The Falls City tribune., 1909-11-05
Disciplining
The Janitor

was lost off the dumbWalter the jan
tor asked them if they knew what hal
become of it. The unanimity win
which their co-tenants, through the
medium of a common agent, applied
to them for the restoration of MISSING
property finally became humiliating.
and Mr.. Garvin said he was going 10
put a stop to 1t.
"The next time" he said, that that
fellow Johns calls up here and asks us
about Jones milk or Smiths bread II
Browns c~abbages I'm going to squelch
him so effectually that he will let any
body run away with the house Itself
before he'll ask us if we know what
has become of it,"
Mr.. Garyin had an opportunity %
pursue his drastic policy with the jam
tor the very next morning. 1t was a
Sunday morning, and Mr.. Garvin.
eager for battle. rushed to the dumb
waiter in response to the clarion call
from the janitor's speaking tube.
"Helloi" he said.
"Hello!' came the reply from the
depths of the basement. Say, have
youse folks seen anything of a basket
of aigs from the delicatessen that was
left on the dumbwaiter this morning
for Mrs. Crosby
NO" said Garvin, we haven.
What do you take us for. anyway? A
pack of thieves? When things are lost
about the house why don't o 90
some place else once in a while 20
look for them? Why do you alwa13
come to us?'
Because came the u~nhesitatiag
reply. you are the only people in the
building who never lose anything
yourselves"
For a moment Mr.. Garvin appeared
convinced by this apparently conclu-
sive evidence of his own guilt, but
soon his Indignation as an injured
householder asserted itself and urged
him TO vindicate his honor.
The only ones who haven't lost
anything, are WEI" he retorted. "Weil.
just let me tell you that is no proof.
We have lost things, too"
You have?" exclaimed the %ianitnr
You never said anything about it.
Mr.. Garvin instituted his system Of
revenge on the following morning.
Say, john he said. did you see
anything of a roll of butter the GO
GERS boy left this morning.
NO, sir" foated mildly from ne
foot of the dumbwaiter shaft.
That is too bad" said Garyin
fCOn1obpdV hoe cyriDoJ II Va, Ia
better find out who it was"
"All right" said the j%anitor; III
get it for YOU"
Before Garvin had finished his
breakfast he vas disturbed by a yio-
lent whistling and shrieking at the
tube and the ~creaking of the dumb
waiter.
"Hello!' came a sepulchral voice
from the basement; here's your bat
ter"
Mr.. Garvin was too much "astoundad
at that unexpected announcement 10
make reply.
well, I'll be blessed" he said TO
his wife. Where do you suppose ne
got it?"
What are you going to do with it7"
eross-questioned Mrs. Garvin.
Keep it, suppose"
But it isn't ours" she protested
He must have scared one of our
~neighbors into giving it up. You had
better give it back to return to them
Never" said Garyin. Il have start
ed out to teach that fellow a lesson.
and I'm going to stick to it. Silence
just now is the best policy. To make
inquiry of him or n~eighbors might
spoil the game"
In pursuance of his scheme for dis
ciplining the janitor Mr.. Garyin dur
ing the next few days reported miss
ing a pint of cream, a ten-pound pack
age of graduated sugar, a quart Of
strawberries and a basket of potatoes. =
and each time, to the Garvins' increas-
ing amazement, John called up after
the lapse of a few minutes:
A right. sir; here it is"
At last, Mrs. Garyln, being of a ~.
perstitious bent, began to read dis.s.
ter in the janitor's extraordinary
obedience.
1 do hope she said, that you
won't report any more fictitious losses
We'll be guilty of robbing everybody
In the house before we get out of thrs
scrape. | am already such a dyed-tq.
the-wool thief that | am ashamed 70
look my %neighbors in the face" =
The day after receiving the mysteci.
Gus basket of potatoes Mrs. Garvin re-
celVed the monthly bin from the gro
Ger.
They've made a mistake" she sad
after comparing it with her own item.
lzed list of purchases. They've
charged us with butter, cream, sugar.
strawberries and potatoes that | never
orderedi"