Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-11-18

ar0und upon MS hanulWork, a smile OF
satisfaction meandering across his face
as he did SO.
"Who said it was impossible to white
wash a ceiling without spelling every
thing in the room?" he soliloquized.
"I'll show 'em how it's done"
The self satisfied Peter then proceeded
to conceal his own rotund form with
the mysterious paper combinations pre-
viously mentioned. Certainly his ap,
pearanoe was more that of a circus clown
than OF a respectable ratepaying oiti-
zen, especially when he concluded his
toilet by placing on his massive (some
called 1T fat Uranium a paper cap Of the
orthodox sugar loaf shape SO much af-
fected by g%rotesques of the sawdust.
However, there was nobody present to
see him. So what did it matter?
Up the handy pair of steps sprang
Peter, bucket and brush in hand, and
without unnecessary delay he made dash
No. / at the ceiling-which, by the
way, he had forgotten should have first
been water washed-with the brush
heavily charged with the identifying
mixture. The result was not quite as
the amateur distemper could have wish.
ed. A far greater percentage of the
whiting descended in a thick shower on
Peters paper dittoes than went on to
the ceiling, to say nothing Of sundry big
splashes dropping upon various parts of
his upturned face, causing him to sneeze
SO violently as to very nearly lose his
balance and topple off the steps igno-
%miniously to the floor.
After ten minutes wild dabbing and
splashing Peter thought he might as
we'll assist exhausted nature by blowing
the fragrant weed during work, just as
though he were a real British workman.
So he came down from his perch, found
his beloved brier, charged it with some
of Taddy's "Myrtle Grove and lighted
it with a British made match, This lat
ter he-British observation-disclosures
while still af1ame on to his improvised
paper drugget.
No sooner had Peter again mounted
his rostrum than, glancing downward,
he saw, to his dismay, the deyouring
element Swimming along the floor.
Down scuttled the alarmed distemperer,
with the intention of stamping out the
blaze. But, alas, in the excitement of the
moment poor Peter forgot the nature of
his ~improvised overalls! The next mo-
ment the tongues Of the fiery serpents
crawling on the floor had licked Peters
"ready mades," and he was soon fran.
tically occupied in tearing off the paper
covering and burning his hands to a
rather "sulphury" tune.
The situation threatened to. develop
into something serious, as the fire had
commenced to mount the walls, so Peter
was reluctantly compelled to fling open
the door and yell for assistance.
Mrs. Grigwell rushed forth from the
back regions, and. giving a wild look
into the room, fled screaming to the
street door, which she flung open, and
then she proceeded to shrek out:
"Fire, fire! Police, policel"
Suddenly a great commotion was
heard in the front, the street door was
thrown violently open, and a brass
helmeted figure doomed family through
the thick smoke which filled the en-
trance hall. The next instant a shining
copper tube was pushed forward into
the room, and before Peter could find
breath to tell the man who pointed the
nozzle full at him that all danger was
past he was almost off his feet by q
powerful jet Of water which drenched
him to the skin.
However, he oon found his tongue
sufficiently to overwhelm the fireman in
some choice %vernacular that nearly had
the effect of starting the fire afresh.
With an injured look beneath his
metal headpiece the fireman threw
down his hose, and, going to the street
door, growled out to his colleagues out
side:
"Turn orfr"
The following day the professional
'distemperers'' came as heretofore, and
1t Christmas their little % bill will
,ome to Peter Grigwell as usual. The
house furnishers, too, will benefit by
laudable but misdirected efforts
economize. Taken altogether, Mrs.
Srigwell's prophecy was pretty accu-
ate. Exchange.