The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-08-09

One day saw Mr.. Bowscr stopin front
CT the house and give IL careful looking
over. and when he came in 1 asked:
you are not thinking Of making any
repairs. are your"
We'll, not exactly repairs, but ! was
just thinking that ! could make great
improvement.
How"
-Ths paint hasn't held its color. and
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 ID
would fade? And didn't everybody
laugh at the Idea of your putting pea
green on red brick house,
mo, ma'am, they didn't. Everybody
complimcnted my taste. I've had dozen
people of cultivation and taste tell me
that il was perfect harmony and that
there was nothing in town TO match it.
Put it's just like you. Whenever de-
ire to make an improvement you are
the drag on me.
Tut let it go until spring, anyhow.
Mrs. Bowser, did you ever hear the
word economy ="
Yes, SIR"
"But you evidently do not understand
what il means. Ii means, i'm broad
eense. TO sell where you can sell the high
est and buy where y on can buy the cheap
est. 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 say
ing?'
Yes; but the house doesn't need il.
"Not in your Judgment, perhaps. Peo-
pic who were brought up in log 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 insig-
nifcance and dropped the subject Two
days later four or five hard looking fellows
with paint on their clothes came up and
looked the outside of the house over AT
other brief intervals they measured the
width and length Of the house with
tape line. After hours hard work they
came TO n conclusion 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 con-
fabbed with them for half an hour. made
more figures ON the back gate, and finally
told them TO go ahead.
They won't make the least muss
around. he said az he came in. They'll
skim right over in about days. and
you'll hardly know they have been here.
Il was useless 60 say anything after
the bargain had been made, so held my
tongue. Next morning a wagon came
with 3 long ladders. . short ones, step
ladders. pals. and SO many cans and
brushes that | got tirei of counting
them. expected to see fully IS paint
crs come with the outfit, but 10 must
have got lost on their way up. The 3
were enough, however, to take posses.
sion of the barn, the kitchen, and tho
basement.
Looks rs IL they wouldn't be over a
day and half, said Mr.. Bowser, as he
started Oft down town.
Ii looked TO me ~ IL they meant 60
take whole week for it, and went out
to consult 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 weeks at first, ma'am; but
IL the weather holds good i think IL days
will see the last OF il. /"
Twelve days."
Not over 10, anyhow"
-Arc you doing this by the job"
-Oh, no, ma'am Some OF the scrubs
take jobs and rush 'em through and cheat
folks in the most horrible manner, but
we don't We work by the day and do
our work well.
Then began circus, which lasted just
II days without change OF programme.
Every painter went down into the base
ment Go inspect the walls Of the house.
They were gone just half an hour. When
they reappeared they inspected the i'm
terror of the barn, and were invisible for
a long hour. Then they came out and
managed 10 raise n ladder against the
side of the house. They might possibly
have raised another during the forenoon.
but one OF them fortunately observed
That tho first ladder was little shaky.
This brought about consultation, and
tho ladder was taken down and inspected.
by a vote OF TO IL was decided that one
OF the rungs was loose. Then the five put
in just an hour and half hunting for
hammer and nails. glue pots, wedges.
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