Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-04-03
Miscellaneous.
Elliott Dined At ;he Island.

fa.u N,rn.a Ea9ruv- n SUNDAY Republican.
Il wa> bogse-c,eauing time and the ele-
gan; msasinn occupied by Jerome Elliott,
senior par,nrr Of the firm If Elliott x Town
send. was being scrubbed aud polished from
cellar TO attic. Mrs. Elliott. al energetic
Yankee woman. believed IN auendln. to
such matters personally. and wa> at the
time my sior, commences givlns directions
10 a number Of busy servants. and even oc-
casionaly using her owu fair hands 10 and
in the general uprootin: Of furniture aid
carpets Ii .he had been tre wife OF some
gentleman who W., onl, moderately well off
She would have been charged with econo-
mizing. bat as the wife OF Elliott the bank
er such little ecc+nircIlie. passed unnoticed
Had any Of her society friend, called they
would not have recognized the fashionable
Mrs. Elicit IA the tall woman dressed in a
loose wrapper wiki towel tied over her
head and feather duster IN her hand. To-
day the house vas dedicated 10 the gods Of
soap and water. The mirrors were muffied
TIE sofas and chairs had donned their dust
ers, and the statues were enyeoped IN wind
ing sheets although far, far from their last
resting places. Mr.. Elliott was upstairs in
his dressing room. raging because he had
los, his c3l.arbgiion down the register. and
couldn't find another. The door was Sc
curely locked Oh tie inside and he turned Il
deaf ear To all feminine inquiries through
the key hole a 10 vi hen he would be through
with the room, anl hint> that the, wanted
10 scour ,Hdi too. Mr.. Elliott wa. general
N VERY quiet and maeA man, but house
cleaning he Cg,Csttd, and whenever the
time came for hin TO pass through that
wateTy ordeal lie developed an smount Of
stubbornne>s ann irA.cih.iity that made hun
4 terror TO his ci1a.utlGcos.
Al last Mr.. Elliot, completed dressing and
after locking the door gt h.s dressing -room
and putting The key 10 his pocket vainIy
hoping BY thcsc meaas To defeat the
schemes ~ tie enemy, lie descended TO a
cold and uncomfortable breakfast presided
over by Mr.. Eliot in line before mentioned
costume minus dusterI
jerome" she observed suayely, Il think
you had better dine downtown TO-DAY, for
We may not he through latl. g..
Mr.. Elliott grGned an assent, and mental
ly pictured sail to the island with Smy,he.
good dinner when they arrived there, and
a confidential chat about what good times
they used TO have wheo they were bachelors
"And Jerome" Mrs. Elliott continued,
'you might go 10 the island and have din
ner. | wish YOU would take Blanche with
you. The poor child looks quite pale, and
the sail will be just what she needs
Mr.. Ellioit's plans for good time with
Smythe were instantly dashed TO the ground,
but after reminding his wife that he was not
a nurse maid. and that lady replying that he
was a monster and ought TO be ashamed Of
himself, he said that he would take Blanche
along, and was just starting out Of the front
door in rather bad humor when the melo-
dious voice Of Mrs. Elliott called after him.
"Jerome, will YOU take that silver ice.
pitcher down 20 Jones's TO be repaired We
want to use il tomorrow and | cannot spare
either the butler or the foctman / am so
busy. Besides they will have it done so
much more quickly If YOU leave the order
just wait minute. and Simpson will wrap
the pitcher up for YOU"
But before Simpson. the maid. had come
to do SO, Mr.. Elliott, who was in the worst
| Of tempers, seized the handsome pitcher,
and ran hastily down the front steps with il
under his arm, growing at his wife and the
ice-pitcher, and thinking very bad things in
deed about the woman who invented house
cleaning. IL Mrs. Elliott had her eccentric
tiles, Mr.. Elliott had his also and his most
noticeable one was dressing in manner that
was almost shabby. Many clerk in his
employment dressed better than be did.
He wore business suit that had grown
quite seedy, ard a soft felt hat that was
really disreputable in appearance.
Was it surprising then that Policeman
O'Brien should eye him very suspiciously
and start a, brisk walk up the street after
him? What would you have done il you
had been in his place. and had seen shabbi-
ly dressed man with a handsome silver
pitcher under his arm walking rapidly down
the street.