The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1882-01-21
RED PAINT.

Ii the matter OF the chocolate -coloref
circles about my blue eyes, the whitel
Of which complete the patriotic trinity q
red, white and blue--those red rings. q
whose origin / have been 80 often yexet
with questions--I will tell q story
which may save further inquiry. 1 an
enabled to do SO by memory of wi at my
father used to say, and by reference "a
notes in o diary which he kept for many
years.
Some time before I dawned upon This
world, and while my spirit was probably
walking with the angels with whom
kept company, my dear mother, tired oil
the monotony Of her life at our family
seat in the country, repaired alone to
the city to regale herself with sight Of
novelties for month. NV mother sup
posed that father would soon follow and
reloin her; but in this she was mis-
taken. He gave the housemaid q
months vacation, and was now left en-
tirely alone, sleeping OF the house and
getting his meals for himself, rather
than going to the city or the nearest
tavern. He was an odd man, my father
was, rs Ishall presently show. Being
lonesome, he thought he would FIX up
things about the house to while away
time, and surprise my mother by the
improvements when she returned at the
expiration of the month.
~ think ! viii do little painting up,
in the first place." thought my father.
Paint is not only an ornament, but It
preserves things. The kitchen floor
needs painting. The old color, what
remains of 1t, is yellow bnt / am not
partial to yellow, and beside, want
new color, for novelty. What color
would probably most charm my wife
have not much taste myself, but have
heard people praise red very highly.
Sunrises, and sunsets, and comets, are
often approved OF by good judges, for
being red. Red is said to be the most
snowy and effective military and dramat-
10 color. / have seen some very hand
some red flags at auction and railroad
stations. Red lips and cheeks are al
ways in the fashion. Then there is the
ned, red rose; and then there is my red
handkerchief, the handsomest and larg-
est 1 have got. Twill paint the floor
red and, now that / reflect upon the
supreme beauty of red, I will buy
enough, and no doubt I shall find good
use for it."
SO my father went and bought great
quantity OF red paint, and had it mixed
and sent with brushes to the house.
II viii do all the painting myself
that care to have dsne," thought my
father, when the bloody fluid blushed
beneath his smiling eyes. q 1t will be
. light, pleasing exercise, and my wife
will be more delighted when she finds
That I have done all the ornamentation
without help. How lovely that red
looks 1t appears to me that all the
white paint on the other woodwork in
the kitchen looks as dingy now as the
ioor. What q capital idea ii would be
q paint it all red, now that / happen
2 have 20 much Of Y Twill do 50.
The kitchen, all Of that color, will be
he handsonest room in the house. But
he main thing is the floor"
30 my ardent father hastily began
ind painted the floor first, forgetting
hat 1t would cause him to wait until It
MAS dry, or make tracks over il, or lay
planks, II he painted III
he rest Of the kitchen. He saw the
mistake he hed made when he began to
paint the doors. The fresh paint on
he floor stuck to his soIes, and the
marks Of bis flaming footsteps, like |
hose OF acme destroying angel, hot
rom home, were everywhere and con-
Eused. They did some little damage to
The carpets in other rooms, and this
him some; but my father was \
not . man 70 stand for trihes, and,
Al a " - A. 49, Il