Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-03
LOVE AND HOUSECLEANING.
A Pleasant Little Domestic story,

81 wonder who hrSt invented mousse
cleaning" groaned Mr.. Merton. "Who-
ever he was, 1 hope he died in lunatic
asylum Slippers in the bureau drawer,
in my best shirt inkstand under the bed;
dressing-gown nobody knows where I;
chairs all tied up in holland wrappings,
and nothing to sit on but the top of II hat
box And, worse than all, carpets ruth
lessly wrenched up, and floor all deluged
with damp soapsuds, enough to give n
man rheumatism and neuralgia for the
whole remaining term of his natural life !
job might have had a great many trials
to test his PATIENCE haven't doubt of
that-but there was one trial he didn't
have. ! never read in Scripture that
Jobs wife cleaned house That's II mod
ern aggravation. l mean to marry nice
girl, and make it Il stipulation beforehand
that we won't turn our house upside
down. on principle, twice year y
Nj. Merton soliloquized thus, as he
stood before the mirror, smoothing his
brown curly locks with his fingers, in
lieu Of the hair brush, which no amount
of search had proved available in i'm l.
ing.
Not so bad-lc oking, after all, in spite
of his seven-and- thirty years, he could
Dark brown hair, waved at the ends,
bright hazel eyes, II clear complexion, al
hei: somewhat touched with brown, and
square chin, cleft with deep dimple i'll
the centre an old bachelor, but MS yet
not irrcmediably so. While there is life
there is hope, and The aggravated tor
ments OF life in boarding house were
slowly but surely driving him toward his
destiny.
Old Mrs. Grimshaw. the landlady, was
at the head of the vesper banqueting TIA
BILE pouring out decoction of weak tea
into an array of Clipped stonechina cups
as Mr.. Merton entered. She greeted
him with happy smile.
"Of course, Mr.. Merton, you re quite
delighted to see how finely we have got
along cleaning your ROOM"
"No, ma'am, I'm not, our hero made
answer, grufily. II regard house clean.
ing us an invention Of the Evil One, and
l don't care who knows it"
The assembled gentlemen of the estab
lishment murmured unanimous assent
the assembled ladies rolled up their eyes
and wagged their teaspoons in pious hor
ror.
"Dear me-" signed the landlady, show
peculiar men are My dear, departed
Grimshaw never breathed word of OBJ
lection to spring cleaning in fact, ht
used to help me at whitewashing, and pa
pered the walls with his own hands !"
"And he died, didn't he, ma am ?" in
terrogated Merton.
eyes, he died." said Mrs. Grimshaw
"but it was of govt in the stomach, ant
at the age of so"
"Ah p said Mr.. Merton sepulchrally
"And there's no saying how much longe
he might have lived, if it hadn't been TO
spring cleaning"
"Nothing Of the kind 7" cried Mrs
Grimshaw Indignantly, and she began
detailed account of the symptoms ant
signs which had accompanied the las
days of the deceased Grimshaw to til
aides Immediately around her, unde
cover of which Mr. Merton swallowe,
his tea and effected his escape.
"a man must be made Of cast-iron t
endure this sort of thing much longer,
said he to himself, strolling out into tn
May air. II won't continue solitary
alone in the worlds great procession an,
longer. I'll become married man."
-Four blocks off in coy little old.fasll
Toned house, whose original self Of re
brick was nearly concealed by wings, ad
ditions and windows, all covered wit
trumpet-creeper, wisteria, and brown
stemmed honey-suckle, dwelt prett,
young widow, sweet-voiced, rosy, IN
passing fair to look upon.
"Ill propose to Mrs. Tyson" said GU
hero, 'and I'll do it at once"
Mrs. Tyson was not at home, but til
servant maid who opened the door wa
quite certain that if Mr.. Merton woul
only walk in and wait a few minutes, he
mistress would return.
So Mr.. Merton walked in the sum
room where the pussy-cat lay purring o
the rug before the fire, and n window
stand full Of daiiodils and primroses mad
the mir sweet, and the windows ope
portfolio, with sheets Of lavender pape
strewn about, betokened her most recen
occupation.
''An idea !" said Mr.. Merton. 81 ne,
er was quick at turning sentence, and
is decidedly awkward to go down upo
ones knees. I'll write the eventful quet
ton:
"MY DEAR Mas. Tyson viii you marry me
And VIII you accept my assurances OF sincere d,
vhiou. now ana for all am not an eloquent MAJ
but breve could make any woman happy VIII
loved NE, u, Il whom luyeu. OF the latter fact
am quite certain IN regard 10 you of the forme
II relnains for you To assure me,
81 stall meet you AT Mr.. Gripishaw's tO-norrO
evening. She has told me you are coming TO tel
,"n answer ne f,st question ! ask you Yes
shall noi res, my suit. Yours truly,
"P. s-Nouid Jou miid entering into an agre,
meht never Ia can uusc after we are married
have horror of hpusr' clraung"
MI Merton scaled mp his letter, in
wardly bewuiling himself over the hi
blot he had dropped hike IN inky tear, o
the words "iuur IiulN ~