The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-21
LITTLE STORIES OF WASHINGTON LIFE
! "
ONE TOUCH OF NATURE
(The Plumbers Story.)

this got 10 be not so BoOu hclgaDOr-
hood as it was when he moved in. II
kept on thawin for couple o days,
and then froze up again. hdrder'n ever.
The morning after this second freeze
Mr.. Bannister and Miss Ethel come
riding up in a cab. and out they hoped,
and told the cabman TO bring their
trunks right In. IL appeared they'd
about got through their visit when they'd
got the letter and concluded TO come
home bag and baggage. They d come
straight through and the others stopped
in Philadelphia. But they didn't get
far, for the walk and the steps was all
glare ice, and the old gentleman he sat
Down sudden. but no harm done only
| 70 his religion When they finally did
get up TO the door Miss Ethel looked
at her pa. and he looked at her.
" Amt you got the key?' says she.
g No, says he. amt your
My cOnsciencer says she. kinder
laughin' as II she wanted ter cry.
mother locked no the house when we
left, and the keys on her key-ring in her
chatelaine bag in Philadelphia"
so then they had To tell the haclxrnan
to leave the trunks next door. and Just
then along came the expressman with
| the rest Of the family's baggage, and it
filled up the parlor next door so that it
embarrassed Mrs. Wakeman consider
ably when callers came. They hunted
up a locksmith 10 pry open the door,
and that took time. and they was pretty
cold and pretty mad by the time he got
through. specially the old gentleman.
Miss Ethel she didn't make much fuss;
faint her way. But when they did get
the door unlocked, behold II wouldn't
open.
Miss Ethel turned kind of pale
"'Can somebody have got in here end
nailed UP the door,? says she In dazed
sort Of way.
." Nonsense says her pa, and he give
the door q pretty violent shake. but Il
never budged. Then the locksmith went
to work on one Of the parIor blinds and
got that open, and started TO work on
the window. but when he got good
look into the house he jumped so he
came near losing his balance, and then
he tried not TO grin. Then the old gen.
tIeman peeked. and he didn't grin. nor
want TO neither.
well. YOU never see such a sight as
that house was. 1t was mild when they
| left. and they never thought TO turn of
the water. and when that freeze come
every pipe in the house had burst. Then
the thaw let the water run all over
the house. upstairs and down. and ev-
erything being tight locked up, it had
flooded the whole lower floor between
three and four feet deep, and then frOze
solid. They had to use axes. clubs, and
| ice-picks, and tea-kettles OF, hot water
and all kinds O. tools. - get the ice
out. for the freeze lasted some days.
and they didn't want to have things in
/ too bad shape when the rest Of the fam
| lily got home. They give me the job OF
fixing the pipes. and I tell you il took
science They had to pretty much re-
| furnish the house, and I guess that's
why they didn't any of EN- so out Of
town last summer nor this"
And they live right around the cor
ner. you say?" said young Hazard.
Yes; I'll show We the house" Nicholas
Green stumped along 10 the corner and
pointed down the street to a quaint little
vine-hung pair OF dwellings, each with
roomy porch and a front y@Td fun OF
shrubs and hOneysuckle. The one this
way"
But svyeeter than the breati- of the
honeysuckle or the notes of the piano
which sounded from the house where
all the pipes had burst. was the thought
I in young Hazards heart that Ethel
Bannister was SO near. and was not too
grand for him 10 call upon her. He had
/ met her two years ago in the country
when he was but an humble telegraph
clerk. and she a young lady from
Washington. presumably on intimate
terms with the Cabinet families Things
We're different now, and with a smile
which recognized the fact that this is
small world and the Capital Of the
country but {. small city after all, young
Hazard went up TO his room 10 make
himself less comfortable but moro bliss
ful in starched linen and new suit and
cherished pair of shoes Even In a city
of asphalt there is Already.