The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-04-25
PACKING A TRUNK.
How the Average Woman Goes TO Worh
at the Formidable job.

hb tne FOrmluaDie JoDs
A change of base is generally looked
forward to with such Joy by the aver
age woman that she never looks upon
the imperative duty of trunk-paclSing
with the same horror that n man does
She is happy because she has the things
to pack in the trunk, just as she is
happy when she takes the things out to
put on at the other end of the journey.
The only thing that makes her unhappy
during the packing of her trunk is that
she has not twenty or thirty trunks TO
pack with Paris gowns, Paris hats
trimmed with Paris green, and Paris
what not.
1t is source of modification to her to
think that neighbor may see but one
trunk taken down the stoop by the ex-
pressman, as that fact will inform her
neighbor of the stock of clothing she
has--the average woman being able to
give almost the exact contents of q trunk
byleveling at the latter a single hurried
glance. She will therefore, have it
taken from the house under cover of
darkness, after the manner of sub
urban swell who would escape the
social humiliation and pecuniary disas-
ter incident to a business visit from the
sheriff.
When she has opened and busted the
trunk, she begins to pack consistently
by putting the heaviest articles at the
bottom, assuming, in her innocence, that
1t will not be upside down dozens of
times while the baggage-smasher is
shooting it around like n football
Having placed the heavy things at the
bottom, she then asserts the various
other things, keeping those of kind by
themselves as carefully as she would
keep cards of similar suit together in
a game of whist-a game whose only
objection to her is that it involves
silence.
She is very careful to fold them in
such "A way that they will not crease,
and she lays them in the trunk with the
precision of man setting tiles. She is
so wrapt up in the wrapper and the silk
tea gown, that she doesn't say word
because there is no one around for her
to talk to. But she sings just to prove
to her own satisfaction that she cannot
keep still. She is so interested in her
work that if told that Mrs. Thingum-
bobs was approaching in a new fur cape
and bonnet, she would not hear it, and,
if she did hear it, it is possible that she
would not vouchsafe to walk over to the
window to enjoy the alluring vision.
After the heavy things, consisting of
shoes, writing paper and books, she puts
in the dresses Then come all the other
things, whose proper names we cannot
recall at the present time. We will,
therefore, characterize them aswhat-you
may-call-'ems. After she has arranged
the what-you-may-c y-call-'ems to her en-
tire satisfaction, she puts her hats in
their irrespective boxes, and, to keep them
in place, surrounds them with her many
pairs of, oh, mum-we don't know their
names-while the hat-crowns are filed
with bags of sachet powder, and old kid
gloves and silk handllerchiefs.
Just at this period her sister-in-law
appears and says;
"Mary look out for the mouse
"Oh ouch, ah - exclaims Mary, jump
ing on the trunk.
"What are you jumping on the trunk
yet for?" inquiries the sister-in-law.
''To get away from the mouse, of
course ~
(which mouse?" asks the sister-in-
law, with surprise.
"Why the mouse you just mentioned,
of course. Didn't you say, look out for
the mouse?"
"but you interrupted me before I was
through the sentence. l wanted to say,
look out for the mouse-colored silk
gown, and don't pack the bandoline
near it.
Then Mary jumps off the trunk,
greatly provoked at being frightened
out of her wits by mouse that didn't
exist, and resumes the duty of packing.
OF course she puts the hat boxes in the
tray as far from the liquid shoe backing
as possible. 1t gives her thrill of Joy
to find that the things will not readily
go in the trunk. But this feeling is
quickly turned to one of sorrow when
she reflects on the fact that she is not
the possessor of another trunk So she
takes the things out again, and puts
them in more carefully than ever, for
she will not take valise, because she
hasn't nice one made of real alligator
that would be as much personal orna-
ment on the street as q pair of diamond
earrings or a solitaire diamond engage
ment ring.
She then remembers that she has a
few pieces at the laundry, so she dis
patches her small brother for the same,
with the ticket covered with Chinese
and the necessary coin
She thanks her stars that she did not
forget them, and when they are packed
with the rest, she gets every one in the
house to stand on the trunk, into which
she has succeeded in getting everything
she can possibly think of.
LET me see" she reflects, after she
has the trunk fastened, shave I got
everything packed? There's the pat
terms for Lucy, they're all right; re-
member wrapping the bandoline in
them. Then the pieces of music for
Edith l rolled up and stuck in the
monkey muff"
Then she enumerates various things
in an undertone at the same time
counting on her fingers to make sure
that she has packed the trunk
and we'll.
'Yes, everything is all right!'
Then the expressman is sent for and
while he is Juggling the trunk down
stairs on his coliarboae, she walks be-
kind and requests him to be careful and
not break the wall. Finally it is on the
wagon, to her hearts delight, and it is
rolled away to the ship upon which she