The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-07-08

SU N LA ADV II
his teeth We're set and his eyes haC
the look of man who is searching TO
his enemy The Mayor had put him of
with the transparent subterfuge tina
Mrs. O'Brien was over eighty years
old. and that a somewhat younger
woman might be more satisfactory il
carrying pals and in scrubbing floors
Il hate a knocker," said Kelly thai
night over Larry's bar. And I'll fin6
that fellow who's been knocking me il
/ j; takes me a thousand years. If 6
man can go into politics and get some
favors for himself I amt got no kicB
coming, en-? Amt that right? But
wher q fellow don't want anything fol-
! himself, but just goes around and
knocks another fellow and keeps him
from getting what he wants, I amt
got no time for him. That's what, amt
| it? That's good sense. 1 bet it's one
of them fellows from the Citizens Sixth
Ward Neighborhood Improvement AS
ISOLATION. Ever see such a bunch OF
knockers? Never around except when
they've got a kick! Did they do any
thing for the Mayor when he was run
ming? Not on your life, But just lis
ten to the roar they make about the
streets! And did you see the street.
cleaning expert they've got from Bos-
ton? Looks like one of these British
officers you used to see the pictures of
in the Boer War. I put up my money
for the Mayor when he was elected.
That's what l did. I didn't see any of
them Improvement fellows around
then. All that they want is to have
the city work for them without them
doing anything for the man that's got
to be elected to run the city. Cheap
trick, amt it? If any of them's been
knocking me, I'll show him up to the
Mayor till he's good and SICK
Six months passed while Kelly was
searching for his concealed foes. It
was time of great mystery and the
days were long. Every morning Kelly
came down to the City Hall and re-
sumed his labor of exploration. Every
evening he took the car for home with
his antagonists still undiscovered.
The Mayor was reticent. All that he
would say was that as far as janitres-
ses were concerned he could get young
er and stronger women for the same
wages.
But Mrs. O'Brien needs the job"
said Kelly. "She amt got enough to
eat
For once the Mayors clear course of
duty looked dubious to him. He frown-
ed and hesitated. But then, "I can't
help it, he said. Eve got to get the
most I can out of the city's money"
The Water Commissioner was as ret
icent as the Mayor. Every day Kelly
dropped in to chat with the custodian
of the hydrant-keys. And every day
he lounged by the Water Commission
er's desk. But there was no response.
The keys were all labeled, ticketed,
and archaeological. They
no longer lay about loose on the tops
of the desks. They no longer protruded
promiscuously from the pockets of
friendly clerks.
I've got nothing against you, Kelly"
said the Water Commissioner. But
everybody else is paying for their keys
and for their water. You can't expect
me to make an exception for you
Kelly was more chagrined and more
bewildered than ever as he dropped
heavily into a seat on a homeward-
bound car that evening. He was very
tired. His sprinkling business had been
rapidly dropping away from him. He
was obliged now to pay hundred dol
lars month for his water, and he had
also been compelled to make a pay
ment of fifty dollars for one of the new
breed of ticketed and archaeological
hydrant-keys. He longed for the old,
beatific, phantom kind of key which
just grew out of the atmosphere with
out any preliminary financial ceren1o-
MES. Under the new system he hadn't
been able to meet the competition of the
other sprinkling firms. He had done
his best. He had frequented the City
Hall from morning to night He had
walked himself sick searching for the
nscrutable influence which had poison
ed the mind of the administration
against him. His efforts had been vain.
He felt beaten. But just then the car
swung roung the corner and the famil-
lar sight of Larry's saloon and of his
faithful admirers standing in the door
way filed him with renewed confidence. !
''Pll find them yet" said Kelly to
himself as he dropped off the car.
Have drink, hoys,'' he continued,
happily through the crowd into
the saloon and jingling two quarters to-
gether in his pocket.
Larry with an automatic impulse
from days gone by, looked at him ex-
pecting him to draw out a roll of bills
and hold them in his hands. He failed
to do so. Larry came back to date
with jerk.
THE drinks are on me- he said
brusquely.
mo, they're not" said Kelly.
Sure they are" said Larry. "What'n |
you have gentlemen"
Kelly looked at him sharply and got
very red.
I'm going to buy" said Kelly with |
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