The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-09-08
THE SPOOPENDYKES AND THE
SARATOGA TRUNK.

s oSois SiAel MIS-. SpoOptu0S NC siS
she arose from her knees, hot and tired
with packing, and rubbing the small Of
her back as she Strengthened up, I'm
all through now, and 1 wish you would
lock this trunk"
Certainly, replied Mr.. Spoopendyke
dropping his paper and slamming down
the lid. "An you've got to do is just fl
the hasp in the lock and turn the key
So"
But the key didn't quite turn, and Mr..
Spoopendyke hit the hasp with the side
of his fist and tried it again.
Don't it work?" asked Mrs. Spoopen
dyke, watching the proceeding with con.
siderable interest.
'It'll work if you'll let alone" said
Mr.. Spoopendyke severely, and he raised
the lid, dropped it again, pounded the
hasp and wrenched at the key with all
strength. "Stand back and give me q
little room, can't you," he growled as he
pressed down on the cover and gave the
key quick twists in a vain effort to catch
the lock anawares.
"Why don't you rest your weight on
it and let me lock it?" asked Mrs. Spoop-
dyke, fiuttering around her husband and
wondering if he was thoroughly aware
that his plug hat was Immediately under
the lid.
"Have you got the time to keep away
from this thing and let me manage itl''
demanded Mr.. Spoopendyke, contempla-
ting his wife with Spartan expression
of visage. ''S'pose L can do anything
with you sitting on my elbow? If you'll
go down cellar a minute III lock this
trunk, and Mr.. Spoopendyke banged
away at the hasp and breathed hard
But his best efforts could only turn the
key half way.
"Oh! amt [ glad you couldn't lock it,
exclaimed Mrs. Spoopendyke, anxious
to stay her husbands growing wrath, 81
forgot to put in your walking cane"
"Dod gast the cane" sputtered Mr..
Spoopendyde. ''S'pose it's going to lock
any easier with dod gasted walking
cane sticking out at one end? Who says
[ can't lock it, What's the reason I can't
lock it! And he stood off and fetched
the hasp tremendous kick.
Anything else you've forgotten to put
inf'' And he sprang on the lid and tug
ged at the key with his head thrown
back and his teeth set. "Got couple
Of mirrors you want in here? Any china
around the house that wants a ride in
this trunk? Want to put in that dod
oastAd of tho tor aoo~ .-zi,e t,,;es -
play the fiddle?' And he hoped off on
to the floor and banged at the hasp again.
"Let me sit on it, suggested Mrs.
Spoopendyke, climbing up without wait
ing for response. "Now try it..
Mr.. Spoopendyke fumbled around and
worked at the key, but fruitlessly.
Cant ye sit any harder than that?" he
yelled, as the key stuck and wouldn't go
either way. "'Fraid of breaking the
measly thing? Press down, can't ye?"
"Mrs. Spoopendyke squirmed around
and said; "Now DEAR" and then looked
over to see how he WAS getting on, but
still the lock was obdurate.
"Dod gast the measly trunk !" howled
Mr.. Spoopendyke, firing the key out of
the window and giving the trunk fare
we'll kick. "If you want it locked, get a
blacksmith and steam DERRICK" and
Mr.. Spoopendyke threw himself into
chair and pretended to bury himself in
his newspaper.
81 don't know how we're ever going to
get it open," said Mrs. Spoopendyke af-
ter long silence.
"Get what open?" asked her husband.
s'The trunk. Now l remember it's got
a spring lock, and when you took the key
out it locked itself. don't suppose we
can ever find the key"
"That's it," yelled Mr.. Spoopendyke.
"You know all about it now! Why didn't
you tell me it was a spring LOCKE What'd
ye keep it to yourself for2
81 forgot, " whimpered Mrs. Spoopen-
dyke; ''but it will be all right. I can
open it,
'Oh, you can open it ~ snorted Mr..
Spoopendyke. ''You're an opener! All
you want is to be sharpened on both
sides to be an oyster knife With a
dark lantern and skull cap you'd make
full set of burglars tools. Oh, yes,
you'll open it If you had loose han
die and one corner kicked off you'd get
rich as a screw driveri" and Mr.. Spoop-
endyke tore out of the house to see if he
could borrow something to pry open the
unfortunate trunk.
''That gives me time to pack the va
ise," murmured Mrs. spoopendyke,
'and as I've got another key to the trunk
we'll do pretty well after all, and the
worthy lady began to jam night shirts
and hair oil into the bags, together with
sandwiches and tooth brushes, wonder
ing betimes whether Mr.. Spoopendykes
silk hat had been SO badly smashed that
it wouldn't do to go fishing in on rainy
days, even if it didn't look we'll enough
for church. Brooklyn Eagle,
is IT POSSIBLE
That remedy made of such common,
simple plants as Hons. Ruehu Mandrake