The Wilmington daily Republican., 1902-01-07
"A NEW TOOL CHEST,

] shi"H pof WIN Was slakkeIlHR uhuef IN
weight Of something wrapped up in hcav
brown wrapping paper, which he carrie
on his shoulder. Mrs Fulton Street wa,
of course, curious to know what was in tn
bundle, so, after dismissing the yout
with dime as compensation, Mr.. Ful,o
Street sweed up bit and said:
Il believe you said it would cost 81 win
dow to have those curtains put up, my dear
"les,' said Mrs. Fulton Street
And that the carpenter wanted So t.
put up some shelves in the hail.
"Yes."
And that chest for the baby's toys ant
one for the linen and other jobs around her,
would cost $40 more"
That's what the man said, replied Mrs
Fulton, talteringly
We'll" said Mr. Fulton Street, "t won'
cost any more than the price Of the mate,ia
to have any of the work done. | vii
do it,"
"Why, you haven't tool to yonr name
and if you had you couldn't" began
| Mrs. Fulton Street, but her husband inter
rupted her
''rush, tush, my dear" he said, "the tools
are here. That's what I've brought home
shall do this work on Sunday, and if there
is anything else you would like to have at.
tended to, Just let me know. always was
fond of puttering around the house, and the
only reason never done more OF it was be-
cause ! never had the tools
| So impatient was Mr.. Fulton Street tc
get to work on Sunday morning, that he got
| up as early as on week days and started in
at once on those hall shelves. Strips and
| panks had been sent up at his order from
| lumber yard
Mr.. Fulton Street helped himself to one
long plank and tried to fit it in the space
over the ice box where the shelves were ia
60. 1t wouldn't fit. Mr.. Fulton Street
sawed a piece off, but made it too small
Mrs. Street. he called, in voice which
trembled little, but was still under con.
troll, please bring me your tape measure"
why, Fulton, haven't one, . called Mrs.
Street.
Haven't tape measure, Ell? Well. how,
in the world do you suppose I'm going to
get these shelves up, without tape meas
ure? Bring me piece,of string then"
Mrs Fulton Street brought the string
and Mr. Fulton Street made careful meas.
urements. Then he nailed up two strips
and after wasting two more pieces of board
got a piece that would fit in
"There's one shelf up he said. Now
for the next
'Of course you're sure it S strong enough"
put in Mrs. Street.
Mr.. Fulton Street looked disguised
What do you take me for!" he demand
ed. That shelf would hold a hundred
pounds. Why, l can sit on it myself and
Mr.. Fulton Street actually gave little jump
from the chair on which he was operating
and landed on the shelf. He came down like
a ton OF brick on top of the ice box, his
trousers full of splinters and cut on his
head where the hammer had hit him. as the
shelf gave way
What Mr.. Fulton Street said of this ca.
lamity need not be repeated The gist of it
was that woman who would deliberately |
trick her huband into sitting on shelf in |
order to enjoy the spectacle Of his falling, !
and would then laugh at him as he lay in.
jured on the floor, was just the sort of
woman who wouldn't have tape measure
in the house when it was needed In the
end of it all it was the absence of the tape
measure that was responsible for the weak.
ness of the shelf. Mrs. Fulton Street diplo.
matically admitted this herself
The restoration OF peace was followed by
the announcement from Mr.. Fulton Street !
that he would not tackle the shelves again
until he could get tape measure. Mrs. Full
ton Street suggested that he put up the cur
tain poles. Mr.. Fulton Street said that he
would do it.
And here's where the beauty of the
brace comes in said Mr. Street, who was
now quite restored in temper. Watch me
bore hole and he reached into the tool.
chest and got out the necessary imple.
ments.
Mr.. Street bored a hole three sizes too
large for the largest screw that he had, SO
he had to bore another. Mrs. Street sIg
gested that it got lot Of sawdust on the
parlor carpet, whereupon Mr. Street turned
around suddenly to say something very
sharp about women who annoyed men when
hey were trying to save money.
lie made such quick turn that he lost
lis grip on the brace, and it fell on table
beneath. 1t hit lamp and the lamp in
alling hit the baby, who had been watching
he amateur mechanic with eyes full of won
Ter and admiration.
-lhe baby let out piercing shrek, and
'lrs Fulton Street followed suit. Mr..
street came.down the ladder in such hurry
hat he lost his footing and fell in heap on
he floor. There he sat while Mrs Fulton
treet, who had discovered slight br,ise
II the baby's head, where the edge OF the
amp had struck, called him murderer and
ldulged in other pleasantries.
When tears had followed Mrs. Fulton i
trcet's Indignation, according to the inev. ]
able rule OF things, Mr.. Street got turn,
nd la uspd tho fn,t T.. Il,
i'm to great advantage. Condensed his 4
'eument was, that if he had been let alone
, harm would have been done, and that
that time the curtain would have been
aving gracefully from the pole. s
The wealth of sarcasm was not wasted
l Mrs. Fulton Street. She retired to her
vn room where she spent the next hour
bling witch-haTel on the baby's head and J.
ling it things about its father quite unfit =,
r publication. !.
Meanwhile Mr.. Fulton Street retired to
e diningroom where he attempted to
lift the blade of the plane, despite the
structions of the man who sold to him =,
e tool chest, not to touch it. lie cut his "
nd, but rather than have Mrs. Fulton ..
rect know Of the accident he wrapped it v
in napkin and proceeded to plane the
ge Of the drawer.
The blade, an inch of which was now ex- =,
'ed got a good grip on the edge of the ~
aver and when Mr. Fulton Street gave -, =.
vigorous shove it bit out strip half III
inch wide and three feet long. Mr.. Full r.,
| Street made no comments on the situa- ~ ~
n. He quietly opened the window and :"
rled the offending tool far into neigh ~
s backyard. Then he closed the tool W.
st and took it down into his bin in the ~