Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-11-21
MIR. AND MRS. BowsER.


olutF week tnId2tud cOluEtu man 10 come
and work for a couple Of days. 1t so hap
pened that he came one morning before
Mr.. Bowser had left the house
We'll, what up now?
lie dun bin hired to work, sab "
"Who hired youS'
de lady, sab
What to do?'
'JObbln sab.
Well, 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 colored man.?
Why yes
What f0r?"
j 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 don't believe in
encouraging such people. He'd have done
about one hour work aud charged you for
"a whole day. don believe he SHOWS amy
more about withdrawing than I do about
playing the harp
But he said he did.
Certainly. Did You ever see a negro
who wouldn { say anything to fit the occa-
sion?
well, but"
There no but about it, IF there are
any little Jobs about the house I've got
plenty of time to do them. I'm fact. need
just such exercise. Such work is diver
sion for me and the doctor recommends
it.
do you mean to shy You viii do the
whitewashing?'
Il do | don't do it to save dollar, but
for my own benefit, always liked the
smell of lime
Il wish you wouldn't Ito it, You'll get
lime in your eyes and you viii blame me
for IT, and T
"There you go! Blame youl What
would 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
"Wen, if you are determined on it,
don say that asked you or encouraged
you
That a funny way to talk to me. Mrs.
Bowser! Are You getting ready for the in-
sane asylum? ! think ] run mvOwn house
yet If | ann willing to peel off and do
these jobs ! ought to be encouraged in
stead of insuIted
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 a few last words Of advice, but
he didn't need them.
You 90 right up stairs and SIT down
and enjoy yourself, he said. Here's
this brush and here the pail of lime, and
if | don't whitewash more cellar in ten
minutes than Moses could in IL day, I'll
never try It again Besides Mrs Bowser,
whitewashing is not the SLOUGH work you
imagine it to be. 1t has got to be done by
a person of taste and intelligence or it
won't stand, ! want a little blueing to
give it a tinge.
You understand ~ I said, as got what
he wanted, that did not ask you to do
this work
Ask met What on earth ais YOU, Mrs
Bowser? You are making fuss enough
over ten minutes work to warrant
years job.
at must be well done.
Certainly
Two coats all around ~
Just So.
= Even if it takes me over half an hour
which it won't FIJI show You Job here
that will make q black man turn green
with envy. Just rum upstairs and make
yourself comfortable.
reiterated mp 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 liquor to his liking. and as he be-
gan on the stone wall heard him chuck
ling.
81 said fifteen minutes, but TT go slow
and take twenty The idea of a col0red
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 a long
minute. Then yell arose from that cell
lar which jumped the cook out of her old
slippers and made her cry om:
For heavens sake, Mrs Bowspr. have
we beer struck by another cyclone
There was a second and q thir yell, and
as hurried down stairs Mr. Bouser stood
in themiddle ofth eeellar. hands outstretch-
ed and jumping up and down as if he had
fire under his feet
For Heaven sake, what it. Mr.. Bow
ser?' ! asked
"Whitewash lime fire."
Where?
I'm my eyes! Tn blind I've burned
them out.'
4 got hold Of him and led him out to
the laundry tubs and set the water to run
ming He had indeed got a dose in his
eyes, but it was more painful than danger
Gus. He could hardly see daylight after
we had washed out an the lime, and as
led him up stairs he said:
Il shall never see again never see You
or the baby again in my Iife,'
washed hi, eyes with milk and got
him to lie down on the lounge, and in al
couple of hours be was pretty near all
right His ewes were sore, but no great
dama We 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 exclamation of your conduct.
''Nhat do You mean
'What do mean, That cool ques-
tion TO ask me, In view Of what has trans
pired what have You 10 say
Il say that youwere foolish to undertake
the job