusty Joe," rather
tartly you haven't been sneaking have
you, and knocking under to 9 woman ~
aud "kusty Ioe' edged away from
:'foiished Sam's' side, as though he
were near some Shiny serpent.
No, indeed" answered Sam, "I've
not been knocking any way, neit her
rTsf npi Hnder; but just gave her and
the bantllng q loving word before /
started from home and I said ? Kind
Word , to ths iais, to ehssT Der UP through