Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-08-10
unWearied in "WeII-Doinq. D
BY r. E. VERNEDE.

Mr.. Dixon says he'll be down directly.
My!' she added, as she opened the study
door, she have made a messW She
tossed her head at the plumber, disgust
eddy.
| said it was of no consequence, which
as far as | was concerned-lt was not.
Personally, l rather like to watch plumb
ers, and the man who was engaged Ill
maing havoc of Dixon's study rather in
terested me. had never seen a plumber
quite so busy before. He was an honest
looking, red-faced fellow, with brawny
arms and that gift for whistling out of
tune which seems to characterize some
Londoners He had already torn up the
boarding of a great part OF the floor,
which lay about him in splinters; and
some ten feet of wainscoting had been
beaten in as with a sledge hammer, lay
ing bare pipe which mad evidently been
designed to carry water to the bathroom.
1t was on this pipe that the man was
now engaged; and having nothing else to
40 while | waited for Dixon, / watched
him at his work. That consisted to all
appearances of making holes IN the pipe
with a large nail which he hammered
in at intervals of an inch with the ut
most regularity. AS / have said, it was
of no consequence to me, but out of re-
gard for Dixon / thought that to engage
the mar in conversation would perhaps
be doing no harm, all things considered.
You're making a good job of it," |
said, referring to the pipe.
The man looked at me III a gratlfad
way.
Their pipe" he said proudly. 81 though
as twenty 'ud about do it,"
Il should think twenty would" [ re-
piled. rs it Mr.. Dixon's idea to have a
shower bath arranged in this room?"
es, - he,
he wanted a hole as there was in that
pipe mended, he did. But l amt work
ing for Mr.. Dixon. I'm working for
Mr.. Prebbles, an l reckon I've got i'm
a three days job
who is Mr.. Prebbles?" / asked.
"He's the plumber, sir. ain't
heard of me afore!
| confessed that, though / know the
old proverb which says IA plumber in
time brings nine," / had never before
known of the assistant referred to.
What is your business?' I asked.
well, SIR" said the man--ne put down
his tools and seated himself in Dixon's
favorite armchair, across the polished
wood of which he now drew a match
preparatory TO lighting short clay pipe.
WELL sir, | dessay you know as plumb
ers are a independent lot, as don't care
to work for nothing. That's why it
wouldn't beworth Mr. Prebbles' while
what there was Il that there pipe afore
come. What e comes for is job,
and you won't never get a plumber onless
e smells a good job. e sends along a
assistant to git i'm good job, like as
I've been sent ere by Mr.. Prebbles.
Some of 'em comes themselves to git the
job going, but most on 'em keeps assist
ntc hor 1 mn ,oh
like what I've made with that there pipe,
an plumbers, they don't hold with hard
work.
You mean to tell me, them" | said,
as he paused that plumbers employ
men like you simply to create work."
come in to Mr.. Prebbles, and says he,
Theirs a hole in one o my pipes as /
want mended.' Right y'are,' says Preb-
bles. III send up d'reckly. And as soon
at Mr.. Dixon's gone, e tips me the wink
to come up to this here house an make
a job on it. That's what l done. mis-
ter"
You certainly have" I said.
''All except the three last holes" said
the man. getting up from his chair and
tipping the ashes of his pipe on to the
carpet. I'D best finish them off now"
1t was at the very moment that be had
gone down on his hands and knees to
of helpless establishment over his revela-
tions-that Dixon burst into the room,
followed by a short, stout man carrying
a bag of tools Dixon nodded to me,
blanched at the sight of the destruction
which had been wrought III his absence
and hurriedly turned to the short, stout
man.
is that the fellow, Mr.. Prebbles?' he
inquired.
That's 'im,'' said the plumber
'Wright's his name; an Tor, he hey
done it an no mistake
Right y'are, Mr.. Prebbles," said my
friend, the plumbers assistant, beaming
genially upon eacn OF US IN turn. 81
been an got yo, nice job. Right
y'are."
Mr.. Prebhles paid no attention. but
continued in shocked recitative:
"Wright's his name, an / had to sack
i'm more'n a month ago. Took to drink,
that's what e did, an went off is head
imagined as how it was his business to
go gettin' me jobs. Couldn't be mad
der'n that First time I caught him at it
but 'e's been ahanging round my place
since then. an | spose e card your in
structions, Mr. Dixon, an started up ERE
straight to play is little game
That's what | done" said Wright.
affably. "'E tipped me the wink an
up come.
Mr.. Prebbles groaned
Madden March hare he said.
"But it!' said Dixon. irritably,
you ought to have informed the police
that he was a dangerous lunatic. Look
at what the fellows done! How long is
that going to take to repair"
Mr. Prebbles glanced around the room
sympathetically.
.'Three-days' job, sir, I'm afraid 1t
might be four, but not less than three
sir
That's what I told the gentilman."
said my friend, triumphantly, didn't II"
Hold your tonguer' said Dixon
turlously; and he turned to me: "D'you
mind going and getting a policeman?
The fellows off his head. Not his fault,
of course, poor chap! but I wish l
hadn't to suffer by it,
All right I said. I was not at all
sure, then, that the man was mad, and
though [ believe he was sent to an asy-
lum in the end / am not sure of it now
L have seen SO many plumbers assist
ants at work lately: the spring seems TO