The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1911-08-03
Con1pany's
Coming

window on the morning Of the day ap.
pointed for her luncheon in honor of
Mrs. Fentress, Mrs. Watson's COR.
geous visitor, and saw the abundance
Of the raindrops that were pattering
on the roof and noted the unyielding
aspect Of the clouds, she groaned.
Il just knew oughtn't to have
planned to have 1t Friday" she said
to her sleeping husband, who merely
grunted and raised one eyelid about
an eighth Of an inch. At that moment
three indignant squeals issued from the
nursery and the moment after three
white-robed figures precipiated them.
selves upon their mother.
"she hit met"
"She said l was a pig"
Wow, WOW, wow!"
When the dove of peace had been
persuaded to hover precariously over
the nursery Mrs. Powell returned to
her room and proceeded dolefully with
her toilet. "They always act like that
on rainy day." she moaned. Il know
1t will be perfectly awful all day."
After breakfast. with the assistance
of Hilda. her one maid, she proceeded
to remove to the dining.room the out
ward and visible signs Of festivity
from the porch, where she had
planned to entertain her guests.
, Now, Hilda," she said to her hand
maiden. who was in the state of mind
which is technically known as having
got out Of the wrong side of the bed,
I'm going to straighten up in here
and you can run out and put the gela.
tin to soak in boiling water and put
the: chicken on to boil"
i Hilda dropped lumpisbly out of the
room and about five minutes after her
blond head and resentful back had
disappeared Mrs. Powell heard an
ominous crash from the kitchen. She
withdrew her couHenance from UNI
der the sideboard and scuttled fer the
kitchen. Hilda was standing stolidly
amidst surging waves of gelatin.
The bowl break when l the hot
water put in" she said gently.
by best cut glass how'll" wept
Mrs. Powell, falling upon her knees
and beginning futilely to gather up
the fragments. i've a good mind to
make you pay for it.
Hilda slowly unfastened the strings
that held her apron around her ample
waist.
Il guess go, then" she said.
go where, Hilda?" she inquired,
the tears rolling of her chin.
Away from the place." Hilda ex.
planned.
Just how many things Mrs. Powell
promised Hilda II she would stay de.
veloped gradually during the ensuing
month. For with honeyed words and
promises she inveigled Hilda to make
ice cream In place Of the lost gelatin.
During the rest Of that feverish
morning Mrs. Powell swept and dust.
ed and cooked, and at regular inter.
walls spanked her offspring, and at ir.
regular intervals soothed and in.
structed dilda. Alone and unaided,
she wrestled with the best tablecloth,
which. though usually a sufficiently
tractable household article, persisted
in undulating over the table like a
huge measuring worm. In despera-
ton Mrs. Powell heated an iron and
tried to press 1t down, but the iron
left long, dark, rakish looking trail
behind 1t down the center of the
cloth.
After that she returned to the kitch.
EN-, where Hilda appeared to be hav.
ing hand to hand battle with the Ice
cream freezer, while the children
were dashing furiously about the
room, shrieking "Ice cream, ice cream.
ice cream! We're going to have ice
Ecream!"
Mrs. Powell pointed stern finger
toward the door and the three. still
screaming, darted past her into the
dining room.
What's the matter with tho freoz.
er?" Mrs. Powell inquired. She walked
over to the struggling maid.
HE don't work." said Hilda. She
gave the crank Of the freezer nnal
Jerk with her powerful hands and the
crank broke. Tho pail rolled over On