The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-10-09

and clean the laundry stovepipe, and
do some other odd Jobs
I'm! Mrs. Bowser, don't believe
in encouraging such people. He'd
have done about one hours work and
charged you for whole day. I don't
believe he knows any more about
whitewashing than I do about play
ing the harp
"But he said he did"
Certainly. Did you ever see ne
gro who wouldn't say anything to fit
the occasion?"
sThere 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 I need just such exer-
else. Such work is a diversion for
me, and the doctor recommends it."
'Do you mean to say you will do
the whitewashing
Il do. I don't do it to save dol
lar, but for my own benefit. I always
liked the smell of lime"
Il wish you wouldn't do it. You'll
get lime in your eyes and You will
blame me for it, and"
"There you go! Blame you! What
would I blame you about? If I get
lime in my eyes it's my own fault.
Mrs. Bovser, you are getting to be
good deal of a crank lately"
"Well, if you are determined on it,
don't say that I asked you or encour-
aged you
That's funny way to talk to me,
Mrs. Bowser! Are you getting ready
for the insane asylum? J think I run
my own house yet If Tn willing to
peel off and do these odd jobs I ought
to be encouraged instead of insulted.
I was quite sure how it would end,
but I said nothing more, and in the
course of an hour he got into his old
clothes and went down cellar. I fol-
lowed him down to give him a few
last words of advice, but he didn't
heed them.
"You go right up stairs and sit
down and enjoy yourself" he said:
Here's the brush and here's pail of
lime, and if I don't whitewash more
cellar in ten minutes than Moses
could in all day, III never try it
again. Besides, Mrs. Bowser, white
washing is not the slcuch work you
imagine it to be. It has got to be
done by person of taste and inieA-
gence or it won't stand. Iwant a lit
tie blueing to give it tinge."
You understand" said, as I got
what he wanted, chat I 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 years job"
'It must be we'll done"
Certainly"
''Two coats all around.
"Just So
'Even if it takes you all day"
Gwen if it takes me over half an
hour, which it won't. III show you a
lob here that will make a black man
turn green with envy. Just run up
stairs and make yourself comfort
able"
|
I retreated up the stairs to the
kitchen door and waited for results
which I knew were sure to come.
Nh. Bowser dipped and dishea and
sozzled and stirred until he had the
liquid to his liking, and as he began
on the stone wall / heard him chuck
ling:
Il said fifteen minutes, but III go
slow and take twenty. The idea OF a
colored man sloshing around here al
day to do this work. Let's see. I
believe I'll take the overhead first.
held my breath in suspense for a
long minute. Then a yell arose from
that cellar which jumped the cook
out of her old slippers and made her
CRY out:
sFor heavens sake, Mrs. Bowser,
have we been struck by another cy-
clone?
There WAS Il second and third
yell, and as l hurried dcwn stairs
Mr.. Bowser stood in Tie middle of
the cellar, hands outstretched and
jumping up and down as if he had
fire Sller his feet.
For Heavens sake what is it, Mr.
BcwSer?s Iasked.
"WLitewash--lime--ire.'
s'Whcrc @
s.In my eyes! I'm blind I've
burned them out -
got hold of him and led him out
to the laundry tubs and set the water
to running. He had indeed got Il
dose in his eyes, but it was more
painful than dangerous. He could
hardly see daylight after we had
washed out all the lime, and rs I led
him up stairs he said:
Il shall never see again--never see
you OF the baby again in my life !"
I washed his eyes with milk and
cot lin to lie down on the lounge,
and in couple of hours he was pref
ty near all right. His eyes were sore,
but no great damage had been done.
He was very gentle until he discover
ed this. Then he suddenly TUNED
on me with:
Mrs Bowscr, what possible excuse
can you urge in extenuation of your
conduct %
"What do Won mean ."