Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-01-03
BOWSER PAINTS HIS HOUSE.
Mrs. IL. Narrates the Result of Having the
Work Done by the Day


Work Done by the Day.
One day | saw Mr.. Bowser stop in front
of the house and give it careful looking
over. and when he came in | asked
You are not thinking of making any
repairs, are you?
well, not exactly repairs, but | was
just thinking that | could make a great
improvement.
"How?"
The paint hasn't held its color, and l
think | shall have the house gone over
again-just light coat you know"
Mr. Bowser, this house was painted
only six months ago. At that time we had
half dozen men around here for nearly
a month.
Yes, but the color has faded
''Didn't warn you at the time that it
would fade? And didn't everybody laugh
at the idea of your putting pea-green on
red brick house?'
No, ma am, they didn't! Everybody
complimented my taste. I've had a dozen
people of cultivation and taste tell me
that it was perfect harmony. But its
just like you. Whenever / desire to
make an improvement you are the drag
on me.
But let it go until spring. anyhow"
Mrs Bowser, did you ever hear the
word economy.
Yes, sir. "
But you evidently do not understand
what it means. 1t means, in a bread sense,
to sell where you can sell the highest and
buy where you can buy the cheapest. The
painting season is about closed, lots of
men are out of work, and | can get this
house painted now $40 cheaper than next
spring. Isn't $40 worth saving?"
Yes; but the house doesn' need it. ="
Not in your judgment. perhaps. Peo-
pie who were brought up in big houses in
the country have tastes peculiarly their
own. The house will be painted
He crossed his hands under his coat
tails, paced up and down the sitting room,
and, of course, sunk into insignifcance
and dropped the subject Two days later
four or five hard-iooking fellows with paint
on their clothes came up and looked the
outside of the house over. At brief inter-
walls they consulted together and made
figures on the back gate. At other brief
intervals they measured the width and
length OF the house with a tape-line After
three hours hard work they came to a con-
clusion of some sort and then went out to
the barn to rest their tired brains and wait
for Mr.. Bowser to appear. When he came
home he confabbed with them for half an
hour, made more figures on the back gate,
and finall, told them to go ahead.
They won't make the least muss
around, he said as he came in. They'll
skim right over IN about two days, and
you Il hardly know they have been here
1t was useless to say anything after the
bargain had been made and so held my
tongue. Next morning a wagon came
with three long ladders, two short ones,
| four step-ladders, two saw horses. twenty
two paint buckets, four pals, and so many
cans and brushes that | got tired of count
ing them. | expected to see fully::ffteen
| painters come with the outfit, but ten must
have got lost on their way up. The FIVE
were enough, however, to take possession
of the barn, the kitchen and the base
ment.
Looks as if they wouldn' be over a
day and half, said Mr.. Bowser as he
| started off downtown
| 1t looked to me as if they meant to take
whole week for it. and | went out to in
| terview the boss on the subject. He did
some more measuring with tape-line. put
| down some more figures on the back gate,
/ counted his long and short ladders over, and
| finally replied:
Il did say two weeks at first. ma am. but If
the weather holds good | think twelve
| days will see the last of it
Twelve days?"
Not over thirteen. anyhow
Are you doing this by the job?"
.'Oh, no, ma am. Some of the scrubs
take jobs and rush EN- through and cheat
/ folks in the most horrible manner. but
We don't. We work by the day and do our
work we'll =
GThen began a circus which lasted Just
seventeen days without a change of pro-
gramme. Every painter went down into
| the basement TO inspect the walls of the
house. They were gone Just half an hour
When they appeared they inspected the
interior of the barn, and were invisible
for long hour. Then they came out and
managed to raise ladder against the side
of the house. They might possibly have