Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-12-01
MIR. AND MRS. SPOOPENDYKE f.
The Belligercnt Head of the Family At
tempts to Hang A Picture.

The Beiligerent Head of the Family At
tempts to Hang A Picture.
"Now, my dear" said Mr. Spoopen-
dyke, prancing into the sitting-room
with every evidence of delight and con-
tentment pictured OH his face. "Now,
my dear, what do you think I've brought
you?"
"'m sure | have no idea" huttered
Mrs. Spoopendyke. "Please tell me
what it is, for | know il is something
nice?"
Look" grinned Mr.. Spoopendyke,
unwrapping the package and develop
ing II cabinet photograph of himself
nicely framed in gilt. GLOW do you
like it?" and Mr.. Spoopendyke held it
out at arms length and admired it
hugely.
"lsn't it perfectly splendid" gulped
Mrs. Spoopendvke. at is the best
likeness of you have ever seen. Did
you get it for me?"
"Of course" replied Mr.. Spoopen-
dyke, still buried in admiration Of his
counterfeit "You don't imagine | got
it for the rats, do you? Haven't any
kind of II notion | brought it home to
kill bugs with, have you? Now where
shall we hang it?"
8" don't know" murmured Mrs.
Spoopendyke, with her finger to her
lips. "Why wouldn't that space be-
tween the two windows be a good
placeY'
"Why wouldn't the top shelf of the
pantry be better" growled Mr.. Spoopen-
dyke. "If you are looking for Il place
put it under the carpet, or stick it be-
tween the mattresses This picture
demands some refugence to show it off, +,
and Pm going to put il where the most
refulgence is calculated to strike it..
Now, where can we put t?"
"Isn't that good place, right over
the bed ?" suggested Mrs. Spoopendyke,
who began to see that her husband was
aiming for the chimney, where the
painting of her father has hung for
years. "If you hang it over the bed,
can see it whenever | come into the
room"
"Just so" snarled Spoopendyke, run
ming j. cord through the eyes in the
back of the frame. 81 don't know
though" he continued, az Il brilliant
idea occurred to him. "You like that
place between the two windows best,
don't you? ] don't know but what that
is a good place for a picture"
"Best place in the room," giggled
Mrs. Spoopendyke, satisfied that she
had carried her point and saved the
location sacred to her father.
"Then I'll tell you what we'll do, 4"
said Mr.. Spoopendyke, with CLEAN of
speculation in his eyes. "We'll hang
your fathers picture up there and | will
be content to take the subordinate place
over the chimney-piece."
Mrs. Spoopendyke saw she had been
caught in her own trap, and made no
| further resistance.
"Where's the step LADDER" asked
| Spoopendyke, cheerfully. "Bring me
the portable Tower of Babel, and | will
artistic efforts"
Mrs. Spoopendyke lugged the step
ladder upstairs, and Mr., Spoopendyke
having arranged his string, mounted to
take down the old gentleman's picture
with view to the proposed removal.
"Look out you don't fall, dear"
suggested Mrs. Spoopendyke, forgetting
her defeat in her solcitude for her hus-
band.
"That's all right" smiled Mr.. Spoop-
endyke from his perch. "You just quit
roosting on that bottom round like a
hen, and | will get on without any
further trouble" Mrs. Spoopendyke
| jumped off the ladder, but her dress
caught on the step, and down came Mr..
| Spoopendyke like bundle of soiled
clothes, rolling on the carpet and trying
to get clear OF the ladder that had rolled
after him and mixed itself up with him
80 that it was difficult to tell which was
which.
"What did you let go for?" yelled
Mr.. Spoopendyke, trying to get his
elbow out of his mouth, and still strug-
Cling with the ladder. 'TDidn't | tell
We to hold on? Think don't know how
to get off ladder when ! get ready ?
S'posc want ladder turned bottom
upwards when | want to get down
Take it off, he roared, astisfying HIM
self that he was powerless. "If you
want to see ladder climb up Spoopen-
dyke, stand up against the wall and
give me a show. bod gast that LADDER"
and with vicious wrench Mr.. Spoopen-
dyke contrived to free himself from the
ladder and assume perpendicular.
'Let the picture go, dear" cooed
Mrs. Spoopendyke. "You can fix it
some other time"
"No time like the present." hissed
Mr.. Spoopendyke, jamming the ladder
against the wall and mounting once
more. "Never put off father-in-law
until tomorrow that you can get away
with to-day! Now you hold that thing
tight, or you will be apt to be widow
between this and the time it takes to
sweep me up!' and Mr.. Spoopendyke
seeing that his wife had death grip
on the ladder, took the picture from the
wall and began to descend cautiously.
"Shall / take the picture, dear"'