The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-10-29
The Champion Stove Polfsher.

Since the death Of Reason Dayi
several years ago, Shutdown Smith be
claimed to be the champion stove-po
Usher of Michigan, and he has held h
medal through many hot contests. B
goes for stove like a Texas steer fc
q red necktie, and when he leaves
there is shine on it which makes Ii
owners heart swell with pride. II
other day Gratiot street mercha1
hshed his coal stove out of the cellar an
found it red with rust. He ordered th
store boyto clean it. and the boy grease
it all over with lard oil and kerosene as
preparatory step. The oil took the rus
off, but the backing slid right off frol
it when applied, and the boy was toIdt
get up and dust and never come nea
that store again. The stove was whee,
ed out on the walk and Shutdown Smitl
came along, out of job. He took
look, made a mental calculation. an,
said he'd make that stove put on the re
Election of mirror for about TWENTY-FIVE
cents. The bargain was closed, and tn
negro slid up to the base-burner ant
gently applied the foundation for
shine. He remarked that it was a very
soft, smooth stove, and he wondered j.
they hadn't got so that they mixec
the iron with glue or India rubber. L
seemed to him that stove polish spread
out good deal on that stove, but tina
money was in his pocket and he didn't
say anything. When he had a good
thick coat on he seized his broom, took
long breath and went in. He brushed
up and down, sideways, diagonally, and
various other ways, and the broom
seemed to just glide around without an
effort. After ten minutes work with
out result, Shutdown paused and re-
marked:
"Whar's dat shine, Ell? Didn't know
dat Shutdown Sniff was here, did We
S'posed it was sum common stove
blacker, eh?"
He took upanother broom and danced
around and went for the stoVe-door like
tornado, shutting his eyes and breath
ing hard and calling to the small BOYS
to stand away if they did not want to
meet the fate of Pompeii, and be buried
under cloud of dust. The grease held
it down. The sweat trickled down Sun
downs cheeks, and the rent in the back
seam of his coat widened rapidly. He
worked desperately for nine or ten min
utes, and then he opened his eyes in
amazement.
"Dis yer's powerful GURUS" he
growled as he gazed at de door. CT
guess dat backing dun fell down in de
| road and oct noI11 in If -
He looked at the backing, then
walked around the stove, and as the
crowd began to jeer at him he got mad
and shouted: I'LL. -,
Giant shine dat stove Can't make
dat base-burner reflect the morning
rays of de sun Can't I do dat? ?"
And he kneeled down, uttered a
"whoop !" which sounded far up and
down, and made that broom fly like a
wester blowing.
"Can't make him shine, eh ?-whoop!
never heard of Shutdown Smif, eh?-
whoop - he shouted, but after awhile
he paused. There was new light in
his eye. He got up, rubbed his hand
over the stove, looked at his hand, and
then, without saying word or replying
to question, he picked up his So kit y
and slid across the road into an alley,
his face wearing such lookof contempt
and disgust that it was a study for a
painter. He came not back. His form
finally disappeared behind a wagon, and
the crowd slowly dispersed. It was an
hour of Grecian triumph.-Detrojt
Free Press.