Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-12
HIRED TO DO CHOREA
Strange Adventure which . Washington
Housewife Had With . Boy.

Strange Adventure which . Washington
Housewife Had With . Boy.
TNHERE WAS ONCE A BOY.
l. He was hired two weeks ago by Q WASH
ingtou housewife to do chores. Among other
duties OF a miscellaneous description he was
expected to attend to the furnace, help the cook
and run errands. In short, he was to make
himself generally useful
So he did. For the first twenty-four hours
of his engagement his performance was adj
mirable. Then things began to SO wrong. He
fell out with the cook, and set series of BOBBY
traps over the doors for her benefit. To APP
pease her for this outrage be offered her gift
neatly done up in white paper. She opened it
and. finding live mouse inside, went into n fit
OF Mysteries which alarmed the household.
Finally, being sent out with baby carriage,
he did not return. and the innocent infant was
found in Dupont Circle deserted. The boy
came back later and admitted that he had for
gotten all about his charge, being led away by
game of progressive marbles, which took him
down to Farragut Square. Probably the idea
suggested itself to him thereupon that he was
likely to be discharged.
Any way. at about 6 o'clock that evening
the second day after his engagement-the
mistress Of the house was startled by q noise as
OF breaking crockery below. She tripped softly
down stairs and. looking into the dining room,
beheld a spectacle which froze her with horri-
fed amazement The youthful apprentice, who
had been ordered by the cook to set the table.
was performing the task after his own peculiar
fashion.
Standing at a little distance from one end of
the table, with dozen plates under his left
arm, he was distributing them upon the board
by shooting them across like quoits. just as
the mistress looked in O plate, thrown with
slightly too much force, went of the end Of the
table and fell to the floor with a smash, break
ing into fragments.
That's one off !" said the boy.
The next plate landed safely, but the follow
ing one was broken on the floor.
That's another one off ~ said the boy.
Presumably this would have continued until
the armful of plates was exhausted had not
the lady rushed in and grabbed the young rep
rebate by the collar.
''It's only a game I was playin'," he sx-
planned, in response to q vigorous shake.
You outrageous little rascaln' she said.
Leave my house at once, and never let me see
you again.
She told the cook to give him bis dinner and
send him up for the money due him. An hour
and half later he had not appeared, and she
rang the bell. He came dumping up the
stairs, chewing violently.
Haven't you finished your dinner yet?" she
asked.
m just trying to get mouthful mann, !"
he replied.
An hour more passed, and she rang the bell
again: The boy came upstairs, still chewing en-
ergeticaly.
Haven't You got through dinner yet2" she
inquired.
Just trying to get . bite, ma'am," he An
swered.
Another hour and a half went by and again
she rang the bell. He came up munching Is
before.
You don't mean to say that you haven't
finished your dinner YETI" she exclaimed.
Only mouthful, ma'am."
The lady handed him his money and babe
him be gone. To make sure that he obeyed
she escorted him herself to the door. Then
she spoke to the cook and learned that the
youth had been skating on the front sidewalk
Tor the past four hours. coming into the kitchen
at intervals to ask for more bread and butter
The next day she put an advertisements in
HE STAR, but it was for a girl this time.