The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1894-03-28
MOVING"

resta urant. I noted at once that he had
load ON his mind and vast quantity
of miscellaneous objects in his pockets.
Evidently nothing remained but to bur-
den his stomach, and this he proceeded
to do in sullen and desperate manner.
Having thus brought himself TO an even
keel, he paused and looked at me. My
features wore their usual winning smile,
which is an invitation to confidence that
would be worth good deal in the con-
6dence trick line.
Il don't see what l could have done
with it, ~ muttered the stranger, and
then he began to rummage around his
pockets. caught hurried glimpses of
many queer things. Among them were
two gloves. one male and the other fe-
male, rolled together; small hand mir
ror a screw driver, an iron caster that
might have come off the leg of bed, a
soiled collar, several mantel shelf orna-
ments and bottle of brown shoe dress
ing. Lastly he produced three gilded
balls and laid them on the table.
You can't commence business here
without license, said 1.
These things came off the end of cur
tain poles-pourchairs, you know, as
the French call them, said no.
I'VE wanted to move the first of the
month";" he croaked, "but one thing
and another delayed us. The principal
trouble was that we couldn't get man
with van to move us. Three days ago,
however, induced an old fellow out
there to make beginning with us. We
had our place in town engaged, and the
rent had begun to run, so / thought we
better run after it before it got too far
ahead Of us.
THE old fellows name was Wenner.
He came round with his wagon Tuesday
morning just as l was ready to leave
for town. My wife was pumping air
into my ears so that could run for my
train without getting out of breath.
That is the way playfully refer to her
parting admonitions. / explained to her
that Mr.. Wenner could take only one or
two loads that day, so she'd better send
ornamental than useful things, And
for heavens sake, added, don't pack
away my pipe and tobacco the first
thing, as you did the last time we
moved.
"When l got home that evening, /
found my wife weeping in the midst of
our dismantled home. That dreadful
old villain, Wenners said she. hasn't
kept his word. He's moved only hall
our things.
4" Well, said |, that's all right.
rest. Let's have some dinner and try to
forget our sorrows.
She looked at me rather strangely,
but made no objection. She put the din
ner on the table, for we had sent our
servant away, and we sat down to eat.
While we were thus more or less pleas
antly engaged my wife's sister an
nounced herself. She had come to take
us by surprise. They're surprising
family that I've married into, but
they've ceased to surprise me. I'm be-
yond it. Whatever crazy trick they do
I'm expecting it. This refers to the rest
of them, not to my wife. She still has
latent possibilities which could amaze
anybody. Gne of them developed after
dinner that night.
"She called me aside and said: john
ny, it's perfectly awful! Do you know
there isn't bed in the house, What 3
become of them?' asked. Sent 'em
all away by Wenner, said she. Lis
ten, Johnny, and don't be angry-it
won t do any good. That man promised
that he would move all our things to-
day. thought we could get into our
fat this evening. And said to myself,
What shall we need most? Why, the
beds, of course. SO sent them all off
on the first load.
" Then we'll have to go TO London
and sleep in that fiat, said !.
But listen, Johnny, she said.
There wasn't room for the mattresses
on the first load, so sent them on the
second.
Well, what of it,
"'They didn't get as far as London, ;
she walled. 'Wenner's got that second
load in his warehouse. sent little
boy over to see about It,.
This staggered me. So our beds
are in London, gasped, and our mat
tresses are In Wenner's warehouse on
the other side of the forest? Suppose we
go and sleep in his WAREHOUSE
She said that was very bitter and
cruel to suggest such thing. Perhaps
we could get along very well for one
night IL | wouldn't make such fuss.
| There was one old mattress in the attic.
She aud Lizzie would sleep on that, and
could have little canvas cot. 1t WAS
| very nice, comfortable bed, and she
knew it. She was logically convinced
of it because she'd had to go over the
arguments with our servant almost ev-
cry day since the girl began 10 try to
sleep on cot. Say, did you ever try to
sleep on canvas cot? 1t looks easy, but
1t isn't. / retired at midnight in the
north room. One Of my wife's relations
had it last winter, and he called it the
blue room, because that was the color
of his nose every morning when he got
up and scraped the frost off his looking
glass. But it was warm night, and
| never thought about being chilly.
"Well, sir, 1t came on cold an hour
or two after / retired. felt it first
on my feet. They hung out over the
lower end of the cot, and there was a
crack in the floor right under them. OF
course the carpet had been taken up, 80
when the wind came round to the north
it came straight up at my feet. hadn't
very good assortment OF bedding.
Most of our stuff had been sent over to
Wenner's warehouse. had a sheet
folded lengthwise, In the form of one of
those sleeping bags which explorers use.
Then had an old blanket and for a COW
erlet one of pair of fine pourchairs.
At o'clock got up and secured the
other pourchair. They were still at
tached to the poles, but that was rather
an advantage than an inconvenience.
] put the poles across under my head and