The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-04-23
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OTTUMWA, IOWA, THURSDAY, APRIL %, 1857

when Twas awoke by my wife digging her
elbow into my side.
sWhat's the matter nowq Canr you let !
fellow sleep9'
Hush, there are thieves in the house.
ten.'
I listened. and sure enongh there was mys-
terious noise, ~ il somebody was ascending the
kitchen stairs with great rspidity.
Jumped out Of bed, put on a psir--no mat
tsr--lit lamp. armed myself with my revol-
yer, and sailed down the stairs followed by my
wife.
We looked all over the house, and found
nothing but strange cat in the coal cellar
We went to bed again.
Ithoaght I had not been asleep more thar
half m hour, but in reality had been wooina
the drowsy god Ave or six hours, when wal
awoke by the window Of the room We were
sleeping in, being raised, and man softly en-
tered the room.
Halo! my fine fellow, l've caught you, have
I?' and Ilevelled my revolver at him.
sFor mercy's sake dom. shoot!' said the man
Matters were soon explained: be was only
the man engaged in painting the outside Of oul
new house, and by means Of ladder obtained
access to our room, not to rob or gsrrote Us,
but merely TO get his paint pot, that be had
left there the evening before. He apologized
Tor disturbing VI, not kno wing that there was
any one in the apartment. The new house had
no gas in II, but the landlord had put il in, to
the detriment Of ceilings in some Of the rooms,
and floors in others. This, however, was al.
ready accomplished; the pipes were laid, the
metre set and the floors and ceilings re paired
the whole being finished the day before we
moved in so that :here were several large spots
Of newly spread plastering on the ceiling Of
the parlor.
had just completed the task Of dr,vins
some picture nails in the walls Of this room
from which to suspend our family portraits,
when q scream Of horror from my wife, and Z
rattling sound caused me to turn suddenly,
which movement tipped my step ladder over,
letting me down in rather = hurried, and digni-
fed manner, producing an extensive and pain
full abrasion on my left knee.
As soon as recovered my senses from the
effect Of this unexpected shock, perceived
that the jarring caused by driving in the nails
had shaken down the fresh plastsring on my
wife's head, and worse yet, upon our new
Brussels carpet, purchased expressly for our
new house.
Notwithstanding that we gathered Il up az
quietly as possible, our carpet was completely
ruined, for the beautiful figures, large wreaths
Of red roses, with green ieaves intertwined-
became q. very dingy yellow color, whereve,
the plaster had touched.
My wife happened TO BE- looking up at the
time, and some small particles OF the lime had
fallen into her eyes, resulting ia much redness
and a little inflammation, and. I regret TO say,
great III humor for the rest of the day.
At last everything was pat to rights in our
new house. But it wasn't comforble new
house. The doors wouldn't shut; or when shu,
wouldn't open. The kitchen range wouldn'
burn; or when it felt inclined to burn wouldn'
bake. There was scarcity Of water. There
was a superabundance Of cockroaches. There
was this thing, that thing, and the other thing
80 that in factmy wife disliked the new house
MY wife grew melancholy.
'Supposing, my dear,' said to her ons
evening, 'as our old house is not yet let, VIZ
move hack again.
She jumped up from her seat. kissed me, and
told me was her good, kind, dear old Tom
N.Y. She always calls me sher Tommy when
! please her.
We moved back again to our old home:
Ihad to pay quarter's rent for the new
house, was at the expense Of twice moving,
had two carpets completely destroyed; lost, I
don't know how many things, had my sons
clothes ruined; ditto my wife's temper, and
and--that's the way saved 6fty dollars q
year.
HAMa&AP nNMpH AnunAH