The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-27
SHE HAS A GRIEVANCE
BY MARY BAILEY.


Mrs. Regain, with deep yearning. She
stood conversing across the low rail-
ing that divided her back porch from
the next one in the Garibaldi flats.
Would. |, just! Him talking so
smooth and pleasant and nodding his
head: Yes, Mrs. Regain Certainly,
Mrs. Regain as though his mouth was
full Of butter.
81 was just going through the base
ment of the laundry, when | saw him
talking to the janitor and the janitor
a calling him Mr.. Phelps as polite as
could be. 1t flashed over me here was
my chance.
81 went right up to him when |
heard the name. Are you the Mr..
Phelps that owns the building? says
/. Are you the landlord Yes.
madam says he, kind OF startled like.
Mr.. Kelly, the agent being sick,
thought I'd come around myself and
have look at things
WELL says l. I'm glad to have a
few words with you. Not wanting to
say anything against any one when
he's not here. won t tell you how that
man Kelly has deceived and brow
beaten me and said yes and acted no
to a few simple little requests | had
to make. If that man Kelly was to be
asked his own name point blank he'd
say it was Jones just because he hates
to tell the truth!
{" Look at my gas stove!' | says.
No says impatient, for Mr.. Phelps
looked around the basement kind OF
wild, as though he expected to see the
stove there among the laundry tubs.
| it amt here, but Ill be glad to show 1t
| to you! Here am l, working myself
| to skin and bone trying to keep the
| nickel on that stove bright and 1t
looks like old junk And he up and
says he won't furnish new one be-
cause this was new last year. And
me asking him polite and gentle for
new shelves in the pantry every time
I've laid eyes on him, and him saying
he'd see about it and he HASN'T!
These shelves are two inches too wide
for any shelf paper and I'm neat wo-
man and / don't like dust over next
the wall, even if it doesn't show!
Nov, put it to you, Mr.. Phelps.
says. is that any way to treat
tenant as pays prompt each month?
mo, no, indeed! Mr. Phelps an
swered, breathless like. If you'll ex
cuse me
"'Just minute says, taking hin
by the arm. While you're here wan
you to come upstairs and look at thu
wall paper in my parlor. I've hat
Mr.. Kelly look at it every time Pv'
seen him and he's agreed that shoult
have it done over and then he doesn'
do it! OF course, picked 1t out wheI
| came in and that was all right, bu
how did know my daughter Man,,
| was going to get re to have he
hair dyed that reddr- lint? You car
seen for youself, Mr.. Phelps, how re'
hair won't go at all with this pinkisl
, paper. Mamie has an artistic temp'ra
, ment and she says every time she ha
to come into this room it makes he
,, feel faint and she is neglecting he
piano practice something shockhn
Just because she can't stand her hal
next to this paper.
Henry Dilbeck. the plumbe
around the corner ! says, is payin
particular attention to Mamie ant
, goodness knows, she may lose hin
!. feeling SO awful about the paper an
not being able to concentrate her a
/, tention on him as she ought, men b.
!. ing so keen on being made fus
|, over! ANY man with heart, M
Phelps / says, would feel sorry IL
Mamie and not let the price of fe
rolls of paper spell her life, poor CIR
Though / dent see why she pickle
out that shade of red for her hal
, even II it is stylish. When will W
!. send the paperhangers, Mr.. Phelps
, He said at once that he'd see ar
started to go, but l stopped him.
said that besides the gas stove al
y the paper and the pantry shelves
, wanted the floors done over and ne
a window shades and new gas fixtur
. in the dining room like they have
" SdcSg . III ZIG hiSAs 81 N~es -
that there ought to be new carp
down the front stairs. All he did w
n nod and say yes and agree with 4
,t and l told him that he was gent
. man with sense and Kelly might W.
"A take a lesson from him.
10 when / was opening closet do
to show him where ! needed NJ
hooks he opened the front door a
a slid out.
70 Il waited and waited week
re the paperhangers and the new sto
II and things and nothing happene
as and then / locked in the telepho
book and called up Mr.. Phelps Off
No dealing with that Kelly for ]
when can get the owner!
c..