St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-04-30
D1sclpllnlng
The Janitor

For some time IL had been apparent
to the Garyins that whenever anything
was lost of the dumhwaiter tie ianf-
tor asked them il they knew what had
become of 1t. The unanfmity with
which their costenants, through the
medium of d common agent, applied.
I'd them for the restoration Of missing
property finally became h~urniliatfng,
and Mr.. Garvin said he was going to
put q stop to it
seThe next time" he said. that that
fellow johns calls up here and asks us
about Jones' milk or Smiths bread or
Browns cabbagea I'm going to saueloh
him so enectualIy that he win let any
body run away with the house itself
before he'll ask us If WI know what
has become OF 1t"
Mr.. GarYin had an opportunity 20
pursue his drastic policy with the ianl-
tor the very next morning. II was Q
Sunday morning, and Mr.. Garvin,
eager for battle, rushed to the dumb
waiter In response to the clarion call
from the j~anitor's speaking tube.
asHello!" he said.
"HelloG" came the reply from the
depths of the basement. Say, have
youse folks seen anything OF d basket
Of aigs from the d~elicatessen that was
left On the dumbwaiter this morning
Tor Mrs. Crosby?"
mo-" said Garyin, "we haven't.
What do you take us for, anyway? A
pack of thieves? When things are lost
about the house why don't you go
some place else once In a while to
look for them? Why do you always
come to us??''
s'Beeause,' came the unhesitating
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.
size evidence OF his own guilt, bus
soon his indignation as an injured
householder asserted itself and arssS
him to vindicate his honor.
1.-THE only enes who haven los
anything, are we?" he retorted. Wen
just let me tell you that Is MIG proof
we have lost things, toos2'
ssYou have?'' exclaimed the janitoT
you never said anything about IT,
Mr.. Garvin instituted his $ystem d
revenge On the following mdbrning.
"Say, john he said, did you SEE
anything of a roll Of butter the gro
GERS boy left this morningA'
mo, sir" foated mildly from the
foot Of the dumbWaiter shaft.
THAT is too bad" said Garvin.
Somebody has sWiped lit. You had
better find out who it Wsss."
aAH right" said the janitor; .T1i
get it for you"
Before Garyin had finished his
breakfast he was disturbed By d VIC.
lent whistling and shrinking at the
tube and the creaking df the dumb
waiter.
"He1Iol" came a sepuIchraI voice
from the basement; .sherks your but.
ter.'s
MI. Garvin was too mlleh agtonndedI
at that unexpected announcement to.
make reply.
sWeli, III be blessed he said toI
bis wife. Where do you suppose he
got it,"
What are you going to do with itfH
cross-questioned Mrs Garyin.
Keep it. I suppose
"But it isn't ours she protested.
HE must have SCARED one Of Dur
neighbors into giving 1t up. You had
better give it back to return to them"
Never" said GatYin. Il have start.
ed out to teach that fellow a lesson,
and I'm going to stick 10 It. silenceS
just now ID the best policy. To makeE
inquiry of him4 or neighbors might.
spoil the game.T
I'm pursuance cf his scheme for dig.A
ciplining the Aanitor Mr.. Garvin dur.
ing the next few days reported miss
ing a pint Of cream, d ten.pound pack
age of granVlated sugar. a quart OIL
strawberries land q basket of potatoes,
and each tinfe, to the Garyins' ~increas.
ing a~mazemhnt, John called up afters
the lapse Ola few minutes:
eAlI righk, sir; here It is
AT last, MRS. Garvin, being Of a su-
perstitious bent, began to read disas-
ter IN the janitor's extraordinary
obedience
u de- hope.' she said, that you
won't report any more fictitious losses.
wen pe guilty Of robbing everybody
ii the house before we get out Of this
scraps. I am already such a dyed.in.s
the-ysool thief that ! am ashamed toH
look my n~eighburs ii the face
The day after receiving the mysteri-
ousB basket cf potatoes Mrs. Garyin re-
celAyed the monthly Dill from the gro.
ceIs
They've made s mistake" she said.
after comparing n With her " item.
hfed list of purchases. 4Theyva
CHARGED us With butter creanasSEar.
strawberries and potatoes that i never
ordered!'
'@E E&E% H&ME a1AA