Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-27
cold plates when hot ones were REQUIRED

cold plates when hot ones were required.
handing dishes on the wrong side, etc.
My little lecture was listened to quietly
and humby, and Joe had turned to go
away, when. to my surprise and distress,
he suddenly burst into perfect passion OF
| tears and sobs.
| Il Will try and learn myself he said. as
| well as his sobs would let him. indeed 1
| will. I know I'm stupid. 1 seq to myself
I'm about. and remember dishes left
landed, pourin's out right, sherry wines
yeller and port wine afterward with the
nuts, grapes and things; and the cruits
when there's fish. and begin with the
| strangerest lady next to masters side, and
| 'elp misss last / knows it ALL but when
| they're all sittin' down, and everybody
wantin' somethin', l don't know If James
| a-gon to Civ it 'em, or l am, and l gets
| stoopid and my ands shakes, and somehow
| 1 can't do nothin'; but please don't send me
| away. 1 do like you and the master. I'll
ask Jane to learn me better: You see If 1
| don't. oh, please m, say you'll try me!'
| What could 1 say but Yes and for
| day or two Joe did better, but we were
| small party, and the waiting was easy; but
| shortly we We're to have a large dinner
| party and as the time drew near Joe be-
| came quite pale and anxious
| About this time too, had been awaken
| ed at night by curious sounds down stairs.
as of somebody moving about, and once 1
| heard an unmistakable fall of some heavy
| article.
| My husband assured me 1t was nothing
| alarming and he went down stairs, but
| could neither hear or see nything unusual.
| All was quiet.
| Another night felt sure I heard sounds
| down stairs and in spite Of my husband
| advice to remain still called Mrs. Will
1 son and entreated her to come down to the
| kitchen floor with me. 1t was so very easy,
| 1 knew, for anybody to enter the house
| from the back, and there being a deep area
| all round, they could work away with their
| tools at the ground floor back windows I'M
| seen. Any one could get on the top of the
| stable from the news, drop into the garden,
| and be safe; for the Waterman and police
| man were on duty in the front of the house
| only; the back was quite unprotected True,
| there were iron bars to Joe's window and
| the kitchen, but iron bars could be sawn
through. and I lived in dread of burglars.
| This night Mrs Wilson and l went softly
down, and as we neared the kitchen stairs
I heard a voice say In a whisper, Make
| hastev'
There. Mrs. Wilson. did you hear that?'
| I said. Was that imagination?"
mo, ma am" she replied; there's some
| body talking, and / believe it's IN Joes
| room. Let US go up and fetch the master"
| So we returned upstairs, and soon my
| husband stood with us at the door OF Joe
| room.
| open the door, Joe!' cried my husband.
"Who have you got there?''
| Nobody, please, SIR, said a trembling
| voice.
|
| and in a moment It was opened. Joe stood
| there very pale, but with no sort of fear
| in his face. There was nobody in the room
| and as Joe had certainly been In bed we
| concluded he must have talked In his sleep,
and, perhaps, walked about also, for what
| we knew. 70
The day before the dinner party cook
came and told me she felt sure there was
| something wrong with Joe. He was so
| changed from what he used to be; there
| was no getting him to wake in the morning.
| and he seemed so heavy with sleep, as II he
| had no rest at night. Also cook had proofs
| of his having been in her kitchen after he
| was supposed TO have gone to bed: chairs
| were moved, and several things not where
| she had left them. She had asked Joe, and
| he replied he did go into the kitchen, but
| would not say what for.
| l did not like to talk to Joe that day. SO
| decided to wait till after the dinner. and
| would then insist on the mystery being
| cleared up. I knew Joe would tell the truth
| my trust was mistaken, although cireum-
| stances seemed against him.
| That night Mrs. Wilson came to my door,
| and said she was sure Joe was at his night
| work again. for she could see from her bed
| room window light reflected on the stable
| wall, which must be in his room.
| How can We find out 1 said, what he
| Is dofng?'
| THAT Is easily done" said my husband
| I'VE can go out at the garden door, and
down the steps leading from the garden
| into the area; they are opposite his window
| We can look through the Venetian blinds
| II they are down, and see for ourselves. He
| won't be able to see u.s."
I Accordingly, having first wrapped up In our
| furs, we went down, and We're soon at Joe's
| window, standing in the area that sur
| rounded the house. The laths Of the blinds
were some OF them open, and between them
we saw distinctly all over the room.
AT hrst we could not understand the
| strange sight that met our gaze
In the middle Of Joes room was a table,
| spread With cloth, and on 1t saucers from
mower pots, placed at intervals down ca oh
! sfoe Defore each saucer a chair was placed,
ana IN the center of the table high basket,
| from which Stilton cheese had been I'M
| packed that morning; that was evidently to
| represent a tall epergne On Joe's wash
stand were several bottles a jug, and by
eacn mower pot saucer two vessels of some
| KINDLY one, two jam pots of different
| sizes, by another, a broken specimen glass
| aho a Tea cup-and so on; and from chair
| TO chalr moved Joe, softly but quickly on
| tlp-toe, now with bottles which contained
water; we could see his lips move, and
| Concluoeo ne was saying something to mag
| mary persons, for he would put a jam pot
on MS tray and pour into it from the bot
tie, and then replace it. Sometimes he
| would go quickly to his bed. which we saw
represented the dinner wagon or side
poard, and bring imaginary dishes from
| there and them. Then he would go
| quickly from chair to chair always cor
recting himself II he went to the wrong
| size and talking all the time softly to him
| sen. 30 mere was the solution of the mys-
| .ery: mere melted into air the visions of Joe
ia n league with midnight burglars.
| ihe poor boy, evidently alarmed at the
| prospect OF the dinner party, and feeling
L