The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-05-17
Warming Up the House.

"This," observed Mr.. Niles, MS the
postman tumblcd down the cellar stairs
with registered letter, "this is what
call hard lines" and the worthy gentle
man fired brick into the furnace, and
ratified around outside with huge poker.
whats hard lines? What are you
doing q asked the postman, handing
over his book and card for signature.
"Trying TO keep those people upstairs
warm" replied Mr.. Niles. "Hallo !" he
continued, as bell over his head began
to peal, "there's the fellow on the top
floor again, and he opened and slammed
the door and banged away with the
poker.
"But why don't you build freq de-
manded the postman, looking in Mt the
empty furnace.
Mr.. Niles desisted for moment and
looked over the tops OF his glasses i'll
mild indignation.
"Do you know the price of fuel? ?" he
inquired, as soon us he recovered his
speech. "IIave you any notion what
coal cost3?" and he bumped the furnace
vigorously "Build fire Well, |
guess not If they hear me rafting
around down here, they think there's q
big head Of stem on, and when ] COM
mence to heaye bricks they all open
their windows. See that load of bricks?
That's my fuel for this winter" and Mr..
Niles poured in o couple of handiuls and
began to rake down savagely.
"Well, here, sign these anyway, sug-
gested the postmau.
"Wait a minute" retorted Mr. Niles,
as another bell rang. "That's n shock
headed newspaper man on the second
floor He don't get enough to eat to
keep warm" and Mr.. Niles fetched the
furnace some prodigious thumps and
slammed in more bricks. 81 plugged up
the pipe to this register with carpet so
the cold air couldn't get up, and yet he's
bowling around with chill. B that
top floor fcllow~ he calculated, rs the
first bell tolled once more. "You just
rattle the poker, will you, while burn
some straw in his pipe. When he smells
the smoke he'll begin to peel"
whats that other bell?" asked the
postmar, as another bell rang violently.
Somebody's got company in the par
lor," replied Mr.. Niles. "Hit il q couple
of ticks around on the far side. That's
i'll Say, you wouldn't mind raking it a
bit, would you, while 1 give that barrel
few turns. It's fall of stones and ii
sounds like putting in another load OF
coal. Shake her up hard !"
Hellow exclaimed tho postman,
"WhaGs that quarreling upstairs?"
"Never mind him" replied Mr.. Niles,
chats friend of mine. lie come here
three times day with a shovel and bas'
ket and hollers for his money for putting
in two hundred tons since the first Of
November. I've done him some favori
and he helps me out. Don't shake any
more, you'll break the bricks. Now
kick the door o couple of times, while
beat with the poker. It's lucky for mt
that this is going to be mild winter"
give got to 60" said the postman
at wish you'd sign for the letter"
"Just roll the barrel of fire bricks
while | go up for a pen, that's good
fellow" pleaded Mr.. Niles, "and if q
bell rings, hammer around inside the
furnace. Don't be afraid, there's NJ
CRATE there, and once in awhile jus
drag that shovel across the floor coupl,
of times and then kick the door. 1
sounds beautiful upstairs.
When the postman left him Mr.. Nile
thanked him for his trouble, and the las
the postman saw of him he was scrapinl
the cold-air box with hoo TO give thu
impression of tremendous draft. =
BrOokLUn Ea0le.