The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-07-18

the man ana SAID, "What is the matter,
can do anything for you ?"
The man, thus encouraged, began
tale of woe unparalleled in the history
of any tramp, living or dead. He
concluded the narrowing tale by in
forming us that he was one of the best
painters this side of 'Yurrup."
l put my lips to Wills ear and told
him to get the man to paint our house.
The man heard me and exclaimed "I'm
yer man, ma am !"
"We will give you your board until
you have finished the job, and that is
all we feel able to give you," said Will.
"There's nothing mean about me-"
said our employee. "I'll take what l
can get and be satisfied"
Will procured quantity of gray
paint, and the "traveler" went to work.
"All things come round to him who
will but watt" and we did wait for the
last touch OF paint to be put upon our
domicile. For three mortal weeks that
poor abused man crept up and down
ladder that stood against the side of the
house, at least twenty times a day.
Whenever he came down he rested
upon the grass fully half an hour be-
fore returning to his work. And after
making the ascent he seemed to be lost
in meditation for such length of time
that l was in constant fear that he
would fall off the ladder and break his
neck.
The last stroke was added with great
reluctance-and so late in the evening
that we felt obliged to object to the
painter leaving until the following
morning. We had fixed up a Temporal
ry bed in the barn for his accommo-
dation. About ten o'clock Will went
out to see that everything was all right
he arrived just in time in few min
utes the whole barn would have been
ablaze.
Sir Tramp had disappeared, and is
probably at this moment telling how he
was imposed upon by two young people
who lived in elegant style, who had
half "a million at their disposal, but who
were too mean to offer the crumb off
their table to "gentlemen in reduced
circumstances. The house is paint
ed and that is something gained, though
I admit the work could have been done
in style more artistic.
Will worked early and late in the
vegetable garden back of the house,
while I turned my attention toward
beautifying the interior of our home.
had a large trunk filled with cheese
cloth, chintz and cretonne. The arti-
cles were given to me by an aunt who
was very eccentric. When she inform
ed me concerning the contents of the
trunk, l must admit that l felt disap-
pointed; 1 had INDUCED in the hope
that Aunt Sarah's presents would be
handsome silverware or china. Will
declared that I actually turned up my
nose when opened the trunk; and he
stated that | became positively pugna-
cious when I viewed the contents. My
nose has decided tendency TO turn
/ upwards; therefore 1 looked very
severe and declined to laugh at the fun.
Will assured me that he was only jok-
ing, and became SO eloquent in his eu-
logistic remarks concerning my nasal
appcndage, that could not help laugh
ing, and, of course, peace was restored.
felt positively grateful towards Aunt
Sarah when realized that the contents
of the trunk would enable me to beau
tify my home so that it would be ''joy
| forever"
Soft, cream-tinted cheese-cloth made
lovely curtains for the two windows in
my bedroom. l cut off six yards of
cloth for each window, hemmed the
edges, and run drawing string through
the top, then wound the ends of the
string round two nails that were driven
firmly in the woodwork directly above
the upper sash. hemmed two yards
of the cloth lengthwise, and made a
gathered lambrequin; then running
casing about three inches below the top
of the hem, to form frill. I fastened
it on the nails that supported the cur
effect, made three plaits in the centre
and fastened them with large bow of
blue ribbon.
I peeped through the window and
saw Will standing directly in front of
it, evidently trying to attract my atten-
ton. When he saw me he waved his
cap in the air and executing regular
war dance, in style that would have
caused an Indian brave to turn green
with envy, shouted "bravo! little one,
you are making tremendous progress. !"
Two gentlemen driving by the house
in a carriage, looked as though they
thought the place private lunatic asy-
lum. They probably imagined that I
was kept in solitary confinement. In
regard to Will, I have no doubt but
what they looked upon his antics with
intense alarm, for they applied the whip
to their horse, and in short time dis
appeared in the distance.
The floors all through the house had
been painted brown. Linseed oil well
rubbed into the boards would make
them as good as nta0.
Away down in the trunk already men
toned, 1 found three bright knitted
rugs, that had been fashioned by Aunt
Sarah's deft fingers; they were just
what 1 needed to lay about the room.
My pretty cottage set, all blue and gold
Ca present from Wills mother) contras-
ted beautifully with the dark floor and
bright rugs. I did not fancy the ap-
pearance of the old white mantel the
paint was all worn off and it looked
shabby in the extreme. l covered the
top with cheese cloth, tacking it under
meath then measuring off three yards
of the cloth, 1 cut it in two lengthwise.
Taking one-half of the material, hem
med it, and turning down the other
side, gathered it about one inch from
the top. Small galvanized tacks with
round heads, served to fasten the lam
brequin, and were rendered invisible
by being placed under the folds. A
blue bow in the centre and one at each
end finished that front of the decora-