Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-13

Jenkins relates in the Utica On. ~
Herald his experiences ofhouse-painting.
9Hear him;
4 There are number Of things concern
hing which | am possessed of profound
Among these may be num-
3bered the fine arts. With regard to
3the coarse arts, such as house-painting,
III have recently learned few lessons
3from experience. / consider experience
3a thorough teacher, but his charges fer
1intuition are, perhaps, trifie high.
Maria Ann said we must have the
Mouse re epainted, and as what Maria Ann
isays must be, generally is, at once went
land made bargain with house painter.
3He said he would send his painters
zaround the next morning. At the usual
Z hour the next morning got my break
fast and started out to earn my bread by
<the perspiration Of my classic brow. !
} 3opened the front door and put my foot
Into a tin pail full of paint. Then took
Hit out and set it ON the hall door mat.
Maria Ann assisted me from there, and
n took flying leap over the painter to
the sidewalk The painters painted. the
3fence and the front steps that forenoon.
zEvery one who came to see us either
{painted their hands on the 3gate aud
3left prints thereof on the chairs, or else
3painted their soles ON the steps and
3made tracks all over the parlor carpet.
aThe cat laid down on the steps to sleep
hin the sun, and the paint dried so fast
8that when she got up one side OF her was
Sbaldheaded
The next morning the men came be
More any one was up, and began to take
out all the windows. During the entire
5day they were working around the win
3dow castings. One of them would stand
<by the open kitchen window, and another
{by the open parlor window, and then
3they would talk about the Painter Il
5Union; about pichics; about the price
/ of four about the girls about all the
while. That retirement which is among
+ the charms of domestic life, did not char
4acterize our house to any great extent
THAT day.
The next morning, about five clock, u
3heard some one walking into our bed
room. | sprang boldly from bed, grasped
Ma boot in one hand and pitcher in thel
other, and determined to sell my life as
dearly as possible, unless got a chance
Ito run down stairs. Said l., Who isl
there2" "Oh," replied the intruder
4 it S me, the painter; am taking down.
1.-The window blinds.
\ | felt much relieved, but Maria rather
seemed to be out Of patience. She told
THE man what she thought about him, and
Xmade pointed comments upon his mani
9ners his appearance, and the probsbili-
tiles he ever enjoyed of a common school
Seducation. The painter was welded to-
8his art, and paid no attention to the pratt
#tle of Maria Ann. With the windows
Hand blinds both out the interior of the
Ehouse was somewhat exposed, and the
Itask of getting dressed was attended
with some embarrassment, especially as
4the painters seemed to be at work at all
&the windows. While we were eating
@breakfast, one of the painters came in
with an armful of towels, and remarked
;Sthat he found them hanging on the
sclothes-line, and he supposed Maria
Hwould have no objection to his using
%them to wipe off the doors before he
= grained them. Maria stated her objec-
3tions in detail, and the man withdrew.
a The next morning | was up early.
1When the painters came l volunteered
n to help them. " Come right along" |
y shouted; ''let's take off the clapboards
s land paint them. Let's take up the cell
g lar and paint that, inside and out. Let $
Il paint the cstern. Let's take down the
Z chimney and paint the bricks. Let's
Npaint the front yard. Let's paint the
Whole the cellar leaves Let's" They
assured me that | was planning more
sSwork than was necessary, and as they
SSdid not act as though they needed my
4help, Invent back to my breakfast.
y The next time the-house wants paint
Eing shall move into the back yard, and
.Esend the house down to the shop, where
Nthe painters can swarm around it at their
&pleasure.