The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-12-23
THEAD.SIGN PAINTER

THEAD.SIGN PAINTER
'0saG o. THEM RELATES CHAPTERS
FNoN HIS EXPERIENCE.
Tow He lGaaaesd 70 Advertise On ths
Walls - foss ssmssr--whsn shs Bees
0R-TAs 0bitsins ssssnssaena.
Tho experience Of . Sign painter at
BORT Sumter makes divertine stmys
'You sec. got . darby to take me
ever from Charleston In one II thuAe lit
tie boats THAI they sail down there closer
70 the wind Shan Anyshins ever saw
before. Tho fort was unoccupied except
by an old soldier. who showed me all
over the place Have drink, corporalF
said I to him s1ter awhile No objeo-
tions. said he, and we walked and talk.
sd little, further. Pretty b nesome
here, Ell, sergeantf' Very, indeed, an
'swered the old duck, warming to me as
i brevetted him q grade higher every
two or three minutes
"'Ah, said I, it's tough old biz,
the army, amt It, lieutenantP Faith.
md 1t is. upon me life, said he.
"Weil. I brought my flask out again
md pressed it upon him. Now, look
there, captain said I, you don't mind
me painting . sign around the old fort,
do your Not q bit, my son. Paint a.
much a. 70 Place he answered quite
willingly, and away I went to work.
finishing the lettering before shutdown.
''That little business nearly got me
into trouble, and left Charleston in .
hurry. Nearly as bad was the time was
painting on beehive. I was walking
siong the railway track with my pots
and brushes and saw the hive, which
was in Al position. bound to be seen by
everybody in the trainA stole up to 81
and slathed ON the paint, taking care
cot to make much noise. Buz-z-zl One
little fellow came to look at me, then
smother, then another and then score
q moro all at once. They didn't seem
% object-in fact, seemed to admire the
richness Of the coloring-but in singing
my leg over the top Of the hive upset
my can Of turpentine, and not one be.
in the crowd would listen to a word Of
reason. was laid up for . week or two
after that, but can { be quiet long It
;Aln't in me to be still I'm an out and
out Yankee, and it warns my heart to
b of with the paints, and it ain t in
0umbent upon me now"
he added this with complacent and
pregnant glance at his massive watch
chain and jeweled sleeve buttons, which
indicated no little prosperity
when anybody gets his back up at
me, I just let him blow his steam OF,
and then talk to him." he continued
Down in Maryland one day I was
painting fence, and fellow working
In field near by hollered out: Hi Git
away from that var fenceP let on not
TO hear him. You git now' the old
man shouted once more, but I dabbed
and dabbed away as industriously as
ever. you won't, won't yer:' said he.
and then he came for me with pitch
fork in his hands. Folks in Mary land
are generally pretty much in earnest
when they are mad, but I didn't move
IN inch. He'd have lifted me like
piece Of toast if had, and Instead Of a
toast it would have been roast for me.
II looked as mild and innocent as !
could, shaped out the letters and held
my head back now and then rs if to
study the effect. Don't you like til?
said as he got up to me. Well, he met
me with some high seasoned expostu-
lations; but, as told you, never in
terfere with man when he's blowing
off steam; it isn't safe. The pitchfork
did not look salubrious, but I held to
my work, and as was finishing it he
began to cool off and at the same time
to take an interest in the sign. Got
family?' sad l. Yes, said he. Young
ans, too, maybe. Yes, said he again.
We'll, now, said I, 'ain't 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 out. No, leave it Oh, stranger;
I like it,, he answered, and we went
over to the house together, which proves
that when mans blowing off it's best
not to sit ON the safety valve.
II went up the Mississippi with old
Captain feathers i'll the Natche3, with
her smokestacks painted crimson to
rightly that they would be burned red
hot before she would be passed, and at
the first landing l set to work on all the
rocks. The old captain was immensely
tickled with the idea. Look at the
adarnpd YankG he cried tO tho pasSeO-
gers How long before you start, cap?'