The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-20
EXCESS OF ZEAL.

Bridget had taken the opportunity dur
ing her mistress absence from home to
thoroughly clean the house from the gar
ret to the cellar.
1t was q small, compact little place, just
large enough for two people, and as Bridq-
ct had remarked to her friend, the next
door general, - t'Where there's only two
in the family and the washing is given ont
1T is easy TO manage, and the furniture
and carpets all being new, and the mistress
not one of them worriting kind, but sim
pie and easy to please she and master are
more like a pair Of children with eyes only
for their two selves, just does my work
when and how like. "
All this was very true, but Bridget was
a really smart, Woodworking servant and
kept the small house in state Of perfeO-
ton SO far as cleanliness went.
On this occasion she had surpassed her
self. The carpets had been taken up,
shaken and laid down again, paintings
washed and the stainings rubbed with tUr-
pentine and beeswax until the floor shone.
The small kitchen had been freshly
cleaned and looked pretty and coy in tho
Arelight.
There remained nothing for the ener-
getic little maid TO do but to take her well
earned cup of tea and await the arrival Of
her master and mistress.
When in an evil hour her eyes fell on
her mistress bicycle, it spoiled the look Of
the hall in Bridget opinion. The little
stand shone with rubbing, and everything
in the hall except the bicycle had had a
taste of Bridget's duster or broom.
''Why 1 shouldn't clean it and know
better how to clean it than the mistress
beats me. What do you say, Thomas9"
Thomas replied merely by arching his
back, erecting his bushy tail and purring
loudly. 81 have seen, she went on, the
mistress turning the thing upside down
nd oil iT7er oil Il aa7
rightly where she put the oil, but I think
1t was on the black part. Anyhow, Thom-
as, parratine oil never hurt nothing, and
the mistress ought to be real obliged to
me, SO she ought, for cleaning it for her,
not that engaged to do such thing OF
the sort-a mans work I call it-and I'd
like the hall all to match, SO to speak. II
So saying she carefully carried the bicy-
Gle over the shining oilcloth, as truly
enough the wheels were rather muddy,
and erected it upside down on its stand in
the small yard. 'Plenty Of parrafine - re-
marked Bridget to the cat, taking a tin
dish and pouring a liberal supply Of oil
into it.
Thomas rubbed himself against her
apron approvingly. She then dipped the
cloth into the oil and proceeded vigorously
to rub off the dust.
81 have seen the mistress use parrafine,
for she often asked me for a crock Of it,
DO all QOLuB 10 48EILy blhb B Ou0 EIBA
thing. But am not rightly sure if she
puts it on this indian rubber wheel.
What's good for the goose is good for the
gander, eh, Thomas2'' And she took fresh
helping of the oil and proceeded to rub il
in we'll.
''Nowr' Bridget sighed with satisfac-
ton. ''H that doesn't look clean-bub
drat the thing. I can't get the wheel to
dryi III Just put it near the kitchen fire,
now that there's no dust on it. 1t won'6
spoil the hoor, and 1t will be dry beforo
they come in
She placed it again on it's stand, but not
too close.
"I'm no fool, 4" she observed. at don't
want to burn the thing-but what's that2"
She started nervously. 1T never can be
the gate. never minded the hour, and
now won't have time to get the bicycle
back - there they are sure enough
Bridget closed the door of the kitchen and
came to meet her mistress.
We'll, Bridget, - said a fresh, young
voice, "I see you have been having a
spring cleaning-the house looks lovely
so clean and bright, and such delicious
smell of tuFpentine. I like the amel1 SO
much, don't you, HarryP'
81 don't know about that, dear" said
Harry, cit smells more like paraff1n- But
what about dinner, Bridget. Is it ready9''
ooh, yes, sir, fried sole-soup, mean,
6rst-and curry and parrafne. -
land what, said Rarry-Eyou seem
to have paraffin the brain-What Is
that awful smellp"
"1t's-it's the bicycle, - sta1nmered
Bridget. TITS all right, - she concluded,
4diOtically backing toward the kitchen
"What bicycle-the girls gone crazy"
Don't, Harry said his wife quietly.
"YOu frighten Bridget. Let her explain
Where is my bicycle, Bridget2 Have you
lifted it into the kitchen while you were
II Il
kindly, If you were careful about t6. "
Eyes, mum, 1 knew you would be
pleased, and 1 cleaned it too. "
II wish, my dear, ," said Harry, "yOu
would forbid any one touching your ma
chine. I win help you to clean it. You
never know he stopped Mortified as his
wife opened the kitchen door and exposed
the nearly cooked machine.
For all the world like roasting jack, -
thought Bridget II said to Thomas,
said that was what was good for the -
"She said to Thomes-who have you
had in here?' said Harry in a voice Of
thunder, as he lifted the badly used ma
chine away from the fire and discovered
the sad condition of the tires. You have
ruined it. 1 wonder Thomas, whoever he
1s, had not more sense. Cant you speak,
woman. Who helped you in this hopeless
piece Of idiocy3"
Thomas, . remarked his wife sis the
cat, ana there Is no use saying any more. ~
You know, she turned to the weeping
girl, II desired you not to touch nay ma
chine, not even to dust it, and it is a little
hard''-her voice shook slightly she
sp0ke-'bo 10 find it utterly ruined all
through ignorance and disobedience. But
will tT-y and induce your master to for
give you, she added in q low tone, ''as
the accident happened through an excess
Of zeal Marian West in Lady Cycligt-
Worthy of Emulation.