Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-03-22

side of that" she snorted. "Why, it's
the worst lookin' thing I ever saw. If
1 don't settle him." she added, e
paintin' my porch as II 1t belonged to
him-and me as WELL" she added am
biguously. And, catching up her sun.
bonnet she fastened over to her neigh
boris and inquired for Jonathan. "Surs
J hos gone to Martins Junction to see
his brother Mrs. Burke. He said he'd
stay over night, and needn't come in
again till tomorrow dinner time"
Mary Mcclure replied
Hepsey hastened home and gather
ing all the rags she could find, she
summoned Mickey and Mullen, one OF
the men from the farm, and they
worked with turpentine for nearly two
hours, cleaning off the fresh paint
from the porch. Then she sent Mickey
down to the hardware store for some
light gray paint and some vivid scar.
| let paint and bit of dryer. It did not
take very long to repaint her porch
gray--every trace OF the blue and the
magenta having been removed by the
! vigorous efforts of the three.
When 1t was finished she opened
the can OF scarlet, and pouring In a
| large quantity Of dryer she sent Nick
ey over to see II Mary Mcguire had
zone home. All three set to work that
evening to paint the porch in front Of
Jonathan's house. At first Mullen pro-
tested anxiously that 1t was none Of
T.; h,,-s fN hn rat int n
mans porch, but Mrs. Burke gave him
look which changed his convictions;
so he and Mickey proceeded gleefully
to fulfill their appointed task, while
she got supper.
When the work was quite finished.
Hepsey went over to inspect it, and
remarked thoughtfully to herself: II
should think half pint of dryer might
be able to get in considerable work
before tomorrow noon. l hope Jona-
| thanll like scarlet. To be sure it does
| look rather strikin' on white house;
but then variety helps to relieve the
monotony of a dead alive town like
Durford; and IL he don't like 1t plain,
he can trim it green. I'll teach him to
| come paintin' M house without so
much as a by your leave, or with your
leave, lettin' the whole place think
things"
AS it happened Jonathan returned
late that night to Durford-quite too
late to see the transformation of his
own front porch, and since he entered
by the side door as usual, he did not
even smell the new paint. The next
morning he sauntered over to Thun-
der Cliff, all agog for his reward, and
Mrs. Burke greeted him at the side
door, smiling sweetly
Good mornin' Jonathan. 1t was aw
full good of you to paint my front
porch. 1t has needed paintin' for soIue
| time now, but l never seemed to get
around to it,"
Don't mention it, Hepsey," Jona-
than replied affably. Don't mention
It. You're always doin' somethin' fol
me, and it's pity / can't do a little
thing like that for you once in a
| while"
Hepsey had strolled round to the
front, as il to admire his work, iona.
than following. Suddenly he came to
halt; his jaw dropped, and he star
cd as if he had gone out of his senses
such lovely color; gray just suits
the house you know" Mrs. Burke OBJ
served "You certainly ought to have
been an artist Jonathan. Any man
with such an eye for color ought not
to be wastin' his time on a farm
Jonathan still gazed at the porch in
amazement, blinked hard, wiped his
eyes and his glasses with his hand
kerchief, and looked again.
whats the matter with you? Have
YOU headache?" Hepsey inquired so,
licitously.
mo, haven't got no headache. but
when left that porch yesterday noon
il was blue, and now I'm blamed il II
don't seem gray. Does it look gray
like to you Hepsey?"
"Why certainly! What's that you
say? DO you say you painted it blue!
That certainIy's mighty queer, But
then you know some kinds of paint
fade some kinds do" She nodded
looking suspiciously at the work,
"Fade." Jonathan sneered. Paints
don't fade by moonlight in one night
That isn't no faded blue. It's just plain
gray. | must be goin' color blind oil
something"
1T looks gray to me, and I'm glad
IL is gray, so don't YOU worry about il
; Jonathan. Blue would be someihin' aw
full on the front of white house, yor
, know"
We'll" continued the bewilderet
Junior Warden, I'm blessed If it ISM
The queerest thing ever see in all my
born days. II / catch the fellow thai
sold me that paint, I'll make 1t livel,
or him or my name isn't Jackson"
"Oh, / wouldn't do anything lik'
that! What difference does II make 5,
long as / like the color myself; IT.