Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-12-05

Since the death of Reason Davis, several
years ago, SLndown Smith has claimed to be
the champion stove poli>her of Michigan,
and he has held his medal through many hot
contests.
lie goes for a stove like Texas steer for
Il red ncchtic, and when he leaves it there is
a shine ON it which makes the owners heart
swell with pride
The other lay merchant iishcd his coal
stove out OF the cellar and found it red with
rust. H. ordered tie store boy to c'can it,
and the b y 4rclsei it all over with lard oil
and kerosene a u preparatory step. The
oil took the rust of, but the ackimg Sid
right off Of it wheuapplied, and the boy was
told to get up and d.tst and never come nca.
that store again.
Til, stove was wheeled ont on the walk and
Sundoan Smith came along, out Of job.
He took look, made Il mental ca!clayiun,
and said he'd make that stove pat on the re-
hcction OF Il mirror for about y ceat~. The
bargain was closed and the ncgrp sill up to
the ba-c-b .rner and gently applied the
foundation for Il shine. lie remarked that
it was very oft, smooth stove, and he
wondered if they hadn't 20: so that they
mixed the iron with Glue or india rubber
1t seemed to him that Stove polish spread
out a good deal on that stove, bat that was
money in his pocket and he didn't say any
thing When he had a good thick coat on,
he seized his broom, took a long breath and
went in. lie brushed up and down, side
ways, diagonally, and various other ways,
and the broom seemed 10 just glide around
without an effort. Afcr ten minutes work
without result, Sundown paused and re-
marked:-
"Wha dat shine, ch? Didn't know
dat Sundown Smit was here, did yc? Spos-
cd it was sum common stove blacker, ch?'
lie took up another broom and danced
around and went for the stove door like 4
tornado, shutting his eyes and breathing
hard and calling 10 the small boys to stand
away if they did not want to meet the lttc
Of Pompeii. and be buliel under a cloud Of
dust. The grease he'd it. own. The sweat
tricklcd down SundownS cheeks and the
rent in the back seam of his coat widened
rapidly liz worked desperately for nine or
ten minutes, and then he opened his eyes in
amazement.
"DiS ycr's powerful Gurus" he growlcd,
as he g;lzed nj the door. II guess dat black
ing dan fell down in de road and got mad
in it,"
lie looked at the backing, then walked
around the stove, and as the crowd began to
icer at him he got mad and >houtcd:-
Cant shine dat stove? Cant make dat
ba>e-burner reflect de morning rays Of dc
sun, Can't do Jat?'
And he knceled down. uttered Il "whoop!"
which sounded far up and down, and made
that broom fly like towel on clotbesline
with Il nor'wc~trr blowing.
Cant make him shine, ell eh?-whorp -
can't bring out dc retlecti1n, ell ?-whoopl
never heard ofS fSdndowI Smit, ch?-Whoop!'
he shouted, but after awhile he paused.
There was Il new lgh; in his eye. lie got
up, rubbed his band over the >'oyc, looked
at his hand, and then wi; out saying 4 word
or replying to a question, he ,licd up hi.
exit" and slid across the road into an alley,
his face wearing such look Of contempt
and disgust that it was study for a painter,
lie came not back. Hi form finally disap-
peared behind Il wagon, and the crowd slow
" dispersed. 1t was an hour Of Grecian
triumph.