Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-12-06
THE BoWsERs.
(cOntinued from paqe y

tno Oru0h ana here's pail OF lime,
and II I don't whitewAsh moro cellar in
ten minutes than Moses could in all day
I'll never try It again. Besides, Mrs.
Bowser, whitewashing u not the SLOUGH
work you imagine it to be. It has got
to be done by . person Of taste and in
telligence or it won't stand. I want
little blueing to give It tinge."
"You understand" I said, as I got
what he wanted, "that did not ask you
to do this work."
"Ask mel What on earth ais you, Mrs.
Bowser2 You are making fuss enough
over ten minutes work to warrant .
years job"
"It must be we'll DONE"
Certainly"
1.-TWO coats all around"
"Just So"
'Even If it takes you all day"
'Even If it takes me over half an hour,
which it won't. I'll show you job here
that will make black man turn green
with envy. Just run upstairs and make
yourself comfortable"
Iretrested up the stairs to the kitchen
door and waited for results, which I
knew were sure to come. Mr.. Bowser
dipped and dished and sozzled and
stirred until he had the liquid to his
liking, and as he began on the stone
wall heard him chuckling: ....
81 said fifteen minutes, but I'll 90
slow and take twenty. The idea of
colored man sloshing around here all
day to do this work. Let's see. I be-
Heve I'll take the overhead frst.''
held my breath in suspense for .
long minute. Then yell arose from
that cellar which jumped the cook out
Of her old slippers and made her cry
out: .a.. .
"For Heavens sake, Mrs. Bowser,
have we been struck by another oy-
cloneP''
There was second and third yell,
and as hurried downstairs Mr.. Bowser
stood in the middle of the cellar, hands
outstretched and jumping up and down
as If he had fire under his feet.
"For Heavens sake, what is it, Mr..
Bowser?" asked.
"Whitewash-lime-f
"Where?"
sin my eyesl I'm blindl I've burned
them out"
I got hold Of him and led him out to
the laundry tubs and set the water to
running. He had indeed got dose in
his eyes, but 1t was more painful than
dangerous. He could hardly see day
light after we had washed out all the
lime. and as led him upstairs he said:
II shall never see again-never see
you or the baby again in my lifeP'
I washed his eyes with milk and got
him to lie down on the lounge, and in a
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 your
conduct"
"What do you meanp"
"What do I meant That's cool ques-
ton to ask mel In view of what has
transpired what have you to say?"
81 say that you were foolish to under
take the job. warned you how it
would turn out"
"Mrs. Bowserl" he shouted, squirting
tears Of lime-water out Of his eyes, "do
you pretend to deny that you didn't en-
courage me to undertake o task which
you knew would put my whole future
happiness, If not my life, in peril?"
II do, sir. did all 1 possibly could
to dissuade you"
"And you are not to blame?"
"Not in the least"
Sand I brought it all on myself?"
"You did"
"Mrs. Bowser, this Is too much-too
muchl could forgive one who had