Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-03-05
The Smoky Chimney.

james Gray was Woodworking man, and
his wife decent woman, aud each was dispos-
ed to add to the comfort of the other but
though they did all they could they had sad
enemy to their peace, which often disturbed
thenl-ths was smoky chimncy-which so
continually annoyed them, that they were fire.
quently as peevish as though they had de-
| light in provoking each other. When James
came home at night and would have enjoyed
his meal in clean house, and by bright fire,
he had to listen Il full hour to the complaints
of his wife, who declared that to sit in such Il
smoke as she did was unbearable James
thought it bad enough to endure the smoky
chimney but to bear, at the same time a
scolding from his wife, for what he knew not
how to avoid, troubled him sadly, and many
half hour did he sit brooding over bis troubles
and contriying how he should cure his smoky
chimney ..#
| One night when the smoke was making its
way IN every direction except up the chimney,
and James was puzzling his brain, and trying
to Int upon some plan to lessen the evil,
neIg hbor of his, slater; popped his head i'll
at the door, -...".
James,, said he, you are in a pretty
smother, and so you are likely to be, until you
place slate or two at the top of your CHM
ney to prevent the wind from blowing down"
When the slater was gone, James determn-
ed that on the morrow he would do as he was
advised, and put some tiles at the top of his
chimney. BY the time he had made this reso.
luton, another neighbor a glazier, made his
! appearance. ...v
! Master Gray |" said he, "why your Chin
ney gets worse | tell you what, you may try
n 6rpd Cohn lint of
till you put whirl-a-gig in your window-that
Is what you want, and you will have no peace
till you get one"
Away went the glazier, and James began
to think about having whirl-agig in his win
dow +; but was little puzzled whether to try
the whrl-a-gig or the tiles.
Holloa, James y shouted third neigh
Dor, brick-ayer who was passing by, here's
a pretty smother | suppose you mean to smo-
ther us all out |"
NO. no." said James " / am tormented
too much with the smoke myself, to wish to
torment anybody else with it. Nobody knows
what trouble it is to me-"
Why, now,' replied his neighbor, " if YOU
will only brick up your chimney little closer
it will be cured directly | was plagued just
in the same manner, but a few bricks put all
to rights and now | have no trouble with the
chimney at all"
| This account set James Gray off a wool
gathering once more and whether to put
states at the top, to brick up closer the bottom
OF the chimney, or to have whrl-a-gig in the
window, he did not know. He mused on the
matter before he went to bed, awoke two or
/ three times in the night, and pondered it over
yet when he got up in the morning, he was as
little decided as ever. just as he was about
to set out for his work, old Allen Ingrim came
by. Now Allen had the character of being Il
Shrewd sensible old man, which character he
| well deserved so that he was often consulted
in difficult cases. James Gray, as soon as he
saw him, asked him to step in for moment,
which he willingly did
al want your advice" said James, about
my chimney for it is the plague of my very
life, it smokes so sadly"
What have you done to it ?" inquired old
Allen
"Why as to that" replied James, 81 have
done nothing but fret about it for one tells
me to do one thing, another, another among
three different opinions | am puzzled"
There may be some sense in what they say
said old Allen and if found it necessary
| would take the opinion of all three try
them all, and see which is best"
No sooner was old Allen gone, than James
went in search of the slater, who, in an hours
time had put the states on the chimney-top.-
When James returned from his work at night
his wife told him that the house had not smo-
ked quite bad as it did before, but that still
it was not cured. James went to the glazier
he put ventilator in the window, which ma
ny people call whirlagig- did wonders
James then went to the brick-layer, who in the
morning brcked up the chimney little closer,
to make the draft quicker. When James re-
turned, he found a clean HEARTH a bright fire,
and good tempered wife, and house clear of
smoke. Old Allen called again to know how
matters went on, and was much pleased to hear
all was right now.
"Now," said old Allen, "the next time
you get into a difficulty, instead of wasting
your time fretting over it, listen to the advice
of Others, and to act on this plan will cure
| thousand troubles"