The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
ONE MODERN IMPROVEMENT.
variod Anuoyapees That May Ne Caused B.
an Electric Bell in q Dining Recon-.

Vorloo AuuOynucea Thnt hny Ne Cmunoo d
an Electric Bell in n Dining Recon-.
"The march Of modern improvements 10 UNI
Objectionable 20 long as It doesn't interfere with
a follows liberty" said Lieut.. Oscar King at
tho Lotos Club ono night last woek. "but my
experience has taught me that there arc times
whom q man wants to DO profano because of
labor-saving devices. For instanool Why. 90
many Illustrations suggest themselves that I
hesitate to choose. Mono Of you fellows ever
lived in barracks, and I suspect that mono
Of you 10 living In Q modern house.
You don't know what the term modern
means. Az applied to q house. I have
found that IL difierentiates It very WILDLY
from barracks. My house was completed last
summer. and among tho new.fangled attach
ments was an electric bell connected with q
small button In tho centre of the dining room
aopr. 1t is supposed to furnish Q convenient
means of summoning tho waitress from the but
ler's closet. When we took possession of tho
house We laid a heavy rug in the dining room,
and there was q terrific ringing Of the electric
bell. Tho weight OF the rug pressed down the
button. you SEQ. We remedied that by wrinkling
the rug In tho oentre. but every once in awhile
1t would settle down on tho button and tho bell
would ring. That was annoying, but on tho
whole Mrs. King found that tho bell was q con-
venience. She could roach tho button with tho
toe OF her shoe without difficulty.
"The first evening on which we had guests to
dinner IdisEraced myself because of that boil.
It was necessary to lenGthen out our round table
by four or i've feet, with tho result that Mrs.
King who sat at the head. was at least four feet
away from tho electric button in the floor.
Neither Of US had thought about this button.
Tho CLAIMS were served, and when 1t came time
TO serve the soup and the waitress didn't appear
there was an awkward pause. and then our at
tention was attracted by Mrs. King. Her face
was very red and she looked thoroughly angry.
knew from Mrs. Kings face that Somethine
unexpected had occurred. This was my time to
draw the enemy..s fire while Mrs. King reoov:
cred but for the life Of me l couldn't think Of
to DO settling down in her chair as
asaslss.h ' we we're III watched 70 her mp in s anaes ahs
When her head vas nearly On z level With the
herself up in her chair with simply the exciama.
ton .Tharei. Tbs explanation daynsd on me
s e sud @e 3 a snss ! I'D shs NJ sa ti9s s fS Sh 1 s1p s 1fnsh
King % far from the electric button that 1t was
she reached it.
THAT wa. simply amusing. hit the bell playea,
tho occasions in the middle Of tho night. when
the rug settled down on that button. and the
enioy poker. but Mrs. King doesn't approve Of
friends Of mine With whom used % pay poker
o'oloecSf. whom Mrs: King saidshe would leave US
to smoke q inallpipe:becapse she was tired.
must got up %: a very safly train to washing:
after our pipes had burned out we were going
to retire. Before that time came, however,
Brown began to toll Of q wonderful set Of hands
ioss ne VIZ esG w sssn into IN : t RRshdsfi n fn@e room eSS n to est Ss a
nightcap, and 1t was suggested that, We play
arst deal we had q round Of jacE.pots. and then
King T Is sound Us dan ssisss. fs sHS have h% sure ss shst i MES;
game for an hour or two.
II va: willing. and Es kept it ug: Tine flies
5o'cioek. I called a bllG Of Browns on a jack.
pot. and he was SO disguised that no threw
STRENGTHENING. tho rug until It rested on the
S but 7 on.-T The m. bell u, rang ans cut out iG 1oossd than stsa,1 Usual
hands and Knees under tho table to loosen the
rug. My friends, hadn't an ides what I was
what Is It, King asked Brown. "A night
Up ana msot it like a man. Don't ssfuiE undsr
"'Gst up YOURSELF I shouted. trying to
":WhyT asked Brown:
You arc ringing the bell =,
haven't seen tho bell, and ! am not stirring"
"All this time that COMPOUNDED electric bell
continued to ring rs II 1t enjoyed 1t. 1t took me
half a minute to explain to Brown and persuade
him to get of tho rug so that / might release
the button. Everybody in the house had been
was 8 A. M. Brown and his friends sneaked
home. Mrs. King thought that the laugh was
on me. and / lost no time In disconnectinR that
button from the electric bell. They are i~nartistic
contrivancos. anyway. and SO are n lot o.. other
things labelled modern improvements"