The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-07-16

"But where are the wax flowers, John 2"
said Dollie, noting the absence of little
table which always stood between the
windows.
Smashed" he answered, hurriedly
"but | will get you some more. Pm
awfully sorry, and don't see how it hap.
pened. [ went to turn round, and over
went the stand, glass shade, flowers and
all, shivered to atoms. noticed that the
table seemed shaky, too, after the accident,
so just tossed the whole affair out into
the wood.shed."
"Oh,tI am 80 sorry, John But how did
you get the cleaning done?"
"Oh, sent for three or four women
who attend to that sort of thing but
none Of them came. Then paid Mrs.
Lanigan two dollars day, but she could
not stay to finish the work, and failed
to find any one else, 80 | did it myself"
"You ?" and here Mrs. Dale could no
longer contain her emotions, and laughed
heartily. "You clean," she exclaimed,
"and how did you do it ?"
"Oh, just the way everybody else does !"
he answered. 81 put on the hose and
cleaned it out in less than no time. The
only trouble was that tried to clean the
walls at the same time but L couldn't,
somehow. But knew Dobbs, the painter,
would fix it all right, so l sent for him,
and he put new coat of paint on the
two rooms for only ten dollars. So you
see, after all, it was a great improvement"
Certainly" said Mrs. Dale, family,
wondering where the new bonnet would
come from. "But, john" she continued,
"where is the gilt frame which hung over
the mantel ?"
"That Oh, that is down at Trscey's
being regilded."
"What for p asked his wife. at was
in very good condition when left, and
the best frame in the house-gold gilt"
eyes, when you left" repeated her hus
band. But you see, Queenie, | thought
it ought to be cleaned like everything
else, so while waiting for the plumber
thought would wash it off that, being
q handsome frame, it would be better to
attend to it myself, so got some sapolio
and"
"John Dale, how could you do such
thing ?" and here the little lady almost
sobbed her dismay as she pictured the
ruined frame.
"Oh, you need not feel badly about it,"
he answered, soothingly /" it is all right
now, and will look better than ever"
And, man.like, not wishing to dwell upon
an unpleasant subject, he quickly called
his wife's attention to little stand of
plants which he had purchased for their
garden. "Only six dollars for the whole
thing" he exclaimed, triumphantly. At
which Dollie, with an effort to smile at
his intended kindness, groaned inwsrdly
as she viewed the two scraggy rose-bushes
for which one dollar would have been an
exorbitant price.
Further investigation revealed to Mrs.
Dale numerous other commissions and
omissions, such as broken crockery and
glassware, torn lace curtain, and last,
but not least, she discovered in one of the
laundry tubs her wool blankets, where
they had reposed for two days in cold
water.
"Quite ruined she exclaimed in a
tone of utter despair, as John explained
that he knew she always had the blankets
cleaned with the other things, and as the
washerwoman did not come, he washed
them. 81 just threw them into the tub
of water, you know, and shook them up
and down, and l meant to hang them out
on the line to dry" he continued, "but I
forgot all about it."
BY this time the promised new bonnet
had vanished into the dim and uncertain
future; but Dollie, seeing her husbands
careworn face, checked her own disap.
pointment, seeking to repair the mischief
done, and not finding it in her heart to
add reproaches to the misery already en-
dured by " the best husband in the world"
especially after she heard him exclaim on
the night of her return: "Oh, am so
tired and l don't wonder that Dollie
breads the housekeeping, for it is worse
than the Office and stock exchange com.
bined. "-Callie L. Bonney, in Christian al
Work.