Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1896-05-08

~~~~
tineud shaking his head until the tassel
on the top of his cap swung to and fro
like pendulum.
"Wcll." he at last remarked, "this is
the funniest apparatus l ever saw.
Where is the coffce?" When suddenly
Fannie. in her usual impulsive way
cried:
"What set Of fools we all are! We
forgot all about putting it in.'
Sure enough. a napkin had been acci-
dcntally thrown over the ground coffee
brought in by Fannie, and during the
prevailing excitement of expectancy
nobody had given it Il thought.
My wife was delighted. Her ma
chine was to be redeemed after all.
After favoring me with another ami
hilating look, the second act of the
drama began. Not single word was
spoken. We were awaiting develop
mcnts.
Again the seething and bubbling
sound, and even the aroma of steaming
coffee filled the room. The brown
fluid could DC seen passing through the
tube, and EXPLANATIONS Of surprise and
qualification escaped the lips of those
present. Anna was all smiles and sum
shine.
II trust" she said to me, mischievous-
ly, ''that you have not forgotten the adj
dress where to buy that brooch we
were talking about yesterday"
Evcn father nodded, satisfied and
| pleasantly.
''Ths is practical machine" he
| unused, comp]ace1ltly pouring out the
first cup of the brown beverage, land
| what an aroma, but rather an odd sort
of smell. Strange, isn't it? What does
| it. smell lilse?''
! The old man lifted the cup to his
lips and tasted the contents. With 4
jerk he set it down again upon the table,
making a wry face.
"I'll be. I ask your pardon, but
that stuff has positively wicked taste;
monstrous, abominable, fe! What the
| dickens does it taste like?'
He eNpectorated several times and
pressed his hands to his stomach as
it nauseateed.
"Just like eau dc cologne, father"
I suggested, "a very agreeable smell,
don't you think? A trife odd when
taken with coffee, but you will UNI
doubtedly get used to the taste when
you once become familiar with the ma
cl,ine.''
''For shame, husband" said my wife,
chow mean of you: Undoubtedly Fan
ME has accidentally spilled drop Of
eau de cologne into the boiler while
filling the lamp. Where is the harm?
It is bit unpleasant, it is true. but
that is all there is to it. We will have
to try again, for the machine works
al! right. OF that we ought to be con-
WINGED now.''
''Hold!" objected father, lifting his
hand with Il protesting gesture toward
the coffee machine, mo more of this
monkey business. I would rather that
Anna make us all a cup of coffee now in
the old-fashioned way, and later yor1
may continue your experiments as long
as you like. The machine is just splcn-
did, children" he continued, land I
thank you heartily for your thought
fulness in giving it to me, but there is
| something strange and odd about it
to which I must get used first, and that
,al:es time for a man of my age"
Before we go any further with it"
I added, ''let us tell the girl to give it 4
thorough cleaning. Lottie TO the
cook-"take this machine into the
kitchen and scald lamp and boiler witt,
hot water and soda or some such stuff. "
The girl went off with her burden.
Shortly afterward we were startled by a
loud report, followed by frightened
screams from the kitchen and by a
sound of falling and breaking pieces.
Something told me that again it was
that ill-fated machine. I opened the
kitchen door. Sure enough the girl in
a dark corner had stumbled with her
burden, and the self-actor-extraction
co1fee-and-tea macrine lay broken on
the floor. The poor, frightened girl
sobber, Fannie scolded, my wife wrung
her hands in despair; 1 bit my lips UNI
derneath my bushy mustache, and ia.
Their looked pleased and relieved.
"Never mind. Children he said, sit
is best so. [ take this for sign from
above. Providence has interfered.
am conservative in my ideas, and am
! therefore not over fond of the present
era of machinery. Stop crying, girl
this to the cook-'and brew good cup
OF coffee for my company. And now
no more about the matter. I do not
wish to have my birthday spoiled"
"How about our bet, Anna" asked
my wife.
''You have lost that she quickly re-
sponded. '.The machine was in per.
feet order, if only -.
eyes, if only it had not been so inn
perfect! No. my dear, this ti1ne-you
have lost and not L. You had better get
ready to go for my rocking chair"
'What bet are you quarrelng about,
you two?" asked the old man.
told him all, and called on him to
decide who had won.
''Both of you," was his diplomatic
opinion, which created another control
versy between Anna and myself. Mean
while Lottie appeared with the coffee,
| made in "old-fashioncd" STYLE. and the