Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-02-01
= CHAPTER XII
HOUSE Cleaning and Bachelorhood

Apart from Mrs. Burke there was NO
one in the town who was so complete.
ly surrendered to Mrs. Maxwells
charms as Jonathan Jackson, the Jun,
Ior Warden. Betty had penetration
enough to see, beneath the mans
rough exterior, all that was fine and
lovable, and she treated him with a
jolly, friendly manner that warmed
his heart
~ Nv. day she and MIS-. Burke went
over to call on Jonathan, and found
him sitting in the woodshed on a tub
turned bottom upwards, looking very
forlorn and disconsolate.
"What's the matter Jonathan? You
look as if you had committed the un,
pardonable sin." Hepsey greeted him.
mo, 1t amt me-" Jonathan replied:
"it's Mary MCGUIRE that's the con-
founded sinner this time'
well, what's Mary been up to
now?"
"Mary McGuires got one of her at
tacks of house cleanin' on, and tell
| you II . pau ohe' Dlal thS hui
| sance."
why, Jonathan don't swear like
that
We'll, I be hanged if l can stand
this sort of thing much longer Mary,
| she's the deuce and all, when she gets
| ctarted house cleanin'."
"Oh DEAR" Mrs. Betty sympathized.
- =
take long, and it will soon be over.
won't it?"
well, l don't know as to that" re-
piled Jonathan disconsolately. MARY
| MCGUIRE seems to think that the
| whole house must be turned wrong
side out, and every bit Of furniture
I've got deposited in the front yard.
| Now, Mrs. Betty, you just look ovel
there once. There's yards and yards
Of clothes-line covered with carpets
| and rugs and curtains I've been Older
ed to clean. It's somethin' beyond
words. The whole place looks as ii
there was goin to be an auction, or
a rummage sale or as if We had NOV
| ed out cause the house was afire.
| Then she falls to with tubs of boilin'
hot soap suds, until it fills your lungs,
and drips off the ends Of your nose
md your fingers, and smells like soo.'-
ness knows what"
"Jonathan!' Hepsey reproyed.
Are you exaggerating just the
least bit?" echoed Betty.
| mo ma'am, I'm not. Words can't
| begin to tell the tale when Mary gets
the fever on. thought l noticed symp.
| toms of house cleanin' last week.
| Mary was eyein' things round the
house, and givin' me less and less to
eat, and lookin at me with that cold
storage stare of hers that means death
or house cleanin'."
But, Mr.. Jackson" Betty pleaded
your house has to be cleaned some
times you know"
Sure thing" Jonathan replied. "But
there's altogether too much of this
house cleanin' business goin' on to
suit me. l don't see any dirt any
wheres.'
That's because you're man." Hep
sey retorted. Men never see dirt
until they have to take shovel to
It,"
Jonathan sighed hopelessly. "What'o
the use OF bein' a widower," he con.
tinued, "if you can't even have your
own way In your own house, Id just
like to Know? l have to eat odds ana
ends OF cold victuals out here in the
v oodshed, or anywhere Mary Mcclure
happens 10 drop EN-"
THAT'S tough luck, Mr.. Jackson
You just come over 10 dinner with
Donald and me and have square
meal"
I'D like to awful well, Mrs. Max
well, but dasn't: II ! didn't camp oul
and eat her cold victuals she'd laiu
out for me, it'd spoil the pleasure @.
house cleanin' for bcr. 'TaiH n
though 1t was done with when siIe's
finished neither. After It's ali owe
and things are Bet to rights, they're
all wrong. Some shades won't roll W..
Some won't roll down: why, I've III