The Brandon news., 1906-12-20

By R. E. vERNEDE.
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~ *1*|****%**s
Perhaps you wouldn't mind going
into the study, sir" said the maid
servant, politely, (which it's being
plumbed. But Mr.. Dixon says he'll
be down directly. My!" she added,
as she opened the study door, ''he
have made a mess!" She tossed her
head at the plumber, disgustedly.
l said it was of no consequence,
which-as far as I was concerned
1t was not. Personally, I rather like
TO watch plumbers, and the man who
was engaged in making havoc Of Dix
on's study rather interested me. I
had never seen plumber quite so
busy before. He was an honest-look-
Ing, 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 great part
Of the floor, which lay about him in
splinters; and some ten feet of wains-
coting had been beaten in as with
sledge-hammer, laying bare a pipe
which had 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 do while I waited for Dixon,
! watched him at his work. That
consisted to all appearance of making
holes in the pipe with a large nail
which he hammered in at intervals
Of an inch with the utmost regularity.
AS I have said, it was of no conse-
quence to me, but out of regard for
Dixon, l thought that to engage the
man in conversation would perhaps
be doing no harm, all things consid-
cred.
You're making good job of it,"
[ said, referring to the pipe.
The man looked at me in a graft
led way.
That's the seventeenth hole in
that ther' pipe," he said proudly 81
thought as twenty I'D about do it,
81 should think twenty. would" I
replied. us it Mr.. Dixon's idea to
have a shower bath arranged in this
room?"
''No, SIR" said the man. 'Mr.
Dixon he wanted a hole as there was
In that pipe mended, he did. But /
amt working for Mr. Dixon; I'm
working for Mr.. Prebbles, an I reck-
On I've got i'm three days job"
''Who is Mr.. Prebbles?" 1 asked.
"He's the plumber, sir. / amt a
plumber myself; I'm what they calls
plumbers assistant. P'raps you
amt heard of me afore?''
I confessed that, though I knew
the old proverb which says "a plumb
er in time brings nine," I had never
before known of the assistant re-
ferred to. What is your business?"
I asked
well, SIR said the mamie put
down his tools and seated himself in
Dixon's favorite armchair, across the
polished wood of which he now drew
match preparatory to lighting a
short clay pipe. We'll, sir, I dessay
you know as plumbers are a inde-
pendent lot, as don't care to work for
nothing. That's why it wouldn't be
worth Mr.. Prebbles' while to come
here an solder small hole like what
there was in that there pipe afore /
come. What e comes for is a job,
and you won't never get a plumber
unless e smells a good job. What
does plumber do then? e sends
along a assistant to git i'm a 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 assistants. It's
hard work making a job like what
I've made with that there pipe. an
plumbers, they don't hold with hard
work"
"You mean to tell me, then," /
said, as he paused, that plumbers
employ men like you simply to create
work."
"That's It." he said. ''Mr. Dixon,
he come in to Mr.. Prebbles, an, says
he. Theirs hole In one O. my pipes
as / want mended.' Right y are,a
says Prebbles. I'll send up, d'reckly.
And as soon as Mr.. Dixon's gone, e
tips me the wink to come up to this
here house an make job of it.
gha4'1 what done, mister"
You certainly have" / said.
~AH excep' the last three holes, =
said the man, getting up from his
chair and tipping the ashes of his