The Washington critic., 1888-09-15
SOMETHING or CITY LIFE.
How n Number of Plumbers Formed =
Snclnl pIeMsmrn Ohm

How n humber of Plumbers Formed y
Social Pleasure club
Persons who build houses and have y to
get the plumbing work done cheap by liug
bids from different plumbers long Sur-
missed that this craft were united in )of
free-masonry and that the members of FOR
ganization, though not given to par /ond
banners, understand each other thoi Ighly.
Butt would hardly be expected that .esc sor-
did plumbers would carry their organization
to the extreme Of combining for social pur-
poses But they say that they do and people
point out nice, quiet looking house on q shady
aud cmnently respectable downtown residence
street aud say that It is there tho plumbers
have the fruits OF their extortlons
Tho story is easily believed, and is perhaps
the only explanation of the fact that Wash
ington plumbers don't become millionoires in
a single season.
A few weeks ago woman, tall, handsome,
fat, fair, aud about 40, with decided pre-
dilectiOn for effective lavender-colored cos
tunes, rented the house which we will call
No. Co. for the simple reason that that is not
its number, and furnished IL, not sumptuously,
but comfortably The neighbors noticed that
a well-known plumber seemed to act as her
adviser, even director, in the work; but little
notice was taken of this, as the plumber was
man of universally admitted rectitude. Soon
after tin sign was tackled up beside the door,
which informed passers by, who stopped TO
read its somewhat irregular lettering, that
such aud such kinds OF work would be done
there neatly aud promptly"
But the lavender lady was not long alone In
the occupancy OF No. 90. She was soon Joined
by two younger women, and, though they are
never to be seen outside the house, the neigh
bors say they are much better looking than
the lavender lady. Two young girls also ar
rived at about the same time, girls whom the
neighbors declare cannot have seen over iif-
teen or sixteen summers q piece and these
girls, too, remain in the most rigid secluscn
They have pretty faces, all of them, and their
presence and secluslon added much to the
curiosity that the neighbors felt about No. 60
The curiosity resulted in No. COS being con-
stantly watched. Soon II was noticed that the
plumber was frequent caller. This alone
was unimportant, but few days later a
couple more men called at about 8 o'clock in
the evening. The neighbors coniectured in
vain until "A business man living on the block
recognized them as plumbers The next night
two and later In the same night two more
callers pulled the white china door bell of No.
60. These were also recognized as plumbers.
The neighbors began 10 understand why
plumbers don't get rich faster than they do.
The fact seems to be- according to the same
neighbors, that the plumbers have little Or
ganzation and that they run No. go on the CO.
operative plan. They say, too, that this or
SdulhhltOu uuluo SOIlt Ntly lultlbolluS anu
recherche sessions with drawn blinds and that
the sounds of merriment sometimes continue
to be heard by listening neighbors in the
quiet respectable street long after the people
In No. 90 ought to be asleep.
The plumbers have not as yet given the
name of their organization TO the public, but
IL is understood that 1t is the "Cercle pour
! rlmprovment Mutuel,r or 'Societe de Plum
beurs," or something of that sort. No. go is
quiet though; even the neghbors do not COM
| plain that it is noisy, but they don't like the
air of suppressed wassail that percolates
! through its tightly green shutters. And
one day early this week note, apparently
written left-handed in order to disguise the
writer's handwriting was showed under the
door Of No 60.
Its contents were decidedly unpleasant to
the people of No. go, and the note said many
| things not at all to their liking, so the neigh
! bors say. Among other disagreeable things II
! intimated that the owner of No. 90 would be
| told Of the plumbers recherche evenings there
unless they staid way. But No. 90 remains
| unchanged.