Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-10-05
BowsER,s ODD JOB.
He Liked the Smell of Lime, but White
wash was Too Much.

pened that he came one morning before
Mr.. Bowser had left the house, and was
greeted with:
Well, what's up now?"
lze dun bin hired to work, sah'
"Who hired you ?'
Ode lady, sah."
What to do?'
Jobbin', sir?"
We'll, the lady has changed her mind
and doesn't want you"
After the man had gone Mr.. Bowser
came into the house and asked:
Did you hire a colored man ?'
"Why, yes"
"What forg'
l was going to have him whitewash
the vegetable cellar, take down and clean
the laundry stovepipe and do some other
odd jobs"
HIM Mrs. Bowser, l don't believe in
encouraging such people He'd have done
about one hours work and charged you for
a whole day. l don't believe he knows
any more about whitewashing than I do
about playing the harp"
But he said did,"
Certainly. Did you ever see a negro
who wouldn't say anything to fit the occa-
sion ?'
"Well, but"
"There is no but about it. If there are
any little jobs about the house I've got
plenty of time to do them. In fact.
need just such exercise. Such work is a
diversion for me, and the doctor recon-
mends it."
DO you mean to say you will do the
whitewashing ?'
| 90 do dopjt do :. 70 .o-o Ill
but for my own benefit. | always like the
smell of lime"
wish you wouldn't do it. You'll get
lime in your eyes and you will blame me
for it, and"
"There you gol Blame you What
would l blame you about If | get lime
in my eyes it's my own fault Mrs. Bow
ser, you are getting to be good deal of a
crank lately"
Well, if you are determined on it, do
not say that | asked you or encouraged
| you"
That's funny way to talk to me, NJ RS.
Bowser Are you getting ready for the
insane asylum? | think | run my own
house yet. If Pm willing to peel off and
do these odd jobs L ought to be encouraged
instead of being insulted."
| was quite sure how it would end, but
said nothing more, and in the course of
half an hour he got into his old clothes
and went down cellar. | followed him
down to give HIM few last words of ad-
vice, but he didn't need them.
You go right up stairs and sit down
and enjoy yourself" he said "Here's the
brush and here's a pail of lime, and if do
not whitewash more cellar in ten minutes
than Moses could in all day rll never try
it again. Besides, Mrs. Bowser, white
washing is not the slouch work you imag-
inc 1t to be. 1t has got to be done by
person OF taste and intelligence or won't
stand. want little blueiDg to give it a
tinge."
You understand" said, as / got what
he wanted, that | did not ask you to do
| this work"
"Ask me? What on earth ails you.
Mrs Bowser? You are making fuss enough
! over ten minutes work to warrant a wears
job"
1t must be we'll done"
Certainly"
"Two coats all around"
"Just So"
"Eyen if it takes you all day."
Even if it takes me over half an hs4ar
which it won't. Phi show you Job here
that will make black man turn green
with envy. Just run upstairs and make
yourself comfortable"
l retreated up the stairs to the kitchen
door and waited for results which knew
we're sure to come. Mr. Bowser dipped
and dished and sozzled and stirred until he
had the liquid to his liking, and as he be-
gan on the stone wall | heard him chuck
ling:
"E said fifteen minutes, but Pll ga slow
and take twenty. The idea of colored
man sloshing around here all day to do
this work. Let's see. / believe I'll take
the overhead first"
/ held my breath in suspense for long
minute. Then yell arose from that cellar
which jumped the cook out other old slip
pers and made her cry out
For heavens sake, Mrs. Bowser, have
we been struck by another cycIone?'
There was a second and third yell, and
as | hurried down stairs Mr. Bewser stood
in the middle of the cellar, hands out
stretched and jumping up and down as if
he had FIRE under his feet.
Fer heavens sake, what is it, Mr.. Bow
ser !" | asked
hitewash-lime-fre ?'
"Where ~
In my eyes Pm blind Eve burned
them out p
l got hold of him and led him out to the
laundry tubs and set the water to running.
he had indeed got a dose in his eyes, but it
| was more painful than dangerous. He
could hardly see daylight after we had
washed out the lime, and as led him up
stairs he said
10 ,,oror .oo o,.o..
OF the baby again in my life"
| washed his eyes with milk and got him
| to lie down on the lounge, and in couple
of hours he was pretty near all right. His
| eyes were sore, but no great damage had
been done. He was very gentle until he
discovered this. Then he suddenly turned
on me with:
Mrs. Bowser, what possible excuse can
/ you urge in extenuation of yeur conduct ?"
What do you meanW
What do | mean? That's a cool oues-
tion to ask me In view of what has trans
pired what have you to say? ?"
Il say that you were foolish to under
take the job. l warned you how it would
turn out"
Mrs. Bowser~ be shouted, squirting
tears of Gme-water out of his ewes. "do
| you pretehu W aehy tnat you DIDN'T en-
courage me to undertake task which YOU
knew would put my whole future happi-
ness, if not my life, in peril? ?"
:" do, sir. / did all | possibly could to
dissuade you"
And are not you to blame%
I" Not in the least"
and brought it all on myself?'
You did"
60 NJ -,
much | could forgive one who had
wronged me, il penitent, but when they at
tempt to brazen it out it is time for action
We will settle on the amount of alimony
right here and now"
Pnt 1ua didp,t ftar hI;,,L;-o, orc,,,J