The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1895-03-07
TIE CLOTUESLINE W.iR.
Ei AI.OS r.. WILLS.

helShocrs Is dangerous thing.
Mrs. Murray and Mrs. One
learned, to their sorrow.
And yet, what else could they hay
done? II is serious matter to be
washerwotlan, and live in the fourt
story CT tenement. When cac
moved in she Was shown her clothes
hne, running over a pulley fastene
outside her window, and across tn
alley to another pulley in an oppo
site window
Each rcCn Lad two windows, an,
Mrs. Murray vas told that the mort
clothcsline was hers, while Mrs
ONeil was put in possession of tn
line connecting the windows to tn
south. One morning Mrs. Murra'
leaned from her window, as she wa
hanging out part of her last wash
Ing, and called to her neighbol
over the way, who was doing tn,
same:
'Mornin' to ye. Me own names
Mis- Murray"
An mornin' to yc, I'm sure; an
Im Mis- O'Ncil."
Glad TO make your acquaintance,
Mis- O'Neil. Dye know. Mis-
O'Ncil, ivcr since | moved in I've
been a-wantin' to use the hall O
your clothesline that YOU can't use. u
why, an me the same, Mis-
Murray, fer I've often big wash
that can't begin to dhry on me one
line, an the clothes get sour a.
hangin' indoor"
well, then. Mis- O'Neil. + you're
agreed, you let me know when
you're ready to start out clothes ON
your line. an III start at the same
time cn the other half of it, and you
may Go the same with mine, so well
make each line carry double. -
Twice q day since then, and often
three times a day, would sound
across the alley 'Rc-c-eady, Mis-
Murray" or ''Rc-e-eadv, Mis-
O'Neil, and then, in the midst of
putting clouds of steam, our laundry
women would fill .one clothesline,
Mrs. Murray sending her clothes to
Flrs. O'Neil, whilst Mrs. O'Neil, on
the return half of the same line, was
sending hers to Mrs. Murray. Next
the other clothcsline would be filled,
and the tapping garments would
gather in what sunshine and pure
air they could from Skin alley, until
the next wash was ready
This arrangement soon ripened
into q friendship, and many were
the hearty bits of cheer, the secret
condolences and the merry whiffs of
Irish banter sent to and fro along
the clotheslincs. But, alasl We're
there ever two ncighboring families,
bound together by clothesline or
some less material tic, that never
found the line somewhat strained,
the bond tense and ready to break?
Cooperation will be free from peril
in the millennium.
One morning Mrs. Murray OBJ
served that her ncighbor was rather
reserved, and said very little, being
intent on getting her clothes on the
line with the greatest possible ex-
pcdition. When she looked more
carefully at those clothes Mrs. Muir
ray gave great start and her brow
darkly.
There was no doubt about it, her
washing was that of
Mrs. Bentley, Mrs. Murray's best
customer. All. here came the hand
big BIS in the corners.
And no one could ever mistake that
AS the clothes jerked
nearer Mrs. Murray she took up
handkerchief, examined it and
glanced sharply at her neighbor.
But Mrs. O'Neil turned away.
Thereat Mrs. Murray shut her win
dow with bang.
Now it happened that day that
Mrs. Murray wanted the clothes
lines unusually early in the after
noon. Probably her wrath had as
sisted her muscles. And when she
was ready to take in the dry clothes
from the lines Mrs. O'Neil was not.
Indeed Mrs. Murray, peering with
blazing eyes into the dirty windows
could see nothing of her !,
neighbor. "Gone a-gaddin'. I'm
not a-goin' to wait on the likes O.
her."
With nerves trembling with ex-
citcmcnt and passion Mrs. Murray
began to pull in her clothes, vicious
ly jerking the line through the pull
leys. and. of course, knocking off, as
the line went through, all of Mrs.
O'Neirs washing Down fluttered
the Bentleys' clothes into the un-
imaginable filth of Skin alley. Dainty
linen lay in recking pools, decked
garbage barrels, waved from dirty
window shutters where it caught
half way down, or tapped along the
greasy fire-escapes.
Just as Mrs. Murray had secured
her last garment Mrs. O'Neil re-
turned and saw at glance what
had happened. I shall not attempt
to record the conversation that fol-
lowed. Each woman was a mistress
of the art vituperative, and every
window within hearing distance
soon held one or more eager auditors
Listening at Mis- Murray an Mis-
O'Neil having it out" 1t was, in
deed, fortunate that fifteen feet of
four story alley intcrrened between
the contestants.
From that day as may well he I'M .
lgincd there was no more partner
hip in clotheslines. Each woman
vas seriously inconvenienced, but :
,ach would sooner lose her stout
light arm than propose cooperation
.gain. Such would have been the
condition OF affairs to this day had
t not been for Josie Murray.
And who was Josie Murray, do
-ou ask? She was Mrs. Murray's
liece on q visit from the country;