The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-03-20
Married Life
the Third Year

"Why, Della, you haven't cleaned
the nickel in that bath room?"
Cant do everything at once"
grumbled Della.
But told you particularly I want
ed that done. You can leave those
shelves and do it now
Della sulkily threw down the oil
cloth she was fitting on the pantry
shelves, and got out the nickel polish.
1t was not often that Helen made
her stop one thing to do another in
this way. But all during the moving
and for the two days they had been
In the new apartment, Della had been
most sullen. She showed plainly that
She disapproved of this larger apart
ment, and had made several grumbling
remarks about the work being much
harder here.
She had been in the bath room now
hardly twenty minutes when Helen
heard her go back to the kitchen.
Surely she was not through. She
could not have cleaned the nickel In
that time!
When Helen went to look she found
the faucets had been rubbed up lit
tie, but the nickel pipes under the
washstand and the shower over the
tub had not been touched.
Helen, now thoroughly angry, went
back to the kitchen. She had put up
with a good dea from Della in the
last few days, and her patience was
exhausted.
Della, do you mean to say you call
that nickel POLISHED"
Good as l can get it the first time.
That amt never been polished be-
fore"
But you didn't touch the pipes I'M
ho CT no
"Couldn't reach that shower" sui
lenly.
Then get the stepladder Now
you'll have to go back Della, and do
that right"
Della muttered something under
her breath and went back to the bath
room in furious temper. Helen fol-
lowed her in.
And this tiling-you haven't
cleaned any Of this.
Those spots won't come off, them's
paint"
Get a knife and scrape them Off"
trying one with her thumb nail Now,
Della, | want you to get this bath
room CLEAN. We've been here three
days now and it's almost as bad as
when we came"
Well I can't do no more than |
can" muttered Della.
For the rest of the afternoon. Della
maintained sulky, resentful silence.
At dinner even Warren noticed that
something was wrong.
"What's the matter with Delia?' he
asked
ooh. dear, don't know She's
been sullen and grumpy ever since
we've moved and today I had a per-
fectly dreadful time making her pol
fish the nickel in the bath room. She
thinks this apartment is too big
that the works going to be harder.
We'll, if she doesn't want to do
the work here, fire her. Well get
somebody who does"
But, oh, DREAD to think of a
new girl We've had Della so long
TOO long maybe. These girls get
spoiled when they feel you can't do
without them
"S-s-s-sh, dear, here she comes"
Della came in now with the vege-
tables.
Della how did you burn these"
asked Helen, as she took blackened
sweet potato on her plate.
That oven burns everything. Can't
bake nothing fit to eat in that stove.
Then why didn't you boil these?' /
But Della swung through the pantry
door without answering.
Then as she did not return, he put his
foot on the bell under the table and
kept it there.
Della sternly, as she came to the
door again, why did you go out with
out answering? Mrs. Curtis asked
you why you didn't boil the potatoes
IF you knew the oven didn't bake
we'll
Didn't know you wanted them
boiled, SIR" was the evasive answer.
We'll if she's getting insolent,'
fumed Warren, as the door again
swung after her. well get rid of her
so quick it'll make her head swim.
You've spoiled her. that's the trouble.
You've made her feel you couldn't get
along without her, That spells any
girl They take advantage Of it every
time"
But, dear, Della has been so good
in SO many ways, and she's SO clean
about the kitchen-that's everything.'
Lots Of other girls are clean, too,
and a durn sight more economical"
1t was true that Della was a little /
eXtravagant about the cooking. But |