Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-05-01
A GARDEN HOSE.

was reading the newspaper, on which from
! time to time he commented in senatorial
voice. and Nine Lemadie was deeply occu-
pied with her work.
"Where can Jeanne be, | wonder" said
! Nine. Lemadie, stretching her hand toward
her work basket and pulling a thread of
scarlet silk out of it's Uttered skeins. "Your
daughter?" said NJ. Lemadie. He turned
on his chair and looked out of the corner
of his eye toward the end of the garden.
There she is" he said, ''nozzle in hand,
watering the flowers"
Scarcely had he spoken when there re-
sounded from the street a sudden cry, ac-
companied by most formidable objurga-
| ton, and these were instantly accompanied
| by the furious circumstances of second
voice.
"What has happenedY' cried NJ. Lee
made, throwing down his journal ''What
! can be the matter?'
He rose to investigate. A vigorous knock
at his gate followed by other alarming
strokes, made him hasten his steps. Open
| ing the gate he found himself confronted
| by two gentlemen, one a young fellow of
/ twenty-five, the other a stout and hearty
gray haired old boy, of opulent mien, who,
drenched from head to foot, was vainly en-
deavoring to dry himself with his pocket
| handkerchief
The young man began to eXpostulate We
| hemently. breaking out into eXasperated
reproaches. "What did they mean by in
undating his uncle in this manner? And
on purpose-to amuse themselves-full in
/ his face-and with a head of water like
that?"
NJ. Lemadie stammered all kinds of ex-
cuses, hopping from one foot to an
other, stupidity turning his straw hat
about in his fingers, and in duncelike
voice repeating. "Im sure it must be very
| npleasant-very unpleasant!''
"Unpleasant? | should think sou re-
piled the young man furiously, and dry as
a bone himself, was twice as vehement as
his uncle. With growing irritation he
continued to apostrophize the poor wretch
planted motionless before him, speech
less and sorry figure, crying out that it
was impossible to conceive paying so little
| attention to people who might be passing
on the street: that it was perfect insult;
| returning with ever renewed anger to the
| iniquity of this sudden and formidable
avalanche of water. mo, no, uncle, | re
fuse to say nothing more about it," he
cried. "Just look at yourself! See what
a state you are in"
In fact the uncle presented most la
]
nothing but shapeless pad of linen. his
| black satin cravat, all awry, was switched
! M on his neck, his silk hat was scanned
with glis;Cniug scar-, which bristled up
| here and there like mOnstrOus caterpillars
/ His waistcoat and trowsers stuck fast to
his stout and plentiful person. and from
the poor mans elbows, shoulders and hips
/ there was regular June shower
Who now came stealing up. head down.
on tmid, hesitating feet, but Jeanne, the
culprit. Jeanne" In angry tones the IA
ther spoke; "Will you kindly look at this
gentleman, VIII you please to observe the
/ result of your carelessness!'
| She raised her eyes, the smallest suspi-
| ciOn of smile lowering about the corners
of her lips when all of a sudden she stood
! open mouthed, in stupefied immovability.
Her pretty face was so drol, all her little
figure was so charming that with her
rumpled hair, her lowered linen garden
dress with its slim corsage and her petit
coat pulled up, revealing two almost in
visible little feet in the most minute of slip.
pers, that ,he victim and the impetuous
nephew of the victim were dsarmed be-
fore a word was spoken.
pray, never mind, mademoiselle," said
the uncle Il beg You will not give the
matter a second thought. 1t is not every
day that one has the honor of a douche
from so charming a hose carrier"
She blushed extremely, tried to speak
and then SO irresistible desire to laugh
took possession of her that she turned and
fled for very fear of bursting out laughing.
Now, somewhat recovering his self pos
session, NJ. Lemadie was at last able to ex.
press his regret in somewhat decent phrase
1t then occurred to his hitherto bewildered
tl,at ,.5.l..
fortunate victim of the accident "A change
of clothes. and with such good humored
hospitality did he insist that his offer. at
first declined, was finally accepted. Ten
minutes afterward Thibaut, Uncle Thi-
baut, completely dry, little squeezed to.
gether by his borrowed garments, but thor
oughly restored to spirits by couple of
| glasses of Marsala, took leave of the Lee
made family.
Come, let us hurry" said he to his
nephew. Your mother will be wonder
ing where we are"
They walked on without word for half
a mile or SO, wnen Thibaut broke out
brusquely: do you know what thinks
That is the sort of young lady should
like to see you marry! Why, she's charm
ing! And as for the Marsha, only good
father keeps such wine as that"
AS MARCEL ulu not reply, ne went on:
why don't you admit that she is charm.
ing, and that you would be lucky dog,
Ell, you rascal?'
Pooh uncle, what enthusiasm! Do YOU
ordinarily take fire in this manner when
people sprinkle you from garden hosee
Or perhaps it is the wine of this most ex-
cellent OF fathers"
Thibaut was about to reply when on
turning the corner of the street they beheld
Nine. Filhol, the anxious mother, coming
toward them, and, as her brother-in-law
had prophesied, wondering where they
were. Marcel related the annoying Incl
dent, and the uncle completed the tale by
averring that for his own part he was far
from considering it annoying, And in
saying so he was pleased to wink at his
nephew, without consenting to make an
explanation of this mysterious action.
Home they reached and sat down to Ia
BILE. The bath had developed an appetite
in this old monsieur; he devoured. At des-
sert in high good humor, full of his jokes,
his elbows on the TABLETOP Uncle Tri-
baut'S manners were really sonnet hing aw-