Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-04-19

Some OF the Strange Adventures whici
Housewife Had with n 10y.

Some OF the Strange Adventures which
a Housewife Had with hoy.
There was once a boy.
He was hired few weeks ago by
a Washington housewife to do chores
Among o,i duties of a iniscella-
neous 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 admirable. Then
things began to go wrong He fell
out with the cook and set a series of
BOBBY traps over the doors for her
benefit. To appease her for this out
rage he offered her gift neatly done
up in white paper She opened it,
and finding a live mouse inside went
into a fit of Mysteries which alarmed
the household Finally, being sent
out with the 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 forgotten 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 o'clock that
evening tile second day after his
engagement - the mistress of the
house was startled by noise as the
breaking of crockery below. She
tripped softly down stairs, and look
ing into the dining room beheld a
spectacle which froze her with horIi
fed amazement. The youthful APP
prentice, who had been ordered by
the cook to set the table, was per,
forming the task after his own pc
culiar fashion.
Standing little distance from one
end of the table, with a dozen plates
under his left arm, he was distribut
ing them upon the board by shooting
them across like quoits. Just as the
mistress looked sin a plate, thrown
with slightly too much force, went
off the end of the table and fell to
the floor with a smash, breaking it
into fragments.
That's one off !" said the boy.
The next plate landed safely, but
the following one was broken on the
floor.
That's another one off. said the
boy.
Presumably this would have con,
tinued until the armful Of plates was
exhausted had not the lady rushed in
and grabbed the young reprobate by
the collar.
Its only game was playin, he
explained, in response to vigorous
shake.
you outrageous little rascal" she
said. Leave my house at once, and
never let me see you againl"
She told the cook to give him his
dinner and send him up for the money
due him. An hour and. a half later
he had not appeared and she rang
the bell. He came clumping up the
stairs, chewing violently.
Haven't you finished your dinner
yet2' she asked.
I'm just trying to get a mouthful,
ma'am," he replied.
An hour more passed, and sherang
the bell again. The boy came up
stairs, still chewing energetically.
Haven't you got through dinner
yet9" she inquired.
Just trying to get bite, ma'am,"
he answered.
Another hour and half went by,
and again she rang the bell He came
up munching as before
"You don't mean to say that you
haven't finished your dinner yet2"
she exclaimed.
"Only mouthful, ma'am.
The lady handed him his money
and bade him begone, 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 for the past four hours,
coming into the kitchen at intervals
to ask for more bread and butter
Washington Star.