The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1898-02-19
A FABLE.

/
ton that the people made him a
Judge, and they brought their suits
to him to decide. His decisions we're
ever just, and the people said:
"Great is Aloud Ell Bishen; he is
never wrong"
One day a stranger came to the
office Of this good man and said:
"A man owes me a just debt and
will not pay"
"Does he give reason?'
''He gives a dozen of them. He
says my bill against him is blasted
swindle and a fraud.'
'"Then you have asked him for the
ducats?'
II have, and he says he'll knock
my head off if [ ask him again!"
Then the good judge was puzzled.
He chewed at the end of a Scent pen
holder for a long time and finally
| asked:
"Did you furnish this man food
for his camels or robe for himself
that he is your debtor?"
"Not by a jugfull. The bill is for a
job of plumbing!''
Then the meek and pensive smile
which had covered the face of Aloud
Ell Bishen faded away like boy slid
ing over milldam, and in it's place
came an expression of malignant
evil.
Then you are a plumber?" he ask
ed the man in voice as cruel as
cross-cut saw. .-.
IL 9th plumb" answered the man.
Then the wise judge chewed up the
rest of the penholder, dug his heels
into the floor, and in low shrill
whisper he inquired:
''Did you ever know a plumber to
geta job done within IA weeks of the
promised time?'
'No, sir I neved did!' promptly re-
piled the plumber: "but let me ex-
plain. Now, suppose you want a
small job done at the house-a little
soldering, faucet put in, or some
thing or that kind. You leave your
order and say day after tomorrow.
I send the oldest apprentice to your
house and when he gets there he sits
down and takes look at it. Then
he squints his eyes and looks at it.
Then he figures how much the house
cost, wonders if there is mortgage
on it, sits down and talks with the
hireds girl for couple of hours and
comes hack and reports. Day after
tomorrow comes, and can't send
man up there because they are finish
ing anotherjob which ought to have
been done a month before.
"Something happens the next day
and the next, and it's two weeks be-
fore l can send a man."
Cor perhaps two months put in
the wise judge.
swell, split the difference and call
it six weeks,'' replied the plumber.
81 send two of the boys up They
walk around the job, go down cellar
and up stairs, sit down and figure on
the cost of the front steps and go
home to dinner. When they return
they take another look at the Job,
and Thomas comes to the shop after
some solder. He gets it; and then
Henry comes after his tobacco box,
and then Thomas comes and wants to
know if it's gas-pipe or water-pipe.
They knock off then for the day, and
about noon the next day they get
around there and dig hole in the
pipe to put in the faucet. The next
day they get the faucet in; and some
time during the week that job is
nicely finished
"And you charge 500 for it!' ex-
claimed the enraged judge.
Gust, about that figure. 0 wise
Judge! But it isn't my, fault. The
oldest apprentice says that he had
to take out $50 feet of the pipe, the
youngest apprentice says that he
had to put in 200 feet, and between
| them they mixed me up, and 1 have
to average it.. It isn't us plumbers
it's these apprentices who are to
| blame. .g...
But don't you know they are ~
ing to your
q sometimes suspect them. but
how it would look for me to say un-
to. Thomas, Thomas, Thou art a
liarY How that boy would teel!''
Don't people ever stop at your
shop and call you a liar and cor
| = 4 r q Is