The Ketchum keystone. (Ketchum, Idaho) 1881-1884, 1882-12-29
The House CLEANING.

Mr.. Walter AmuttIon laid his knife
and fork down with gesture Of sbsoiute
despair.
Not going 10 clean house again.
MR. Bcneslicsi Why, IL seems a 4 va
hal only just recovered from the dread
fni tearing MP prssosss 81 ls4t sprins r.
Hrs. Benedict slowly dropped four
lnnp. II aflgAr into his coliss. then
hsnaissl Il - him, nisoriy regardless 81
the lns4esy ia bis fsaa
80 dreadful tearing Mp l'---thni'a psr.
feet nonsense. Mr.. Amnidon. ASH You
wssvs vsfy lnnsh incouvesieuced laAt
MAJ ss,sI The carpets we're up and the
curtains do~n and the painting goiaR
aAs. Oh eonsss ! aisali clean; it's nv
hal,lt. sad has been for tweuty.od1
years,
Mr.. finInidon gave u little groxn at
tbs sah fate that awaited him---that
awaited all baeheloIp in boarding houses
---sn ihe shape of several consecutive
4 - Il l,ATs ae.=rs an1 tas etlur ii xuap !;
~ cold diunsrs eatan wherever IL was
upnvsnistt to aat tbs dining table, III
Mrs. R~neffct In chronic state III bits.
tie and oseskae=s. antl Tire servants I'M
pudent, tired. aid =ulsy. OF ~idesepen
aaprs and windows wharo the drsughss
tore through.
Ne eas gentleman, however. AR.
Anaasl m saa. asd ~ r.pn.ased his Ill.
temper Aasl disgust All mental mAiedle.
tssas that hasiss cleaning WAS purely
maiiciuus instiaatsoa al his Satanic
fnAjsssv far the torment 81 mankind.
"Ws'li lse ., MIA and sweet and
slean." Mrx Hsasdist vent on, with
hnrrfbls clieortuiauss. and Two been
tAiasinx thai ~ have ypnr ruems ns~ly
p~p rel. AIR. Anmidon. Ina surs you'il
Ike That"
"vsry much Il ia dons. ma-
dam"
And be cut bis meal abort and rushssl
oat q docrs into tho eoel. fresh Octobsx
air
"Ah, bah ! can already sxp~riencs
tho axnnien of lnst Aprinx 0ooL
Asssen! the woman must b.s run.ls II
cast iron to attempt such Siege again.
II y no wunaeF her husband died Il he
suEI red two attacks 81 house-cleaninx
year. and shall ,iis or sros crazy m.
l~~s leave hef---but suppose ali won.
"a are equally idiet,e."
A gso~n II genuine misefy broke from
bis lifa ~ ho sruls along. hss hal
l.mIneA over his eyes--@vsry unlike the
hAn<isssae gentleman be really was, will
bis frank. chsafy iaes and PIeAAAni
moath, with thu wi1ite, es~a teeth, and
The hali-aurling. thick DARK hair, and
sss 9r.va, intelligent ey~., thai n.shsas
zoasd ruEAr ~ the idea Of Mrs. bsne
dirt's ssnI-aanasl tearing up "-.y
soast~ous. reiiasA, genial gentleman
sli<ssu scoiesy found puxzie because q.
his persistent h~cheierhecsl whom I
sne~ Il 1t iaA4s hslf-dofcn wernen VIII
would hAvs jumped u tls fNtntes
thames u an offeT Of marriage from hin
who him~eli voadrrsd Why he ncve
had fallen IN iose-~And whom, pretsr Inf
a~ Mira Baldwin. the hlus-eyea, hloade
haired widow. With NO ineumbranes.
house 81 her own. and ali income q
9.UD year. often felt auits piqus.
With that be Wa - very nnimpressibls
So Mr.. Ammllon stroae along. Al
nsa~s mechanically turning corners. hi
p<sas gradually crossing slower. and the
Al ii ones be heard The brilliant tone
4 pssan ~ sesas sAlllra hands playe<l
sni. locking ap. foani himself in fron
Il = Warmly lighted. eheefs, hosritsbl
hease-ths Very house where Mrs. he,
els baldwin lived.
The contrast was 80 ,txskinKiy vivi
t4ss.ssn the pictures IL his imaginable
Lat he iayeluBtassiY paused--ana. Il
pscsnro of ths wsy Mfs. Benedict
boarding house wouls look mex. da'
he esh~s 81 ho~ Mrs. Baldwin's eiegai
sstslr honas slseys appeared when !
a=ilesi there and ss K eppeaFed 10
1'soush the lsse curtains quiet, warn
Eospnsbls. inviting
And like 5 revelation ffsen hravsa
Aasas IN bss---azs idea. ,lsfsrnainati,
zlal ana so stroeg. 20 fesistsess that
saiAed foFihvitl ap Mrs Baldwin
tfsti, steps a,sa rang ~ ,loer bell, We
lsEing - he did AAs Tie nsssie b,
eea&ea and where 81 player hal gor
"i'B marry her i eheH have nae, u
firaE vel IS kov MANY times "
tbs issns4 & elsaEel khes "a, y
Tina sl.e door opened misl thu nj,
<arit.,i hifa ii.to ihe pariof, With thc
srenassson shas Mrs. Ealasln had II
.rn into aeightpf's ~ side 81