The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-05-01

all TlRnt, ana uon ye De DOtnerln
me-" 1t moaned and sighed and
snorted, but it didn't come, so in my
desperation, 1 turned on the cold
water. 1t wasn't nice, but pitched
in and did my best.
There, what's that" said L. "Is
that the front door bell again!" l
opened the door from the kitchen
and went on with my work; nobody
came up and the bell continued to
ring, alternating with shrill whist
lings. "That must be the postman.
l suppose he has got package too
large to go into the box, or regis
tered letter. l have no time to go
down stairs" But there was no al
tentative, down 1 had to go.
"a letter, sir, one cent DUE"
didn't trust myself to speak, but
! paid the cent, and few up the stairs
again.
Dear me, said l, as began my
task again, "what lot of dishes for
our little family And yet, am al
ways so particular about having
clean plate and spoon for everything.
If l had this thing to do every morn
ing, l should soon become gibber
ing idiot. Here are big plates and
little plates, cups and saucers, bowls,
platters and pitchers (how l hate to
wipe pitchers), tumblers and spoons,
knives and forks, and, worse than all,
the frying pan, the oatmeal boiler
and the coffee pot land the coffee pot
is worse than pitcher)." resolved
over and over again never to use more
than one plate at meal; never to
drink any more coffee, nor to eat any
thing which would leave horrid pan
to be washed. l made pretty good
time, however, though was not very
proud of my work. The things didn't
look as bright and clean as they ought
to, and l could not stop to finish
them all. sincerely wished that I
had never begun. In my frantic eff
forts to finish up, had turned the
little kitchen into sort of pandemo-
mum. But time was was flying, and
I must get off.
Again the front door bell rang.
This time it was Mrs. Jones, to see
Winnie. l should have thought,
when she saw the glare in my eye,
that she would have gone right down
stairs again, but she didn't. She
wanted to get her breath" she said,
so she stepped inside and leaned
against the wall, and talked and
talked, and kept me answering idiotic
questions, as to how we all were, and
whether Philip had got over his cold,
etc. have often found fault with
Winnie for not excusing herself from
callers when she was busy, but |
never will again, for simply could
not browbeat Mrs. Jones nor get rid
of her until she was ready to go, I'M
less l threw her down stairs. After
she was gone, l went out feeling
quite exhausted and unhinged, and /
concluded not to say anything this
time to Winnie about the object les
son.
What her impressions were when
she got home, l shall probably never
know. She couldn't tell me the cruel
truth; but when l came home tonight
and the house looked as peaceful and
lovely as any home could, felt like
taking off my hat to her, for l real
lied, in some degree, what she had to
do to make it 80.
l found out, little by little, how
surprised she was to find the windows
open, the shades up, the sun pouring
in and the flies walking over every
thing. Worst of all, l had not turned
off the hot water. When it got ready
to run, it ran, filled up the sink, and
ran over, till, in the kitchen below, it
began to make arabesques on the
ceiling. Fortunately, l had not fas-
tened the door OF the dumb waiter,
and the janitor's boy pulled himself
up and turned the faucet before any
great damage was done.
Winnie did not reproach me, but
said that she appreciated my motive,
and that it was "real sweet" of me to
try so hard to help her.
Tonight l am regenerated man.
Hereafter, shall feel that her part
of the work is quite equal to mine.
Besides, she has Philip, and that
means an unending combat with COM
pressed activity. In fact, l am free
to say, from my small experience and
large opportunities of observation,
that not even with my strength and
athletic training, and my non-obtru-
sive garments, would | exchange.
Never will l again undervalue wo-
mans work, and while l live she shall
have my sympathy and help.
l, however, hasten to write this to-