Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1895-06-15
THE LAY or TIE DUMB WAITER.
FROM Morning Till Evening 1t Interests
Now York Flat Dwcllcrs.

FROM Morning TIL Evening ~ Ah'oAS'
Now York Flat Dwcllcrs.
Tho dumb waiter, like the foathered
norton of that part of creation which
we are also pleasedto designate" dumb,
begins its lay before the dew is or the
heather, so to speak. The mtlkman OF
the baker causes it to emit its first faint
blast. There are heard a rafting and
creal,ing of ropes a rackety slammlng
and banging along the sides OF the
shaft. as the dumb waiter Is aroused
from its perch near the sixteenth Hat
and then the uproMious rush OF the
dumb creature descending toward the
cellar. Next follows the sharp, insistent
tinkle of the electric bell, and the dumb
waiter has fairly started on its voclfer-
Gus daily career.
This overture is repeated, with varla-
tons, until all the dwellers in all the
flats, from the oneth even unto the SIX
tenth are served with their daily
modicum of bread and milk from Their
daily contingent of bakers and mllkmen'
Next comes the electric bell again,
followed by the strenuous voice OF
james. the elevator boy.
Coal"
The creaking and banging and rat
Ting performance is now varied. Pans
and scuttles and boxes are seyerally
hauled. cast, thrown and pitched upon
the shelves Of the waiter, and the groan-
ing, Gathering dumb thing travels loud
Is up and down until all the flats are
served with their morning supply.
AT this point different element en-
ters into the dumb walters noisy work.
There is a Irritation, with many tender
passages-dumb waiter shaft passages
in progress between the elevator boy IL
the cellar and the cook III the twelfth
story. A playful morning struggle be-
tween tho twelfth floor coal scuttle and
the ropes of the dumb waiter is one OF
its manifestations. A gentle message
floats down the shaft.
Fill it good and full now, James
It's for met
"And why should I fill it fuller fol
you than for Maggie
At this Maggie, whose door on the
eighth floor is always open, gives shrill
laugh at the discounted rival on the
twelfth.
Her triumph is short lived,
''Ah, Jimmy. now!'
You know I'm foolin, Mollie! Let
go therope, there's darlin. The second
is in a duce of hurry
Perhaps Maggie is not the only one
whose composure is disturbed atthe by
play.
One after another, the butcher, the
grocer and the iceman arrive, and each
butcher and grocer and iceman IS null
tiplied 16 times to suit the various taste:
of the flat jewellers.
Then there are the G. o. D. dry good:
packages, whose bills cause animated
discussions over the matter of change
There is the clinking of milk bottles
sent down TO the dairyman, and there
are the swelling differences Of opinion
between the dairyman and the cook, the
cook being confident that the dairymal
is trying TO cheat her and the dairymal
willing to take oath that the cook ha
broken or secreted at least two bottle
since he was last there. All these do
nestle problems are waited up and dow
the dumb waiter shaft, and ARE distinct
" audible on each and every floor.
The evening strains of the dumb wait
er are but Investigations of the same
theme. There are hurried deliveries O
forgotten or suddenly needed butcher
or grocer's supplies The portion Of even
ing cream for the ninth floor invalid
and milk for the seventh floor baby ar
slammed and thumped up to them. M
merous orders for breakfast are SHOUTED
down to departing trades people, ant
each floor becomes cognizant of wha
each other floor expects to eat at its ma
tutinal meal
The last sweet words OF Mollie anc
Jimmy are bawled up and down, an(
each floor breathes easier to hear tina
Jimmy has to leave hastily that he ma,
be in readiness to meet Mollie ION TIL
corner at half past s sharp. -
And then for some inscrutable reason
the dumb waiter is Justify hoisted up Il
the sixteenth floor, from which advan
tageous position it may thunder out it
dumb" protest in the morning New
York World.