Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-09-05
AMATEUR PAINTING.

the moor Win tne commanding glance of q
general who had studied the ground thor
oughly, knew the enemy, weak points and
scented victory in the air.
Mrs. McSwat retired into the summe,
kitchen and emerged presently with fiat
cancels hair brush which had been used at
sundry times and in divers cxigcncies and
was good for all demands upon it vet.
He dipped it into the paint, stirred il
round few times, drew it Out and gave it
a mastery swipc along the floor.
Don't you think you'd better change
your clothes, Billigcr?" inquired Mrs Nc,
Swat.
Billiger looked in severe and judicial
way at spot of fresh paint as large as a
silver dollar on the knee oil his trousers and
then he turned to his wife.
why didn't you speak Of it before, 10
belia!" he demanded.
"Turpentine will take it off"
IAN ounce OF prevention ~ worth bar
rel Of turpentne. Get me clean Wits
rag"
The rag was brought, soaked in turpcn-
tine and applied to the spot with he effect
OF diffusing it over II much wider area in 4
mild shade of the original color Then Mr.
McSwat arrayed himself in u suit of old
clothes and returned to the charge,
Beginning at the portion of the floor near
paint impartially in all directions. moving
backward on his hands and knees toward
the door at the other end as the work ad
vanced and making rapid progress.
I've got more of it done already" he
said, stopping to rest little at the end OF
10 minutes brisk exercise, ''thun profess
sional painter would have done in half an
hour"
Seems to me it looks cloudy" venturea
Mrs. McSwat, eyiny the paiated portion
critically.
THAT'S because it dries unequally," he
replied. at dries faster in some places
than others. 1t will all look alike after it's
thoroughly dried. What you see is only
the reflection from the lamp over there on
the window SILL"
He dipped the brush in the paint again,
slapped it to and fro Oh the floor, and in a
short time the surface wasentilely smeared
Now" he said, rising to his feet, ''as
soon as it's dry I'll put on the varnish"
How long will it take to dry" inquired
his wife.
"Only a little while, he answered, touch
the floor ginserly in several places with his
finger You noticed l put in plenty of
turpentine, didn't you2 The secret OF mix.
ing paint so it will dry soon" he contin-
ued, wipng the brush carele,sly on a rag
in order to clean it for the next operation
SIS to put in plenty of turpen.ine Bring
me the varnish, Lobelia. Thanks"
Il can't help thinking, Biltiger," said
Mrs. McSwat apprehensively, but he floor
is darker in some places than Others. 1t
looks streaked."
What you don't know about painting
floor, madam" he retorted, would build
Il via1uct from here to the moon. Those
streaks are merely an optical illusion due
to the reflection OF the rays OF that lamp
over there. Il that plain enough for your
comprehcnsion?"
Il thought you said awhile ago they wero
caused by the unequal drying"
so far rs the drying is concerned" said
Mr.. McSwat, touching the floor lyain with
his finger, that will take care of itself
You can't fool me on drying. All ask is
plenty of turpentine In FIVE minutes more
that floor will be as dry As the catalogue Of
a Goldfish exhibit"
He thinned the varnish, waited few
minutes, examined the floor again and pro.
nounced it dry. Then he went across to
the other side of the room and began ap- |
plying the varnish with much vigor, NOV
ing gradually backward on his hands and |
knees, as before When the floor was about |
half covered with varnish he Strengthened ,
up in order to take the kinks out Of his
spine and looked back over his shoulder at
the unvarnished portion. For the first
time he saw it without any reflection from !
the lamp in the window, and there was
in the aspect of that floor that
did not please him.
He bent down and examined it closely.
Then lie looked at the brush. wiped it with
some care on another rag and examined the
rag.
"Lobelia," he said, "what have you been
using this brush forI"
II haven't used it for anything, Bill
GER" she answered, "for weeks and weeks.
The last time had occasion to Use it put
a little backing on the kitchen stove with
IT,"
"You did, did your" he exclaimed in an
awful voice. polished the stove with it,
heyf"
mo, indeed I didn't, Billiser. polished
it with IN old broom. l simply put it on
with the brush"
You simply put it on with the brush,
lid you?" roared Billiger. That was all,
was it?'
Yes. 1t was Bridget's afternoon out
and'---
do you know what you've done, mad
,m!" he broke in fiercely. you've wasted
4 hours Of my time, broken my back and
'uinel good kitchen floor
II told you it looked streaked when
you"-
''Oh, yes" he howled, throwing the brush
IN the floor. "You told me it looked streak
ID, did your Who cares what you told me-
madam" he Moderated, kicking the can Of
'arnish violently with his foot and-but
here are sacred condolences and eventual
in vhe lives of all young married
persons with which the cold jeering outsider
iced not concern himself
Weeks afterward, when Billiger McSwat
lad become comparatively calm, his wife
bowed him the bill brought in by the
,ainter who repaired the damage to the
.itehen and repainted the floor
1t called for S29.60.-Chicago Times.
Mildred Was Afraid.
Mamma was busy nm stairs with the