Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-12-23
SISTER MARY
DOES THINGS

1hdiy lives WIN Two sisters ana
brother. She writes short stories and
she has written book Therefore
the two sisters and the brother are
ienlent with Mary and pardon her
some extraordinary things which she
does from time to time Mary is not
stupid but when she has work on
hand she is apt to become somewhat
absent-minded.
one day the family moved into
new fat. During the process of set
ing in the new quarters one of the
practical sisters gave Mary package
# little hooks to be screwed up in
clothes presses, bathroom, kitchen and
wherever else one might be supposed
70 want to hang things.
Those little screws In the end"
said the practical sister. won't screw
nto this woodwork unless you make
title hole with the gimlet. Get the
ginlet ont of the kitchen"
Mary disappeared After a while her
brother heard her calling and found
cor In clothes press vainly endeavor
ng to bore hole in the under side of
an overhead shelf.
Johnny said she. you'll have to
art these holes. | can't see why, but
on chow don't seem to have strength
n my wrists to make an impression"
Johnny looked, and then beckoned
''ently to the two practical sisters.
hey came and gaZed. Mary was try
ng TO bore a hole with the corkscrew
One day the sisters came into Marys
room and began systematic search
Tor some article which was lost or
nislaid Mary was busily writing at
her desk. After while she silently
rose and began to aid her sisters in
heir search. Suddenly one sister
"Gked the other Mary was wander
'ng around and around the room, peer
rig into corners and cupboards, and
although it was broad daylight she
carefully bore in her hand an un-
lighted lamp
Another time Mary took this same
reaGjng lamp into the kitchen to fill
it. i having expired while she was at
work She performed the simple oper-
afion quite naturally and successfully;
illed the lamp through the little hole
n he top of the BOWL, screwed on
the cover of this hole, and then set
he oil can neatly in it's place. Then
she returned, lit match, and instead
Of removing the chimney removed
gain the cover of the little hole. One
sister grabbed her just as she was
abont TO light the lamp by inserting the
match in this hole, but as the match
had gone out probably no catastrophe
would have occurred.
Sometimes it is borne in upon Mary
hat she leaves the work of the family
800 much to her sisters. One day she
appeared where the two were sewing
and said: Haven't you any work that
could do? l could help you a while
now
All right" said one sister you
can haste up that pillow-case for me-
She handed the pillow-case, neatly
cut and laid together, to Mary and be-
took herself to the sewing machine
Mary finally said, cheerfully: This
is finished, give me another
The practical sister took the pillow
case. It was seWed up, tightly and
neatly, with fine, small stitches, on
all four sides
One night Mary had came home very
late, after all the rest had gone to bed
She let herself in with her latchkey
and before going to bed set the alarm
clock for an early hour next morning.
After she had got into bed, however,
she reflected that she would be very
tired next day, with so little sleep, and
that there was really no reason why
she should not postpone her trip one
day So she rose, took the alarm
clock, and battered down the long hall
to the kitchen. There she looked
about for suitable place to conceal
the clock Perceiving tall tin bread
can, she lifted the cover and tucked
the alarm clock snugly in among the
loaves Of bread. Next morning while
one of the sisters was getting break
fast, she head muff1ed roar from the
breadcan Two hours later, while |
Mary was at breakfast one of the lat |
ter said: What made you put the
alarm clock in the breadcan Mary"
Mary explained.
But why didn't you turn the alarm
forward?" asked the sister Mary
paused "Why, l might have done
that" she said, in such a natural, sur
prised tone that the two long suffering
sisters broke into shrieks of laughter.