The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1870-11-23
jenkins Experiences Of House
Painting.

Painting.
There are number of things con-
.erning which / am possessed of pro-
ound ignorance. Among these may
re numbered the fine arts. With re-
rard to the coarse arts, such as house
ainting, have recently learned few
essons from experience. l consider
| experience a thorough teacher; bnt his
charges for tuition are, perhaps, tri-
fle high.
Maria Ann said we must have the
| house painted, and as what Maria Ann
says must be, generally is, at once
went and made Il bargain with house
painter. He said he would send his
painters around the next morning. At
| the usual hour the next morning I got
NY breakfast, and started cut to earn
my bread by the perspiration of my
classic brow. opened the front door
and pm! my foot into a tin pail full of
paint Then took it out and set it on
the hall door mat. Maria Ann assisted
me from there, and l took a flying leap
over the painter to the sidewalk. The
painters painted the fence and the front
steps that forenoon. Every one who
came to see US either painted their
hands on the gate and left their prints
thereof on the chairs, or else painted
their soles on the steps, and made
tracks all over the parlor carpet. The
cat laid down on the steps to sleep in
the sun, and the paint dried so fast
that when she got up one side of her
was bald-ieaded.
The next morning the men came be-
fore any one was up, and began to take
ont all the windows. Dining the en-
/ tire day they were working around the
window castings. One of them would
! stand by the open Kitchen widow, and
another by the open parior window.
! and then they would talk about the
! Painters Union, about the picnic, the
price of fiour, the girls, about every
1 thing. That retirement which is among
t the charms of domestic life did not
f characterize our house to any great ex-
tent that day.
4 The next morning, about o'clock,
i heard some one walking into our bed
t room. Isprang boldly from bed, grasp
ed il boot in one hand and the pitcher
: in the other, and determined to sell my
: life as dearly as possible, unless got
chance to run down stairs. Said I,
!. "Who is there?r "Oh," replied the
intruder, ''it's me, the painter; l am
: taking down the window blinds" I
felt mnch relieved; bnt Maria rather
seemed to be out of patience. She told
Il the man what she thought about him,
and made pointed comments upon his
: manners, his appearance, and the prob
abil ties that he ever enjoyed a COM
mon school education.
u The painter was welded tn his art,
and paid no attention to the prattie of
u Marin Ann. With the windows and
|
: blinds both out, the interior of the
house was somewhat exposed, and the
: task of getting dressed was attended
with some embarrassment. especially
as the painters seemed t.. he ut work
u mt all the windows. While we were
citing breakfast one of the painters
came in with an ar;nfnl of towels, and
remarked that he. fnnnd them hanging
: on the cl"tlles line, and he supposed
Marin would have no objection to his
using them to wipe off the doors before
!" he grained them. Maria stated her Oh
!" ljections in detail, and the man with
drew.
The next morning was mp early.
f" When the printers came | volunteered
II to help them. Some right along"
II shouted, 'let's take off the clapboartls
and paint them. Let's take up the
II cellar and paint that, inside and ont.
II Let's take down the chimney and paint
/ the bricks. Let's paint the front yard.
Let's paint the lnle that the cellar
L leaves. Let's" They assured me
o. that MAS planning more work than
was necessary, and as they did not act
~ as though they needed my help, wen,
~ back to breakfast.
IS. The next time the house want:
painting shall move into the back
!" yard and send the house down to tin
H. shop, where the painters can swarm
< aronnd it at their pleasrre.-[Utic;
ne Herald.
he ~ Spanish gentleman speak wit
~ great enthusiasm of the handsome be
C. havior, in a recent duel, of two nava
re officers of high rank, intimate friends
ty who had quarreled over their cups
~. They fought twenty PAGES apart, to ad
:, vance to central line and FIRE at vii
ii. One walked forward, and when ne;
m the line the other fred and hit him.
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