Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1904-12-21
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: Fh1E Of TWO Presents. 4

HERE, now, we are all ready Tor
] Christmas" said Mrs. Slickerby, as
she climbed stiffly down from the
chair on which she had been standing to
deck the chandelier with holly. How
surprised Josiah will be when he comes
In, cold and tired, to find the place look.
ing 80 like holiday times. l declare, !
have a good mind to make fire in the
stove just to please him; he kept asking
for 1t 20 long-though, come to think Of
1t, he hasn't mentioned it lately, though
I always told him it only made a dirt
for me to clean up and the furnace heat
ed the whole place anyhow. He said his
mother used to have a nice fire In the
stove when they came in evenings. OF
course, she did; his mother never saw a
furnace in her life, and wouldn't have
known 1t from a telephone II she had"
She paused, with her hands on her hips.
to admire the result Of her labors. Yes,
I guess l will light fire in that stove.
anyhow, 1t will serve as text for more
remarks about the cold and few more
hints a. to how l do need new set Of
furs this Christmas. Josiah Is a good
man, but he Is as close when 1t comes to
question Of money as a potato is to its
skin"
Z She was busting about as she talked,
making her preparations to light fire
in the brilliantly polished stove. "There,
declare" she cried, as she opened the
door, III Josiah hasn't got this stove
all filled up with papers and trash, after
all my talking; it does seem as If you
can't teach q man to be careful about q
house any more than you can teach hen
to play checkers! Never mind, I'll just
lay my kindlings on top of the trash and
not scold-Christmas Is not the time Tor
scolding. anyhow-though when you've
got to live with a man it's best to take
every opportunity to teach him what's
right"
As the FIRE began to crackle chserfully,
she left it and went over to the old
fashioned cupboard in the corner, reached
carefully to the top shelf and took down
q bundle.
"I'll Just take last peep at Josiah's
present." she said. II tell you, there
was q lot Of work in the knitting of that
afghan, and II he doesn't give me those
furs he'll feel good deal ashamed every
time he puts it over his knees In the
buggy this winter-and the furs are not
in the house. know that, for I've been
over every square inch Of 1t in hopes
I'd find he'd hidden 'em somewhere"
She had unfolded a wonderful combina.
ton Of colors in wool which would have
made Joseph's coat a somber garment BY
comparison, and looked at It with great
admiration. Then she carefully replaced
it. Il don't know as its just necessary
to keep 1t away up there-he wouldn't
see 1t II 1t was right under his nose.
Dear me, certainly small something
burning. wonder If 1t can be my cake
In the oven, had almost forgotten 1t,
with all these other things on my mind"
"There comes Josiah now" she cried
ten minutes later, as she heard the door
Of the sitting room open. "I'll stay out
here and zee what he does. Well, surely
he must be pleased with the decorations
and the FIRE in the stove. 1t sounds as
and him q protesting Christian, too"
Five minutes later she opened the sit.
ting room door and stood transhxed on
the threshold. "Why, Josiah Slickerby,
what on earth 10 the matterY" she shrie1.
ed. "You are as black as a sweep and
your beard is all singed, and what is that
awful smell In here, and w-what 10 that
you have In your handT
ITS your new set Of furs, that's what
it IT," retOrted Josiah, grimly, "a good
set Of furs that cost lot of money, too,
and looking like a cat that had been
sitting on a can of frecrackers when
they went off,"
But how on earth could"
II had hid 'em In the stove, that's
how! you said you'd never make another
fire In 1t now we've got furnace, and l
hid 'em in 1t, SOS could surprise you
for Christmas!
swell, goodness knows you have sur.
prised me-"
"Yes, and when came into this room
II was all full Of smoke, and flames were
bursting out Of the stove door, 1t was 90
full, and II l hadn't kept my presence
Of mind and hunted out that old thing
to smother the flames with, the whole
place might have been burned" And
he hS,d up the afghan, which was scarce.
ly In better condition than the furs!