M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-08-05
,''Not much--make her ask me to,
and laugh at her" & M

| money. now bu6W very Woll ina
D. contained some very charming
girls-daughters of retired sea cap
tains, merchants, etc, who, however
much they might love a mechanic
would see him hanged before they
1 lweuld mrrS him, ,A8 c5Esadiso,
young gentleman of wealth and posi-
ton, would probably prove very aG
ceptable. ..
But he was determined, and wher
| returned to the city, in few days,
left Joe arranging a chest of carpen
ter's tools, and getting himself up 8
pair of blue over-alls and a paper cap
JOehad a wonderful talent for do
ing everything tolerably well. He
/ played upon half a dozen instruments
could survey, had dabbled in the fine
arts, understood shorthand, a little
surgery and medicine, was finished
jockey, a fair gardener, had built Q
stone bridge, written an epic, and
haifsoled a pair OF bootsl
With these somewhat varied ac.
complishments, he had no fear, Of
course, but what he could get on very
we'll as a carpenter. No one knew
him at D., and when he intro
duced himself to the "boss" carpenter
of the VILLAGE. he succeeded in per
suading him that he was a journey
man of unusual talent.
He received several commissions
during the first fortnight of his exper-
iment, but on the whole it was rather
lucky that he was not compelled to
subsist on the proceeds of his labors,
otherwise he might have found it diff
fcult to pay his board-especially as
he commissioned me to send him
some five dollars worth of cigars ev-
cry week. p
One day, after he had nearly ex-
hausted his patience, and had done nc
end of plotting ard planning in vain,
the village carpenter asked him tC
undertake the restoration of a cornicC
on one of the oldest and most aristo
cratic houses in D..
Joe agreed and in a short time was
mounted upon a scafiold about on {
level with the third story windows 0
the mansion of old Commodore Hulk
ington, dexterously making his meas
urements ard plans for the new cor
nice.
1t was not an easy task, for til,
work was elaborate, and weather
warm. Two days elapsed and Jot
mad only got ready to commence put
ting up the brackets which sustained
the heavy mouldings. Lunch.time
came, and the amateur carpenter, get
ting in the shade, unpacked his little
tin dinner pail, and began a repast al
once simple and nourishing, when he
saw that the window nearest him was
open and that some papers lying on ar
escritoire inside were disposed to blow
away.
81 know it is a trespass," medita
ted he, "but it is for the proprietor;
good I'll step into the room anc
save, perhaps, some valuable docu
ments."
A little gymnastic exercise brough
him down from his scafold, through
the window, and into very elegant
chamber.
"Hum!" said he, "a woman'sroom.'
There were paintings, statuettes
ormolu ornaments, and forty othcl
luxurious nothings, such as women o
taste love to gather around them. A
guitar reposed upon the bed, will
some books in French and Italian
The couch itself bore the impress of
form, as if the tutelar deity Of tn,
chamber had been lying down anC
passing her time with music and lit
erature. There was a portfolio opel
upon the table, with a very pretty lit
tie water.color sketch half finished,
well-stocked libraryin the corner, Dor
evidence to the cultivated taste of til
occupant, and everything about th
chamber, from the bed with its show
err Of snowy curtains falling from
massive gilt ring, to the canary blr
in the window, bespoke a retinemen
and delicacy on the part of whoeve
had arranged the apartment, seldom
found, except in young and beautiful
women, who aspire to have their SUI
roundings like themselves.
Something elegant about this,
said Joe, gathering up the scattere,
papers and placing them beneath
paper-weight on the escritoire; I"
must investigate this--here'S an open
+ ing for a splendid bit of romance.
poor, young carpenter and rich; Lowell,
woman, eh? Lord bless me, ther
have been bushels of novels writer
on the same plot"
After q hurried examination OF tn
; room he regained his scafold anC
consuming his lunch, set once NOR
about his labors, little more hopeful
ly than hefore s