The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-12-25
INDUSTRIOUS JERRY.
A White Lady's FIX ,erience with Col
ured Carpet Cleaner.

ured tarpat-Cleaner.
The proverbal Incidence of the col
ored man in certain parts OF the coun-
try may b. an unfortunate gilt of he
redtty. If so, it is Il git in which
many negroes find mach enjoyment.
A lady gives the f,l owing account of
her experience with Il negro man
whom she had engaged to take up
and clean Il carpet, and put 1t down
again.
He had told me that be would be on
hand bright an Il rlv, and even
hinted 1T the pos>ibi i.y of his coming
by daylight
III you are here by half-pa>t seven,
it will do, said
.'Ha' pas >ebrn, lady, Dat am
mons touS late TO II man to he%in
days wuk. l'se mo likely to beroun,
by ha-pas six, lady.
IIalf-past seven Came and went the
next day. and no jerry. Ii lat o clock.
and no Jerry. At halfpaSt eight he
came leisurely sauutcrn@ into the
yard.
How is this, jerry" asked. you
said YOU would surrey lie here by hat
past seven.
so did. lady, so | did an how
happened to oh 'rsleep mSse'f dis
mawnin is de mos mazn' circum-
stance. Mos gin rally | 81 up TO day.
But I'll hab d; k arpet up an out'n te
back VA d less no time.
1T so late, Sou'l have to hurry if
you get it all dole today
l., ~ lIit'. i,.-S ,,loN- fo' mo
to take up Il kyarpct like dat, clean hit,
an put hit down in free hours.
A lite after nine | went into the
room. Jerry had taken the lacks ont
on three sides OF the carpet. and was
lying flat on his back staring at the
ceiling.
ii 'clar. lady he said. ''dat's de
puttiest wuk on dat ceiIin' | eber saw.
Use tryin' an irwin to make out ii hit
am rce.y painted on dar, or if hit am
only papered on"
You'd better let the ceiling alone,
and get this carpet out on the line right
away | said. sharply.
Don yo' min bout dis kyarpct,
lady. Hill be out o hyar in free
shakes oh dead sleeps tail, he said.
At ten o'clock | again went into the
room. Jerry had folded the carpet up
in the middle OF the room, and was
sitting on it.
''Takin' up kyarpets is kind o
waxin' wuk," he said. Il mos allus
has some one to bel me"
You don't need any help in clean
ing little carpet like this, i said.
LA. no, lady! l could clean dis
kyarpet wild one hand tied behind me. -
1t was eleven o'clock when Jerry
got the carpet on the line. Ten min
utes later he had disappeared. My
little boy found him two blocks away,
in a perfect ecstasy over hand-organ
and monkey.
Il 'clar ma am, dat am de smartest
monkey! Hit do beat all. WINNER if
hit makes much money! he said.
when he came back.
He gave the carpet a few listless
strokes with an old broom handle, and
then laid himself down on the grass
'clean tired out"
Ten minutes later | found him in
itiating my little boy into the mysteries
of mumbIe-the-peg.
Jerry. | said, pointing majestical-
ly to the carpet.
LES, lauS- hi all tlcdncu. L IL
put it down in ten minutes
at is not half cleaned | said
you have not beaten one-tenth of the
dust out of it. ~
- Il right, lady, all right he said,
ominously. Hits yo' kyarpet, an |
reckon yo' kin stan de loss if | beats
hit to rags. is pounded dat kyarpet
all hitll stan, lady, but its yo' kyar-
pet"
But why write morep At five o'clock
that carpet was still on the line. and
Jerry was leaning over the back fence
watching two boys playing at marbles
in the alley At six 0 clock he dragged
the carpet into the house, and wanted
his pay for that day, saying that he
would get man to help him, and git
dat kyarpet down quicker'n wink the
next day"
l paid him for ha.f days work,
babe him goodbye forever. and put
the carpet down myself the next day.
-ToathS Companion.