South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-02-02

AS Helen opened the ice chest and
stopped down to take out a bottle or
milk, a strong odor of stale butter
and vegetables greeted her.
Della, didn't 1 tell you TO clean
this ice chest yesterday
Della ironed on In stOlid silence.
Didn't l tell you to clean this
Yesterday" Helen repeated.
Yes ma am" sullenly.
Then why didn't you do it?'
No answer.
why, didn't you clean it. Della"
Didn't have time"
But you did have tir1e, you have
had very little to do yesterday. Now
Della this ice chest must be cleaned
today Take all these things off the
shelves and wash ii out thoroughly.
Put plenty of ammonia in the wa
ter And what's this?' taking out a
small covered dish. "Parsnips. Why
told you to throw those out day be-
fore yesterday"
Delias only answer was TO slam
the iron down on its rest with I'M
necessary force, while she jerked the
shirtwaist around on the board to
iron the sleeve.
"And here's some fish balls! How
many times have 1 told you never to
put fish of any kind in here? Every
thing will smell of it. Now you must
clean this as soon as you finish that
waist. You can do the rest of the
ironing afterward. But 1 want this
cleaned now. When you're through,
leave ii open to air out before you
put the things back.
Della Out OF Sorts.
For several days Della had neglect
ed her work and had been unusually
sullen. Helen felt it had something
to do with her young man." He had
not called on her for the last two
Wednesday evenings as had been his
custom. Plainly there had been a
quarrel. Della was constantly
watching for the postman. but no
letter in the painstaking illiterate
writing had been received. Helen
was always sympathetic with any I'M
happy love affair She had tried to
be patient and to put up with Della s
neglect and unusual bad temper. But
now she thought things had gone too
far. the dirty ice chest could not be
overlooked. And yet she felt vaguely
uncomfortable. She had never had a
really serious clash with Della, ana
was not quite. sure what the outcome
would be.
When half an hour later she again
went into the kitchen. Della was iron
ing one of Winifred's dresses and the
ice chest was untouched.
Della, 1 told you 10 clean the ice
chest as soon as you finished that
shirtwaist."
4 amt goin' 10 let these clothes
! dry Out-they're all sprinkled and
/ right 10 iron now. And I amt goin
| 10 sprinkle them over again. There s
enough work to do in this place
without doin' il twice"
But. Della, I said 1 wanted this
/ ice chest cleaned out now
I'm ironin' now. I'll clean il when
get through here"
you'll clean il now. Della. or III
have 10 get some one in your place
that will"
THAT suits me. ma'am.' Della
slammed the iron back on the range
and deliberately united her apron. Il
can get plenty OF places with more
money and less work that I'm gettin
here"
And Della stalked out Of the
kitchen. down the hall 10 her room
leaving the unfinished work on the
\ ironing board and Helen standing
aghast.
She had not intended to bring this
10 an issue-not this way. She had
no idea that Della could calmly
walk out. What should she do? The
thought OF breaking in another CIR
filled her with horror. In spite oi
all her faults, Della was very good
honest and dependable. II was only
the last few days. she had been like
this
Then Helen began 10 wonder If SHE
I had been a little unreasonable In IN
sisting on the ice chest being cleaned
Just then But il was not only th'
ice chest--she had put up with 81
| much neglected work and sullen de