St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-01-31
Hydraulic BIifkinS.

quest of health, during a long and
dusty ride was indulging in pleasant
fancies of home, and being very thirsty,
he thought of an old ancestral we'll.
whose cool and crystal waters awaited
his coming. He had been greatly tan
| talized by the Aquarius of the cars,
who thought more of selling cheap
! literature than of attending to the
needs of the passengers, and his throat
was dry as parchment. How the
! thought of cooling springs and trick
! ling water will obtrude itself upon
those Thus situated, and Mr.. Blifkins
ran over the whole list of places he
had read of where water abounded,
coming back to his own well and the
| inviting pump.
"Will We never arrive ?" he asked
! himself, as his thirst kept increasing.
! Mrs. Blifkins had not gone with
him, for being massive woman OF
more than IA hundred pounds weight,
she didn't need any additional health,
so she remained AT home to take care
of what health she had, and succeeded
very we'll.
! When the cars. bearing Mr.. Blifkins,
arrived, as at last they did, he made Il
rush for the water tank at the station.
! but found it empty and dry as he was.
! Before he could seek further, an open
horse car, that would take him to his
own door in the suburbs, came along,
and for moment forgetting his thirst,
! he stepped aboard, to renew his long
| ing for draught from the old well at
! home. In fact he thought more, just
then, of the pump than he did of Mrs.
| B., who was waiting for him with
great impatience.
"My dear" said he after warm re-
ception, "will you please pump for me
about two quarts of well water, for
am as dry as a fish ?"
There is the pump just where yon
left it. Mr.. BIifkins," said she, point
ing to the sink where two pumps APP
peared, "and | think it will not hurt
You to pump it for yourself"
This was not unkindly said, but Mr..
Blfkins felt hurt. Nevertheless he
manned the brakes and soon had his
fill. How refreshing it was He had
noticed, when he arrived, a heap OF
dirt before his neighbours door, and
men employed in doing something.
"What are they doing at the next
house ?" he asked.
Putting in the Mystic water,' Mrs.
Blifkins replied. "'They've had
enough of pumps, and poor Mrs. Sim
mons has worn herself to nothing but
flesh, skin and bone by perpetual
pumping. She has IL husband that
does pay little regard to her comfort,
though there are very few who are 81
consideratc.
''He has begun very late" said Mr..
Blif kins.
"Better late than never" she re-
turned but some never do and never
will, and let their wives hammer and
bang away at old pumps until they're
worn out, and there's the end of them
"True, my dear" said he, "tht
pumping of water may not be so easy
as drawing water from a faucet, but
would not give that old we'll for all OF
| the Mystic pond, and the aqueduct
from it (the hydrant-headed monastery
that runs under our city. That drink
of water that have imbibed could not
be duplicated by the Mystic.
"I'm sick Of it," said she, "and il
YOU had to he, from morning to night
working at that old handle, you would
he, too"
THAT well, ,"he continued, "my IA
thcr d.ank of, and there's nothing like
it, would not he deprived of it OF
any account. But go and get te;
ready, dear, for after my privation %
seeing you before me at the table,
long to resume the old practice.
every we'll, Beniamin," she replied
''you fill the tcakettle from the pump
and I'll do all the rest"
He had never been asked to do thi
before, and he was suspicious that thu
influence of Mrs. Simmons and the
Mystic water were working mischief
J Nevertheless. he made no objection
and went to his task. The waite
came from quite distance, and the
pump usually worked hard, but nov
it worked very easily, yet no wate
came. The more lie worked the NOR
the water wouldn't run.
"Wife,' he cried, with u very re'
face, what is the matter with thi
pump, anyhow p
She came as called, lifted the handl
and let it drop.
"The matter is, she replied, "tha
the water has gone off"
NOHC W HtlS
''Back into the we'll, When yo
pumped out your drink yOu probabl
lifted the handle too high and struc
the trip in the bottom box. You mus
bring it,"
Bring it, how p
"Why, you must pour water int
this from the cistern pump, and pun
until it comes. Don't you know Il
much as that p
Mr.. BIitkins took off his coat an
\ went ut it, the perspiration pourin
from him in streams. Being unused t
it, it was much harder on this Il,
count.
"Whew, wife" said he, twill til
water never come ?"
"keep on" she said, ait needs Onl
time and patience"
He kept on and on, but not sign {
the coming" appeared. At la
he gave up and confessed himself COZ
quered.
"Let me try it" said she, and with
dozen well timed strokes the wat'
came. "There, now fill the teakettl
and we will soon have tea"
He threw himself upon a loung
completely exhausted, while Mrs. Bli
kins busted herself with her prepari
, tions. Suddenly it occurred to hi
= that something was missing.
"Where's Bridget ?" he inquired.
''Gone TO funeral
''By George" he replied, ~ new,
knew Il person who had so many fune
ais to attend as that girl. They ave
!. age, at least, one Il fortnight, and mo
tality must be great among her rel;
n tives."
h. Now. Mr.. Blifkins," said sh
= don't be So unreasonable. The pO,
y girl has to work hard and has vel
little recreation. and il seems too ba
] IL \. 4 4 H..