The Meeker herald., 1908-01-04

Il never expect to I'LL Katy's place"
sighed Mrs. Schofield, over the maya.
Zine she was cutting. Here 1t Is the
nfteenth and haven't had shance
before to glance at the monthly"
Theses nothing lost. assure you"
.spred her husband from the depths
~ his Review. 1.-The New Woman
oesn't spoil in half a moon. does
she?"
I'm more anxious to know some
thing about the new servant. hope
. she won't marry and leave just as
soon as she becomes invaluable. ]
was boasting 80 of Katy only last
week."
"oh. no; she'll not be the marrying
kind, ! can assure you"
"Indeed!'
"'Pon my word. believe the most
bird's-nest-like affairs In the world
are household matters. Same slavish.
slow methods Of work. I'd get you
anything in the world II you'd only
turn over a new leaf and show some
interest In labor-saving appliances. l
don't blame domestic for marrying
or escaping the serfdom Of the kitchen
in any way possible. It's little better
than treadmill. II ]. had to get along
In the office as you do in the house, my
help would desert me, too. How long
would my stenographer submit to do
all my work with goose-quill pen?
There you go on on your usual tan
gent again, Reuben" she sighed.
How often have told you that most
of the household machinery advertised
Is 80 disappointing?"
Mrs. Schofield shook her head In
bands vagaries, as she considered
them. Hadn't she tried a patent wash
ing machine. and didn't 1t wear out
her clothes? Hadn't an agent induced
her to put in a self-turning meat
broiler, and hadn't 1t burned up her
husbands breakfast and nearly set
the house on fire? Hadn't she been
swindled again and again by oily
tongued agents with button-hole ma
chimes. rug machines. stocking-darn-
ers. carpet-cleaners, bread-cutters,
porch-scrubbers. silver-burnishers-
everything which gullible creature
could be blarneyed into buying-ex-
cept a dish-washer? She drew the
line at destruction of her precious
china. Not one piece of 1t should ever
be sacrificed to this Moloch OF modern
invention.
:. SO intent did she become in her re-
featjons upon these experiences that
she lost consciousness of her skeptical
husbands presence, and. indeed, of
everything except the hired girl Ques-
ton which had been uppermost in her
mind for fortnight.
Suddenly the bell rang. She arose
and went to the front hall door. No
one was there. Then muttering i'm
patiently over the steps her mistake
had cost her, she made her way to
the kitchen door.
Who's there?"
Good evening, Mrs. Schofield.
Don't you think. ma'am, that an cleo
trio bell outfit with an annunciator
would soon pay for itself in the steps
1t savedr
The voice was pleasantly modulat-
ed, yet 1t spoke with a briskness and
assurance which indicated an aggres-
sive owner.
oh, dear, another canvasser! she
felt sure. instead of an applicant for
Katy's vacant place.
i've heard the batteries freeze and
leak and are SO much trouble" she
politely answered the caller. as she
seated her. dreading another combat
with an agent.
IF neglected" admitted the other.
"but the real trouble is infinitesimal II
made q part of a well-regulated sys-
tenn
But servants are SO apt to be neg
lectful, and one can't think OF every
thing ones self"
You speak of the old servant. She
was a creature of muscle alone. and
unframed for thinking. But now 1t is
different"
Then" went on the caller. "the
electric doors are the thing between
dining room and kitchen. They open
automatically when you step on the
mat, and avoid all the rattle and bang
Of opening with the elbow when tray
of dishes is in the hand, or kicking
with the foot"
How persistent she ISL" thought
Mrs. Schofield. she really means to
fit out the house, guess"
and the dumb walters are run in
the same way now" went on the talk
err, as II unconscious of causing any
annoyance. Really the thing now is
the disappearing refrigerator. Mod
eled after the vanishing gun carriage.
| suppose. No reason that the appli-
ances of war should surpass those Of
peace and domestic happiness. 1t
saves both space and labor. You press
the button and electricity does the
rest. Intelligence supplants brute
force"
She paused an instant for breath.