Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-31

glance at the vegetable-shaped watch:
this sort of thing is quite beyond Mrs.
Chipley's means. | thought she had bet
ter sense. | must really speak to her about
1t. In the mean time | must make good
speed if | expect to have much time at my
friend Hodges place.
Away he trudged, much comforted and
sustained as regarded the inner man.
Joe, Joel" shrieked Miss Francesca
Dean, coming into the room few min
ties later, what have you done? Eaten
up all the eompany's lunch! Oh, you
greedy
'I'll be blamed if l have" shouted Joe,
from an upper room where he was trans
forming himself from an amatuer player.
What are you talking about.
''Some one has eaten his fll." cried Miss
Francisco. Just look at that table,"
Then its some tramp sneaked in
through that door left open to dry the
paint, bawled Joe, smiting his leg.
And while the Dean FIRMLY were en-
deavorlng to repair damages, the task of
housecleaning went swimingly on at the
Chlpley domicile. only two doors away,
the girls and their mother scarcely taking
time to stop and eat their hasty pudding,
which, by the way, got badly seorched
through Maud's over devotion to putting
the chintz window curtains in the pastors
study.
But hasten as they would, the newly
whltewashed walls were scarcely dry, and
the furniture not yet arranged when dusk
descended upon the scene. and Rev. Milo
Miner came in.
ooh take care, Mr.. Milner!" exclaimed
Maud, the door-the paint is fresh
Mr.. Miliner solmnly advanced into the
area of the lamplight, and, twisting HIM
self around to get at the skirts of his coat,
eyed them disconsolately.
More paint, said he. And blue
paint
No, said Marian. Green"
The two colors were ludicrously alike in
the lamplight. The green light have
been taken for lively blue, the blue for
dull green.
Blue" said the pastor firmly. '.Do
you think | haven't the use of my eyes?"
Green" persisted Marian. Il know
because put it on myself"
But truth is truth, Maud"
And while I'm about" said Mr..
Miliner, now thoroughly exasperated, Il
deem it my duty to demonstrate with
you concerning the extravaganza and
unwarranted style of diet in which you in
dulge during my absence!"
Il don't know what you mean" said
Mrs. Chipley, feebly catching her breath
''Hasty pudding and milk can be called
extravaganza, hazardea Maud.
''Scorched at that, murmured Marian.
Cl"Roast grouse and currant Jelly" said
the pastor. "Chicken salad and sponge
cake. And here again | trust to the
evidence of my eyesight-all set out on
your butterfly china know, because |
ate Of it myself
"You-you got into the wrong house, :"
gasped Maud.
1T was the house with the blue door,"
serenely uttered Mr. Miner, as if this were
an incontrovertible argument.
Marian clapped her hand Historically.
Mamma, she cried, MAUD, Mr.. Mil
ner was the tramp who ate up Miss Deans
company-lunch. That was just what
Francesca Dean told me they had prepar-
ed! And prepared on our butterfly china,
too"
at was the house with the blue door,"
stubbcrnly repeated Mr.. Miner.
But Joe Dean painted that door blue
to-day cried Marian. ''And | painted
ours green.
The pastor sank Imply into chair
''Then, said he, I've got green and
blue paint both on the skirts of my coat,
and | have made dreadful blunder into
the bargain! And | must go at once and
apologize to the Dean family; but not I'M
til you, my kind friends, have forgiven me
for my meddling interference"
But really" said miscellaneous Maud,
<'hasty pudding ism an extravaganza
Mrs. Chipley and Marian fastened to
deprecate the pastors humility, and he
went sadly to make his peace with Miss
Francesca Dean.
at is kind of queer" said Deacon Phil
pot, talking the matter over some few days
afterward. 1.-The dominic, he plumb
that he's sort of absent-minned, and needs
wife to keep him straight
and Ill bet even on pretty Miss Maud
and Francesca Dean
The deacon, however, was wrong for
once in his life
Pastor Miner did get married, but it
was neither blue eyed Francesca nor dark
orbe6 Maud.
Like sensible man he proposed to the
Widow Chipley herself, and was accept
ed.
But. if Mrs. Miner does not object, >"
he said with due courtesy, II should like
to have the front door painted blue once
more saturday NiOht