Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-06-20
Fixing a Screen Door.


lie had n doubtful expression on his
phiz rs he entered n hardware store,
and he spoke about the stove trade. the
Wall street panic. the Grcenback Con
vention and several other matters be.
fore he finally said:
IL think II is time to put up 6y-screen
doors"
Certainly"
You have springs, l suppose"
"Yes, sir. -
,"Hayc you a spring which l can adj
Just?"
I'VE have. Here is one which boy
ten years old can put on. The time fol
intricate springs has passed and sim.
plicity is the rule
Lets see. l wonder If can put that
on?"
'Of course you can. All YOU want
are n scrcw-driver and three screws.
Herc-this end goes on the door-that
end on the casing See? When YOU
have it on take this wire and turn here.
When the spring has the right force
drop those slots-thus. See? Why. a
woman could put on one of those springs
with her eyes shut price fifteen cents"
Bones hadn't lost any OF his dou tful
expression rs he started out. He walked
home feeling of his ear and trying &c
remember just what the dealer said and
in half an hour he was ut work on the
door. The dealer had held the upper
end OF the spring 20 the northwest.
while his door opened to the northeast.
He sat down and thought and thought,
and finally decided TO try il. anyhow.
Mrs. Bones came ous and helped him
and the spring was finally put on.
Now whatP' she asked. rs shs
opened the door and saw that it 70.
manned thus.
why, we turn the ratchet, sur.
pose"
'Ratchet-what'5 that?''
Hanged il know. I've heard IN.
boys say: Cheese the ratchet, and that.
all know about it. Oh-yes: he said
/ must put this wire in the holes and
| turn
"Well. 60 ahead"
Bones turned and turned. The
spring stiIlened and the door flew open.
That's idst like you," she said as
| she jumped back. 'What on earth do
we want of n spring To hold a door
| open?'
~
of and turn IL end for end.
This was tried. but it was no rood.
and Mrs. Bones cried out:
"1ou might have known IL! Ii takes
n man with brains to put on n spring."
And I've got more of 'em right in
my heels than your relations have in
their heads''
''Then put on that spring.
I'm going to when l get ready.
There no particularly hurry, rs can
/ see.
Maybe it's tirsdr' she snecred.
And maybe you'd better attend to
your hopping"
! She went in and Bones tried that
| spring six different ways. Then lie
went OF and borrowed n g'mlet. an
inch augcr, n crowbar. Iack-screw
and pair OF pincers, and he tried six
other ways. He turned the old thing
until the tension lifted up one end Of
the house. and he looked from the front
| gate 10 the alley fence for the ratchet.
but the door had no spring to it. He
! put tho spring on diagonally, crosswise.
/ lcngthwisc, top for bottom and bottom
for top, and about four o'clock in the
afternoon Mrs. Bones came out and
found him pounding il with crowbsr,
while the door had been wrenched
apart aud heaved into the alley.
81 said you couldn't do IT, she re.
marked.
"Couldn't do what?"
"Put on that spring"
who's tried to put on n spring.
We don't need any door there. aud Tvp
taken Il away. IL isn't Mt all likely TINT
we will see three flies this summer, but
II few do come around we amt going
to murder 'em. Spring. / was inst
fooling you. That was burglar alarm,
and the reason didn't put il on is be-
cause we haven't anything to bur
I glarize. Even IL we had I'd let 'cEl
come. A burglar can't live unless be
has fair show. "-Detron Free PreSe.
I