Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-09-28
THE AID. SIGNPAINTER

THE AID. SIGNPAINTER
ONE OF THEM RELATES CHAPTERS
FROM HIS EXPERIENCE.
How Hc Managed to Advertise on the
Walls of Fort Sumter When the bees
Objected IA Farmer Blow His Steam
Oe-The Obiiging S;esmboatman.
The experience Of II sign painter at
Fort Sumter makes a divcr,ing story:
"You see, | got a darky 10 take me
over from Charleston in one Of those lit
tie boats that they sail down there closer
to the wind than anything l ever saw
before The fort was unoccupied except
by an old soldier, who showed me all
over the place. Have drink. corporate
said To him after awhile. No objec-
lions, said he. and we walked ard talk
ed little further. Pretty lonesome
here. eh. sergeant Very, indeed, an
swercd the old duck, warming TO me as
brevettcd him grade higher every
TWO or three minutes.
"'Ah, said /, it's tough old biz,
the army, amt il. lieutenant Faith.
and it is, upon me life. said he
We'll, brought my flask ont again
and pressed it upon him. Now, look
here. captain said |. YOU don't mind
me painting sign around the old fort,
do you:' Not bit. my son. Paint as
willingly. and away | went to work,
finishing the lettering before SHUTDOWN.
THAT little business nearly got mo
into trouble. and | left Charleston i'll
hurry. Nearly Us bad was the time was
painting on Il beehive. | was walking
along the railway track with my pots
and brushes and saw the hive. which
was in Al position. bound to he seen by
everybody III the trains | stole up to it
and slathed On the paint. taking care
not To ma &c much noise. BUZZ. One
little fell ~ caIuc Ia look at me- then
another, tlcu another and then Il score
or more all nj once. They didn't seem
to objcct-.in fact, seemed 10 admire the
richness of tine cOloring-but i'll singing
my leg ov'r the top If the hive l upset
my can of turpcntirc. and not one bee
i'll the GROW Il would listen to word of
reason. | was laid up for week or two
after that, hit | can't he quiet long. IL
amt in me Ia he still I'm an out and
out Yankee. and it warns my heart TO
he off with the paints. and it amt in
cumbcnt mon me now"
He added this with u compliment and
pregnant glance at his massive watch
chain and jewcled sleeve buttons. which
indicated no little prosperity.
"When anybody gets his back up ut
me, just let him blow his steam off.
and then talk To him., he continued.
Down iii Maryland one day l was
painting fence, and u fellow working
in field near by hollcred ont: Hi Git
away from that var fence' | let ON not
to hear him. 'You git now the old
man shouted once more. but | dabbed
and dabbed away as industriously as
ever. 'You won't, won I yer:' said he,
and then he came for me with pitch
fork in his hands Folks in Maryland
are generally pretty much in earnest
when they are mad, Int didn't move
an inch. He'd have lifted me like "a
piece of toast if had. and instead of a
toast il would have been q roast for me.
Il looked as mild and innocent as
conid. shaped ont the letters and held
my head back now and then rs if to
study the effect. Don't you like it,
said rs he got up To me. Well. he met
me with some high seasoned cxpostu-
lations; hut, rs | told you, never in
terferc with mar when he's blowing
off steam it isn't safe The pitchfork
did not look salubrious. but l held to
my work, and as | was finishing it he
began to cool of and 1T the same time
to take an interest III the sign. Got a
family sad l. Yes. said he. Young
uns, too, maybe Yes, said he again
We'll, now, said |, amt you ashamed
of yourself to let your temper get the
better Of you in this way: Think of the
bad effect on your children But I'll
paint it ont. No, leave il ON, stranger;
l like it, he answered. and we went
over TO the house together. which proves
that when a mans blowing off it's best
not TO sit on the safety valve
Il went up the Mississippi with old
Captain feathers in the Natchcz, with
her smokeS,acks painted crimson to
signify that they would be burned red
hot before she would be passed, and Mt
the first landing set to work on all the
rocks. The I'D captain was immensely
ticklcd with the idea. Look at the
| darned Yank : lie cried to the passen-
gers. How long before you start, cap?'
shouted ]. We'll wait till Won ret
through, he answered. and he did the
same thing at every other landing. But
the newspapers have made such IN out
cry against the dissertation of nature, us
they call it, that law forbidding it
has been passed i'll some Of the states,
and, ON the whole. rock painting is dis
couraged by our patrons. who think it
spoils the sale Of their articles. Chi
cago Times Herald.