The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-15

large, and so retarded the melting, the
| water began to, sig. Izdidhft like To say
anything, 50 I wanted. When Toachy
and Diggers were quarreling among
themselves Ishoksd cautiously: think
its going % boil"
WASN'T heard. The position was an
awful one. They hadn't told me what to
do.beside to tell them, and il certainly
was going TO boil
Mr.. Ned! Oh, pleaser' cried. ''It's
going to boiff'
''That,swhat we put it up there for,
| Touchy answered.
He always heard when one spoke TO
any one else.
But it boiling" Iwailed in anguish,
as the water sizzled over and streamed
down into the strawberry jam Every
one rushed for me. but-not before rash
endeavor of mine TO remove the pan had
imperiled its equilibrium and scalded
nv hand.
l was dragged from the chair, the
table hauled from under the hot,water-
fall, and bucket substituted. while Mr..
/ Ned put out the gas over which the pan
stood. Then In an awful voice Touchy
said: Il ask the gentlemen present if
they ever heard of a woman deliberately
allowing pan OF water 10 boil over into
dish of strawberry JAM
No one could recall a circums lance so
reprehensible.
You only told me TO say when it
/ boiled, and / did, whimpered; ''be-
4 sides, l hate strawberry Jam, anyhow
Then it transpired to the indignation
/ of the men, that Touchy had bought the
/ jam because ne liked it, and that his in
| formation as 10 any taste in thst direc-
ton had been less certain than he had
| pretended. This diverted wrath from
me. When it got around again 1 said
| forlornly;
Il scalded my hand anyhow"
Whereat Touchy became enraged and
uncomplimentary. While ne gently
tied up my hand in an unnecessary wet
towel, he babe Diggers witness that
had been sent for at Ned's suggestion,
and that it would have been much better
| had | never come.
At this began 7to cry, but had only
| dropped one tear when Mr.. Ned said, in
quick command:
Cheese is ready
We all few around, hustled thetoast-
which had burnt little under Touchy's
instructions, On the plates and held our
breath. Ned, with the handle of a sauce
pan wrapped in a towel and held in one
hand, while he stirred the creamy melted
cheese with the shoehern we kept for a
spoon, sided TO the table and poured the
connection over the toast a delicious
aroma filed the air. The cheese was Just
at that point of molten excellence that
I makes Tarebit deserve its name.
Diggers produced from the window sill
bottle of beer. Toucaly would have none
and scolded me so for taking half glass
that took a whole one.
You Will come 10 drunkard's grave,
he propbesied gloomily, making tea for
| himself with the water / had let boil
/ over, and adopting a manner which
found so unbearable that to conciliate
him l asked for some of it. it was very
bad. TouChy thought he made lovely tea.
Good he asked, beanning.
81 never before tasted anything like
it, said !. with hasty enthusiasm
Diggers was the sort Of fellow who
never notices thing at the time Long
|. after, when gaiety was at its height, he
leaned over and said in loud stage
whisper: That was an awful good thing
you said about Touchy's tea" Diggers
was always getting me into trouble that
wav.
We made lots of noise, and ate enough
cheese 20 kill q regiment Then Diggers
began telling steries in his dry fashion,
and we laughed till We could eat no
more. One story. mr. Ned stopped in
the middle Of, CHANGING at me: Quite
rightr' said TOuchy, tsstily; put her
into the closet" So into the closet l
went till the story closed with shouts of
laughter.
All it was all SO PLEASANT When I
remembered how awful the lonely even
ing might have been, blessed Diggers
and Mir. Ned ssd Touchy Tor the three
incest men in the world.
Eating over. we piled the dishes in the
hallway, as the waiter girl who had
'sneaked" things for US had directed.
and / cleared the table Of crumbs for
poker. Touchy never let me play. II
angered him if lost and it angered him
i'll won, but lac dion t mind my holding
the bank, 50 sat By sIr. Ned with the
box of chipsin my lap Touchy, ontbe
other side of me, kept winning. ! was
very happy. 1t was all 20 cheerful; and
since / was rather useful lighting
matches for cigars. picking up stray
chips and 50 on, and since Tkept very
quiet, they were all more than usually
gentle to me. Presently Togch7 declared
he lost whenever 1 arose, 20 I had 10 sit
quite still Then the interest Of the
game grew and they forgot all about me.
Smoke thickened. There was 10 sound
but the click OF chips and the muttered
words Of the game. got more and
more tired. but Idsrea not rDeve because
Of Toucny's h1ck. Presently ] grew 20
stupid / couldn't tell white chip from a
blue che. Touchy shouted at me, but
Nh Ned said shortly: Shut UP, Gerald.
she's tired / hooked thanks and stood
dizzily. Il wassvery late.
III you don't mind, said 7, "I'H say
good night"
! shook hands with Mr. Ned. but
didn't bother DiggerE, since ne bad no:
looked up. Touchy hauled me down By
my wrist. ana kissed the top q ny head,
at the same time olaning ne for having
dropped some chips. At the door
TUNED and said:
Thank you for such a pleasant even-
fng"