Year: 1874




Since the death of Reason Davis,
several years ago, Shutdown Smith has
claimed to be the champion stove
polishcr of Michigan. and he has held
his medal through many hot contests.
He goes for stove like Texas steer
for red necktie, and when he leaves
it there is shine on it which makes
the owners heart swell with pride.
The other day a Gratiot street mer-
chant fishcd his coal stove out of the
cellar, and found it red with rust
He ordered the store boy to clean it,
and the boy creased it all over with
lard oil and kerosene as a preparato-
ry step. The oil took the rust off,
but the blacking slid right off from it
when applied, and the boy was told
to get up and dust and never come
near that store again. The stove was
wheeled out on the walk and Sun
down Smith came along, out ola job.
He took look, made a mental calcu-
lation, and said he'd make that stove
put on the reflection of mirror for
about twenty-five cents. The bargain
was closed, and the negro slid up to
the base-burner and gently applied
the foundation for a shine: He re-
marked that it was a very soft,
smooth stove, and he wondered if
they hadn't got SO that they mixed
the iron with glue or India rubber
1t seemed to him that stove polish
spread out a good deal on that stove,
but that money was in his pocket and
he didn't say anything. When he
had a good thick coat on he seized
his broom, took a long breath and
went in. He brushed up and down,
sideways, diagonally, and various
other ways, and the broom seemed to
just glide around without an effort
After ten minutes work without
the least result, Shutdown paused and
remarked:


"Whar's dat shine, ch? Didn't
know dat Sundown Smif was here,
did We? S'pose twas some common
stove-blacker, eh?"


He took up another broom, and
danced around and went for the
stove door like a tornado, shutting
his eyes and breathing hard and call
ing to the small boys to stand away
if they did not want to meet the fate
Of Pompeii, and be buried under a
cloud of dust. The grease held it
down. The sweat trickled down Sun
downs cheeks, and the rent in the
back of his coat widened rapidly
He worked desperately for nine OF
ten minutes, and then he opened his
eyes in amaZement.


''Dis yer's powerful Gurus" he
growled, as he gazed at the door. 81
guess dat backing dun fell down in
de road and got mud in it."


He looked at the blacking, then
walked around the stove, and as the
crowd began to jeer at him, he got
mad and shouted:


Cant shine dat stove! Can't make
dat base-burner reflect de morning
rays oh de sun! Can't l do dat?"


And he kneeled down, uttered q
'whoop" which sounded far up and
down, and made that broom fly like
a towel on clothes-line with nor
wester blowing.


"Can't make him shine, eh? whoop
never heard of Shutdown Smif, eh?-
whoop!" he shouted, but after awhile
he paused. There was new light
in his eye. He got up, rubbed his
hand over the stove, looked at his
hand, and then, without saying :
word or replying to a question, he
picked up his ''kit" and slid across
the street into an alley, his face wear
ing such look of contempt and dis
gust that it was study for a painter
He came not back. His form finally
disappeared behind a wagon, and thu
crowd slowly dispersed. 1t was al
hour of Grecian triumph.