New-York tribune., 1903-07-20
THE ICEMAN'S MISTAKE.
He Put the Cake in the Incubator, Which
Looked Like the Refrigerator.

Mrs Driscon left her home at No LIZA Hoe-ave'
The Bronx. yesterday morning. after tying three
knots in the handkerchief of Thomas Driscoll'
husband and fireman. She did not tie the knots
in the handkerchief because she thought the wash
erwoman needed an opportunity 20 increase her
vocabulary No, no. Mrs. DriscoI is not that kind
of
The iceman. the baker and the milkman were due
to arrive in the course of time with Ice bread ana
milk and Mrs Drscoll, to make sure that her
husband would not let them depart full handed tied
the knots in the handkerchief, one Knot signlIyng
bread another whispering ice and the thlru
suggesting milk" Then. having placed the HAND
kerchief in her husbands hip pocket for there the
knots would make themselves felt best, Mrs Drls-
COLL as has remarked before. but not unneces-
sarily. left her home.
Left to himself Thomas Driscoll. husband and
fireman loaded and fired a pipe and sat down IN
his armchair with a newspaper His eye railing on
a head "Our Forgetful Wives he proceeded with
absorbing interest to read an article on the mas
terly absentmindedness of some housekeepers
Down in the cellar. silent in the quiet or SUNDAY
rested an incubator and an ice chest. The incu-
bator is not OF the kind used at Bellevue Hospital
The incubator and ice chest looked like twins ana
each in its own industrious way was following the
faith of the Seventh Day Adventists. The incu-
bator was jncubating two dozen prize Buff Cochin
eggs and the refrigerator refrigerating butter,
milk and other foodstufs. Peacefully the re-
frigerator refrigerated and the incubator incu-
bated.
brought DriscoT his feet Yes he replied, and
Jumped to the door to receive a quart of certified
He placed in the refrigerator. and. returning to
his chair united knot in the handkerchief Then
he picked up the paper. and remarkng. "Oh, these
women!" finished the sentence which closed the
salt-in- observation-disclosures incident.
Anon there came another shout, Bread and
again DriscoI decamped to the door, receiving
loaf Of rye, which he placed in the cereal chest.
Then he united the second knot and took up his
paper.
But now, though he knew It not tragedy ap-
preached in the form of the burly iceman.
Want any ice? Throw out your chest?' was the
jocund greeting Of the with the tongs.
Driscoll was in the middle of gave-the-baby-a-
instead of -the-rubberring paragraph.
1t too exciting to leave.
Put it in the chest!' he shouted to the of
coldness. as he united the third knot. rubbed
bruise and continued reading.
The iceman went to the cellar with cank and
bang: a door opened then shut. The iceman went
his scaly way and all we'll licked the watch on
the pantry shelf.
Mrs. DrscolI came home. Thomas Driscoll. hus-
band and fireman. had finished his newspaper. He
told Mrs. DriscoH about it, and exhibited the hand
kerchef. without knots Mrs Driscol set about
preparing luncheon. She went to the ice chest
She heard a strange, an unaccustomed gurgling
coming from the incubator. She inspected 1t, and
issuing therefrom a stream or water She
opened the top door
Thomas Driscoll, husband and fireman, heard a
shrek coming from the cellar. seizng hand ex-
tinguisher he hurried to the region below. There
stood his wife gazing into ice filled incubator.
"'Tis a chilly day for the Buff Cochins." he
rnurmured as ne turned to the ice chest, for the
sight gave him thirst- Then he said that which
brought his wife to his side. Together they Cazed
at trickling golden streams. butterng their way
along lettuce ravines while milk looked in sour
discomfort.
'If we were only Matching icicles!" said Driscoll
as he tied himself into knots.