Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-08-02
KISS BEHIND THE DOOR.

KISS BEHIND THE DOOR.
There was trouble in young far
mer PeriwinkIe's Kitchen, at least
there Was every evidence OF trouble,
for it was dine o'clock by the large,
Old-fashiOned clock that stood in
one corner, the breakfast dishes still
stood unwashed on the well kept
table. and the white foam of the
unstrained milk was visible over
the top of the shining bucket, and
Jenny Periwinkle, young farmer
PeriWinkle's pretty wife and mis-
tress of this pleasant home, was
seated in low chair, sobbingf as
though her heart would break :.
What was the trouble? you ask.
Well, it was this: t.-...,
A new carpet had arrived at the
Periwinkle homestead few days
before-a carpet bought with Jen-l
ny's own earnings. For though the
owner ola good farm, in an evil hour
Joe Periwinkle had been induced
TO add more TO his already broad
acres, and so when pretty ambitious
little Jenny had come to be mistress.
of his home and heart, she found
that debt, like a black cloud, hung
over tile otherwise lovely home.
The home, though very cOmforta-'
bic, lacked great many things in-
dispensible 10 one like Jenny, and
among them was sitting.rOOm
carpet. Jenny had determined that
her own earnings should buy the
needed article; so every egg was
saved, young chickens carefully
guarded from hawks and other en-
cmies, the gilt edged butter that
was Jenny's pride was sent to mar
ket just at the right, time. The re-
suit of all this was, new carpet,
which suited even faStidiouS Jenny,
had arrived a few days before and
was now ready to be stretched over
floor of the bare sitting room. A
letter had also arrived few days
before from Jenny's city cousins,
saying that they would be at her
house on the Goth of June, and it
was now the 18th. There was a
great many things to be done before
their arrival, for our little house
keeper was anxious that everything
should be in perfect order when the
fashionable cousins should come to
make her visit.
Jenny had thought great deal
about her new carpet, and a great
many pretty articles which only
tasteful woman's fingers know how
to fashion was locked up in draw
ers and hid in various places, only
waiting for the new carpet to be put
down, to be brought out to adorn
the pleasant sitting room. AS
said before, there were a great
many things to be done, as every
housekeeper knows, when company
is expected. Beside the arrange
ment of the sitting room, there
were many duties to perform, many
dainty dishes to be prepared, and
raspberries We're ripe, and canning
to be done. Also, her bed of phlOx
and pansies were needing wedding
sadly; and to cap the climax, the
girl who had helped her had sud-
denly been called to the bedside OF
a sick mother the day before, and
at this time OF the year help was
very scarce. So that morning at
the breakfast table Jenny had said
In her sweetest manner: ~ t,r
81 "Joe, cannot you take John John
was the hired many, and put down
the carpet for me? ! have so much
to do that it makes me tired to
think OF it." 4.
Joe laid down his fork and look
ed up in astonishInent. Never in
all his life had he heard his mother
ask such q thing of his father. Joe
was fond OF his wife, and very proud
of her too. The artistic arrange
ment Of his home did not pass un-
noticed by him, and that his wife
tried every way to make him a
pleasant home. he was thankful for,
but still like many another good
man, he thought the house a secon-
Diary consideration, forgetting that
to her who managed it, ii was OF
the utmost importance. So arising
hastily, he said:
"Jenny, you certainly do not
know the amount of work / have
on hand"
"Why, Joe," Jenny replied, 81
thought all the neighbors were
praising your crops, and saying
yours were the best in the neigh
bOrhOod." -l-.'.
"WeII," replied Joe, "tIre way TO
keep them that way Is towork them
we'll"
"But Joe," persisted Jenny, ait
would not take you more than an
hour, and the cousins will sOOu be
here and To tell the truth, do not
feel physically strong enough to
stretch the carpet as it should be-"
"As far as the cousins are con-
cerned," said Joe, 81 think they
can do without the carpet; and rs
for your putting it down. why, of
it. Just wait until rainy day and
! will have it put down all right"
So saying, he walked out, where
he was joined by John, and soon
forgot all about the carpet.
Poor Jennyi She had thought
about il MI the time she had been
milking the sofs-eyed Jersey COW,
which in the absence Of her servant,
she had to milk. And now she had
broken down completely. and was
having n good cry. A rainy day,
indeed! How little men under
stood such things. Some very
naughty thoughts about men In
general, and one man in particular,
flashed through her mind, when
she was aroused by Johns small,
black son, who wanted q bucket to
carry some wafer to the field. The
bneket was given to him and Jenny
went on back to her work, Ashan-
ed that she had allowed herself to
be so overcome.
On refurninp Gf0 the field fha