The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-10-30
The Champion Stove Posfsher.

The Champion Stove POlisher.
Since the death of Reason Davis,
several years ago, SHUTDOWN Smith has
claimed to he the champion stove-pol-
Usher of Michigan, and he has held his
medal through many hot contests. He
goes for a stove like Texas steer for
a red necktie, and when he leaves ii
there is a shine on il which makes the
owners heart swell with pride. The
other day Gratiot street merchant
fished his coal stove out OF the cellar and
found it red with rust He ordered the
store boy to clean it. snd the boy creased
IL all over with lard oil and kerosene as q
preparatory step. The oil took the rust
off but the backing slid right off from
it when applied, and the boy was told 10
get no and dust and never come near
that store again. The stove was wheel
ed out on the walk and Shutdown Smith
came along, out of job. He took
look. made mental calculation, and
said he'd make that stove put on the re-
Election of mirror for about twenty-five
cents. The bargain was closed, and the
negro slid up TO the base-burner and
gently applied the foundation for
shine. He remarked that it was very
soft. smooth stove, and he wondered if
they hadn't got so that they mixed
the iron with glue or India rubber. 1t
seemed to him that stove polish spread
out good deal on that stove, but that
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 a? Didn't know
dat Shutdown Smif was here, did ye?
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 a cloud of dust. The grease held
it down. The sweat trickled down Sun
downs cheeks, and the rent in thaback
seam of his coat widened rapidly. He
worked desperately for nine or ten min
utes, and then he opened his eyes in
amazement.
"Dis yers powerful GURUS" he
growled as he gazed at de door. q
guess dat backing dun fell down in de
road and got mud in it.
He looked at the backing, then
walked around the stove, and as the
crowd began to jeer at him he got mad
and shouted:
Cant shine dat stove Can't make
dat base-burner reflect the morning
rays,of de sun Cant do dat %
And he kneeled down, uttered a
"whoop p which sounded far up and
down, and made that broom fly like a
towel on a clothes-line with a nor
wester blowing.
Can't make him shine, eh ?-whoopi
never heard of Shutdown Sniff, ell p
whOop !" he shouted, but after awhile
he paused. There was a new light in
his eye. He got up, rubbed his hand
over the stove, looked at his hand, and
then, without saying a word or replying
to question, he picked up his "kit
and slid across the road into an alley,
his face wearing such a look of contempt
and disgust that it was a study for
painter. He came not back. His form
finally disappeared behind wagon, and
the crowd slowly dispersed. 1t was an
hour OF Grecian triumph. Detroit
Free Press.