CAUSE OF THE 'SPLOSION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3007, 14 February 1881, Page 4

CAUSE OF THE 'SPLOSION.

' I would invite you to my house, brudder Jackson,' said Deacon Johnson, as he emerged from church last Sunday evening, ' but I dunno as we'll get any supper dis night, the cook stove am so dreadfully out ob repair.' ' What's de matter wid de stove. - ' Why, you see, cold wedder am comin' on, and'wood's gettin' skase and high, an' I've 'structed de folks to be berry eknocomical in de usin' ob it. We'se bin buying in small lots, an' last night, bein' out ob fuel, I sent one of my boys ober to a neighbour's to borrow a few sticks. De man br his family had gone to bed, owin' to de lateness ob de hour, an' dat boy, who woidd 'spise to do a unhonest transaction, wrote out his note for de value ob de wood, an' droppin' it in a prominent place in de woodshed, shouldered an armful an' brought it home.' ' Jess so.' ' Well, a fire was kindled, de tea kittle put on, de old woman she is getting supper. AH of a sudden, puff went de stove, zoon ; ke swish, kushlush went something, an' as I tumbled over I saw de ole woman makin' for de roof wid de tea-kittle, an' de stove plates followin' her, while de boys and de gals was as black with smut as de ace ob spades. De stove's goose was cooked for a fact.' ' What was de cause of de 'sploshun I' ' I'm strongly 'dined to believe dat dar was powder in dat wood, an' dat de powder was done put it dar by dat white man to ketch some thievin' darkies, what nebber buyes no wood, an' bressed ef I don't think dat man spects me, kase he couldn't find dat note, an' won't make any 'pologies.' ' That am an outrage.' 'Eor a fact, an' de children's supper was spiled to.'