Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-09-15
Gales aud Sketehes.
HOW IT WAS MANAGED.


to follow the example of several of my
neighbors and take summer boarders from
the city. | had been deferred. however
blythe knowledge that my accommodations
were not quite what they should be, ano
that nv husbands means were not sufh
cient to make repairs and the necessary ad
ditions to them. One night letter from
a cousin, whose home was in New York
saving that she would like to come and
spend the summer with me, and bring
two or three friends with her, set me te
thinking very deeply and speculatively
upon WAYS and means.
Your house is so roomy and so de.
lightfully situated" she wrote land yor
two. all alone there, must be dull. Lee
US come and brighten you up"
John had handed me my letter as hi
came in from the post Office. and then set
tied himself to the perusal of his nal
dozen newspapers. So, after reading thu
letter, bad plenty of leisure to think il
over undisturbed, while the news was be
ing greedly devoured by my other hall
U always substitute other for better, a:
do not believe in the superiority of the
male fraction.) After allowing him q
reasonable amount of time to inform him
self, and having finished my own cogita.
tons broke the silence by saying:
"JOhnr
well, my DEAR
cousin Sue wants to come and board
with US this summer and bring three
others with her,
"TOo bad we haven't conveniences fol-
them" was the dampening reply.
but I'm going to write to her to come
on with her friends the first of july"
spoke up briskly.
But, my dear, how-haven't we talked
the matter over time after time, and al
was decided that we couldn't do it?"
"Well, | often change my mind, as you
know by experience. If YOU will spare
800 dollars, will ask nothing further
from you. l have s. of my own. and you
know have plenty of bedding"
'lndeed! my dear, you forget that the
carpet in our spare bedroom cost nearly
that amount, and is an inexpensive carpet
at that. You do not mean to tell ME tina,
you can furnish three rooms, even to the
paper upon the walls with twenty-five
dollars. although you may have plenty OF
beddingp"
81 think can: Will you give me the
"You are usually allowed to do what
ever you please, so if you are really in
earnest Che saw that was) here is the
money and five more to help along. ]
couldn't spare another cent, and it is a
pure accident that have such a princelv
sum by me; Wilson paid me that old debt
to-day"
Very thankfully l received the money,
we'll knowing that my husband could not
afford to give it me for tri1ing purpose,
and that he expected it to return to him
several times redoubled, latter many
DAYS" and meant it should
could not sleep that night, so excited
was ! at the prospect before me. had a
month in which to prepare for nv guests.
and after dashing off a hurried letter to
cousin Sue, saying she might come on the
first OF July with her friends, harnessed
one OF our sober horses and took the letter
to the office. and then went through the
village from store to store, making the
purchases needed for the work before me.
l purchased several large cans of ready
mixed paint-delcate gray and LIGHT
brown, for the ground work of the floors
l meant to paint, and one small can each
OF yellow. red, green and dark brown,
and quantity OF white lead with oil, ETC..
also brushes, one large one and two very
small and light. Then there were three
different patterns of wall paper, one a
delicate ground of gray with clusters of
daisies. one light brown with SPRAYS
OF field buttercups. the other gray
with green and russet-brown maple
leaves. A little lime for the cell
ings completed the list of my needs for the
PURPOSE of floor and wal decoration and
renovation. | had already a whitewash
brush. The box of my market wagon was
full of bundles, and the articles needed for
toilet use, each inexpensive yet pretty and
quite meeting all needs
One OF the bundles contained forty wards
of cheese cloth and quantity of cheap
lace. both designed for use in the manu-
facture of curtains and tides another con-
tanned thirty yards of gray cambria and
..fteen yards of light brown cambria, de-
signed for upbolstering purposes. With
these proceeded homeward, leaving Or
ders for a number of packing boxes to be
delivered with three bedsteads. with mat
tresses. six chairs (three Of them rockers. J
and three mirrors of modest size.
The next day went to work in earnest.
and within the space of a weeks time |
had whitewashed the ceilings and papered
the walls of my three rooms. and though
rather weary, was quite satisfied with
the result of my labors. l had also painted
the castings, base boards and doors pure
white; next painted the floors of two of
the rooms gray, and the other light brown,
all which painting | did very easily (be.
side my housework) in two DAYS. So far
| was quite pleased with what / had done
but the remainder was to be an entirely
experimental work and felt little dread
at commencingit. But early one morning
entered one OF the gray papered rooms,
the one with the daisies, and upon the gray
ground of paint on the floor drew. by
means Of piece of board. oblong figures
about fifteen by seven inches in size all
over the floor, commencing in a corner
and drawing one. then two opposite. Their
three, always drawing each additional
figure opposite the space left between the
figures in the previously drawn row. and
leaving space of six inches between the
rows. used the dark brown paint fol
this. 1t dried very quickly, and then ir
each end ofthe figure painted two daisies
to match the paper, and in the centre 8
four-le; clover. and the green and white
| was lovely against the gray.