Mexico weekly ledger., 1881-10-13
Locking The rr..k.

Locking The Trnak.
"My DEAR" said Mrs. Spoopen-
dyke, as she arose from her knees,
Tot and tired with packing, aud rub
bing the small Of her back as straight
ened up, 81 am all through now, and
l wish you would lock this trunk
Certainly" replied Mr.. Spsopen-
dyke, dropping his paper and SIAM
ming down the lid. "All you've got
to do is just fit the hasp in the lock
ank turn the key. Sol"
But the key didn't quite turn and
NJ. Spoopendyke hit the hssp with
the side Of his flst and tried 1t again.
i sssD0n't it work r'ls asked Mrs.
Spoopendyke, watching the proceed
ing with considerable interest.
"It'll work If yon'll let it Alone"
said Mr.. Spoopendyke, severely, and
he raised the lid, dropped it again,
pounded the fhasp aad wrenched at
the key with all his strength. ''Staud
back and give me room, can't your"
and he growled - he pressed down
on the cover and gave the key quick
twists, in aisain effort to catch the
lock unawaree.
"Why don't you rest your weight
on it and let me lock it?' asked Mrs.
Spoopendyke, fiuttering around her
husband and wondering il he was
aware that his plug hat was immedi-
atelY undsr the lid. g.,... e .
"Have you got the time to keep
away from this thing and let me work
it3" demanded Mr.. Spoopendyke,
contemplating bis wife witha Spartan
expressiou Of sissage. '"Spose can
do anthing With you sitting on, my
slbow1 II you'll 60 down cellar for q
minute I'll lock this trunk" and Mr..
Spoopendyke banged away at the
hasp and bresthed hard. But his
best efforts could only turn the key
half way.
s'Ohl amt glad you couldn't
lock itl"3 exclaimed Mrs. Spocpen-
dyke, anxious to stay her husbands
growing wrath. I forgot to put in
your walking cane."
"Dod gast the easel" sputtered
Mr.. Spoopendyke. "Spose it's going
to lock any easier with q dod gasted
walking cane sticking out az one end7
Who says I can't lock it? What's
the reason I can't lock it?" and he
fetched the hasp tremendous kick.
Anything else you've forgotten toput
in p and he sprang on the lid and
tugged at the key with bis head
thrown back and teeth set. "Got a
couple Of mirrors you want in here?
Any china around the house that
wants . ride In this trunk? Want to
put 10 that dod gasted ass on the top
| floor who tries to play the fiddler"
and he Topped of on the floor and
banged ct the hasp again.
"Let me sit on it," suggested Mrs.
Spoopendyke, climbing up without
waiting for response. SHOW try it."
Mr.. Spoopendyke fumbled around
and said: ''Now, dear" and then
looked over to see how he was get
ting on, but still the lock was obdu-
rate.
"Dod gast shs measly trunk!"
hewled Hr. Spoependyks, firing the
key the window and giving the trunk
q fzresell kick. "If you want it
locked yeu get G blacksmith and q
steam Derrick" and Mr.. Spoopen-
dyke threw himself into chair aud
pretended to bury himself in his paper.
II don't know how we ever going
to get 1t open," said Mrs. Spoopen-
dyke after long silence.
SCOT what open2' growled her
husband.
"The trunk. Now I remember,
it's got q spring lock and when you
took the key out it locked itself. I
don't suppose We can ever find tho
key."
That's It'll" yelled Mr.. Spoopen-
dyke. "You know all abont it now! !!
| Why didn't you tell me it was q
spring lock! What dye keep 1t to
| yourself for?' .'-sas
| 81 forgot" whimpered Mrs. Spoop-
endyke. ''But it viii be oil right. l
can open It."
"Oh, you can open 1T" snorted
Mr.. Spoopendykc. You're anopen-
ers you'll All you want is to be shar-
pened on both sides 70 be an oyster
knifel With a dark lantern and a
skull cap you'd make a full set OF
burglars tools! Oh, yes, you'll
open it! If you had loose handle
and one corner kicked off, you'd get
rich as screw driver!' and Mr..
Spoopendyke tore out of the house
to see if be could borrow something
to prv open the unfortunate trunk.
''That gives me time to pack the
valise," uimured Mrs Spoopen.
dyke. land as I've got another ke,
, to the trunk, we'll do pretty we'll af.
, ter ALL" and the worthy lady begar
to jam nightshirts and hair oil into
,, the bngs. together with sandwiches
and tooth brushes, wondering betime.
whether Mr. Spoppendyke's silk har
!. hsd been SO badly, smashed that il
; wouldn't do TO go fishing in on rainy
! days, even II didn't look we'll enough
, for church, IT Brooklyn Eagle.
The Chicago Times speaks OF tn,
5 ex- Confederate meeting at Moberly
as follows:
el "There has been large and nota
. BILE gathering of ex-Conitderate sol
shers at Moberly, Mo. They ha.
their preferences. attachments, nnt
remembranees, Of course, but tn,
. general tone OF the speeches wa
such as no union man who Is wiiIiu,
: to allow for the differences of edoca
, ton and association would object. to
On the subject Of pensions it was re
! solved: That no ex-Confedcrat
: soldier desires for himself or oibe
! confederate a pension Of the genera
government or that of ssy State I