Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-10-22

discourse. Fact, truth, ma, he was
washing the cans with the mop"
That long handled swob, ma,
And he rinsed the strainer In the
wash basin, % so neatD and hung 1t
over the Kerosene can to dry; and"
Now you've got to come" and the
self-appointed sheriff collared the cul-
prit and marched him of to bed, leay-
ing the parents smiling audibiy over
the antics OF their offspring.
Time passed on. Simon Crabtree, a
large, portly old gentleman, who wore
his curly hair very long, with his hat
far back, to cover the bald spot that
served for his crown, came every
morning to collect the cream. The
number Of spaces on the cream record
grew large, but Mrs. Cantwell's cook
ing suffered. She had formerly dipped
freely into the cream, whenever she
liked Cooking butter she had been
accustomed to slice out lavishly from a
great yellow mass in the butter bowl,
made fresh every day. But these neat
little pound packages, all done up in
paper and stamped SO fineIy-it was
Pity to slash into them so--she couldn't
do it. But not word did she say
about any inconvenience. If the bread
was little tough, 1t was sweet and
light and wholesome. And the custard
pies-she would not have believed
they could be fit to eat, made OF skim
milk, but they were To be sure,
they We're not her bread and her pies
her custards used to be dipped out of
the cream Jar-but she began to take a
little pride in imagining herself poor,
and making the most of things.
But just before their first month in
the cream business had expired, there
came letter saying that their city
cousin Eta Mcintosh would light down
upon them next day. Then it was that
the old-time pride of the Cantwell
housewife asserted itself, and the two
sharps struck sad minor strain. suit
ed to Illustrate the sentiment of that
lively hymn, "Hark, from the tombs,
doleful sound"
The three flats, on the contrary,
were jnbilant But Mrs. Cantwell
straightway began to make elaborate
preparations for the coming guest.
The next morning, in the midst of her
culinary operations, the need of cup
of cream became exasperatingly APP
4 parent
Il must and will have it," she said
I to herself.
4 So she determined to wait until the
flats" were well away at work, and
4 then go out and help herself But she
( had heretofore avoided the whole
business. as Malcolm had advised; and
the workings of the Cooley creamer
were unknown equations to her which
she proposed to work out. She lifted
the lid and looked in. The lid was
much heavier than she had calculated
upon, however, and it slipped sudlenly
and came down with crash on the
glass pitcher which she had brought
1 TO hold the stolen cream She in
4 stinctiyely extended her hand to save
it, but the pieces flew in all directions
and the next instant the abused hand
was bleeding rrofusely from numerous
wounds.
so much foI stolen cooperation, "
she muttcred. but I'll have some yet =
She hastily bound up the abused
member. Up went the lid again, this
time with a decision and force that
meant business, and 1t stayed There
were the cans of milk-wholly under
the water, in which great pieces of ice
were floating.
There! now | know why Lyman
put in such stacks and stacks of ice
last winter. I'll bet he had this thing
in mind as long ago as that" she
4 thought.
But how was she to get to that
cream? for have some she would
now. whatever happened. Then she
noticed the crank and gearings at the
right. She grasped the handle and
tried 1t carefully, but it wouldn't
bulge She studied moment Those
little irons-she should call then
catches-what were they for? They
seemed to fit into those corrugations
Z tAdGItN. sout luTtW OH the lTOuS dlu
tried again. This time she had better
success. Up rolled the cans. steadily
Good She laughed; Now I'm all
right. I'll just slip off one of those
pans, and then"
She caught the iron in the notch
and loosed her grip on the crank BIZ
to test its firmness, when, finding itselt
free, down went the elevator, cans anC
all, rattle, splash, swish! She had uset
the wrong iron, and the cans were un
der water again. The ice, that seemed
to be taking lively waltz just at thll
I time, bounced up against the cans
and invited them to join in the dance
but they stood firmly on principle
and refused; but one of the giddl
headed covers, fascinated by the poetry
Of motion and impatient Of restraint
Immediately severed its connection
} with its can. into which the watei
slipped while the cream glided out
The ball lasted only a few moments