The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-07-20
Written for the Advocate.
THE CARPENTER AND TINE ARTIST
OR
The Fortunes of Brother and Sister.
BY MRS. WYNKOoP.
CHAPTER vi.

The next day John Robbins and Charlie
Gordon went to the Office Of Mr.. Shaw
Architect, and inquired if there were an
Jobs on hand Just then. They were in
formed that he had drawn the plans 70
two buildings which were to be contracte'
for The plans were shown to them, am
they estimated upon them both They dit
not expect to get the work, and knew the,
were losing time by making these estimates
but this was a part of their policy. Th'
contracts were gwen to men whose estl
mates were five hundred dollars on eacl
Job lower than theirs.
You well know, said John to the Ar
chitect, that they cannot build thos'
houses for that sum.
81 That is their business, not mine, saiC
the architect ''If they take work lowe
than they can do it, they must be tn
losers
They will not be the only losers, saiC
John
''Who will lose besides them n asket
the architect.
Those persons for whom the houses
are built, replied John, but | give yoI
fair warning, that you had better not at
tempt to make anything out Of those build
ings, except what you are paid for YOU
own legitimate work.
What do you mean 4 asked the archi
tect angrily."
"You will find out to your cost what
mean if you are not careful, replied John
II do not understand you, but thin
much let me say, you need never come into
my office again, for | shall never let you
see another plan" said Mr.. Shaw, now
thoroughly reused.
. 1t is very likely, said Charles, " that
we shall all meet again, but for the present
We will say good bye
After they left the office John said - the
men who have taken those contracts will
have to use the cheapest lumber and dc
the poorest, cheapest kind Of work III Ordei
to make as much as the Journeymen who
work for them"
But the contracts call for first clAsl
lumber and first class work, said Charles
That does not signify straw, said
John. "When it is plastered and painted
all defects will be hid, and the srchitect
will wink at all the shortcomings, by being
paid fee Of fifty or hundred dollars.
{" How shameful, exclaimed Charles.
my young friend" said John, "YOI
will see many things in this fast city tina
will make you cry. How shameful. =
Thus they conversed until they reacheC
the office of Mr. Jordan, where they founC
work to be estimated upon, and they pu
in their bids, with the same result
Mr.. Jordan became little alarmed anC
discovering that they had been to Mr.
Shaw, called upon him and represented
John Robbins and Charles Gordon as up
start young men, who should be watches
or they would do the architects considers
BILE harm.
John worked as journeyman for the maj
who had taken the contract of Mr.. Shaw
and Charles worked for the man who ha6
taken the contract Of Mr.. Jordan, and eael
evening they met and compared accounts
When the building ON which Charles wa
working was nearly completed, the archi
tOct came to see how 1t Was progressing
While the architect and contractor wer'
converting, Charles left his work, went b
where they were standing and entered hi
protest against such work a. was done oI
that house.
"Who are you, that you should inak'
such fuss about what you know nothing
Of r said Mr.. Jordan.
II do know what | am talking about,
said Charles. learned my trade thor
oughly in New York, Fhere such work q
this would not pass. This man who ha
charge Of this building never learned m
trade, and does not know what good wOrl
is, and protest against such men havlnl
charge of good buildings-
The contractor turned pale with rage
and said, Leave the building. No
another days work will you get from me
or from any one else if ! can help it.
But You cannot help it, said Charles
now thoroughly reused. II will expos
all such work to the gaze of the public, sn'
hold those architects up to scOrn Who lent
themselves to deceive the people and pic
the pockets of these wOuld-be carpenters.
:" This man il going TO get us int
trouble, said the architect.
The contractor uttered q terrible oath
and exclaimed, "I'n kill him." He too
up brick and threw it at Charles. 1t hi
him on the head, and he fell like one dead
you've done it now. You've kille
him. Run, run for your life, said the Al
chitect in great excitement.
The men at work on the building hear
the terrible oath Of the contractor, and tn
exclamation, III kill him, and ran TO se
what was the matter. They arrived on tn
spot Just in time to rec him throw tn
brick and Charles fall
As he lay there on the ground insensibls
and the crowd standing round him, MI
Shirley the owner Of the building drove u
in his carriage. He was terrified at seein
him lie there, and supposed that he had "a
len from the scaffold. He was much mos
horror struck when he found that McMul
raw, the contractor, had killed him, for q
thought him dead. Mr.. Shirley descende
from his carriage, felt for the heart I
Charles, and found there was o little lii
left. He inquired where the young ma
lived, but no one there knew. They b
lieved he was stranger, and had no frienC
in the city.
"Take him up and put him In my ca
riage, l viii take him to my house and 3
al that Ia possible for him" said M
Shirley.
Had he not better 90 10 the hospital
asked Mr.. Jordan, who trembled for hiu
self II the facts in the cane should becOu
known.