The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-16
TWO YALE MEN In UTOPIA.
ExPE RIENCES or THE COJAN-
ITORS OF HELICON HALL.


sinclair Lewis and Allan Updesrsn TELL
How They Performed Manual Labor
n Cultivated the Intellect Nc Upton
sincIsIr's Colony Up On tho Palisades.
Saturday. November s.-As Cesar once
nearly remarked, I've come, seen and boon
conquered.
Helicou Hall, near the summit Of the
Palisades, In Englewood, Nj. as ths pros
peotus puts it, Ia q great old establishment.
In spite OF the bedsprings in the main hall
and the remains OF packing boxes In the
wooded court, which, l understand, is called
the patio; in spite Of the fact hat I'm TO
be an ordinary ~janitor, whereas l have
always yearned to be something more
elevated, I've promised to join the colony.
The author OF The Jungle" did it. For
three solid hours / sat in his Office while
language flowed from him in a scintillating
stream. II took him thus long to explain
hat my duty was 90 be firing a furnace.
But after he had told how the cook was a
Cornell NJ. A., the laundress a well known
assistant muckraker, the scuLion a Ten
nessee lawyer and Poe critic, tho other
janitor Q wealthy Providence wholesaler,
il made my objections to ianiting seem
weak and unnatural.
Il lave always wanted to work with my
hands, declared the Jungle man. display
ing a large blister on his thumb. SEQ
that7 l got that ~chopping down a tree
this morning..
Then he took me down to see the swim
ming pool, which he cheerfully charac-
terixed as bully A Jolly bowling alley
also shook my orthodox notions Of the man
Who had baited the meat trust and written
the poetic soul writings of Arthur Stirling.
Also I saw the engine with its bewildering
array OF valves and things, all Of which, l
understand. minister TO the general purpose
Of keeping tne house warm, provided they
are manipulated in the proper manner.
During our tour al inspection Mr.. Sinclair
kept up a running fire Of conversation in
explanation OF his plans. He had put up
most OF the money necessary to secure an
option on the house, he said, 80 firm was
his faith in his project. He expected TO
do away with regular servants altogether;
the work was to be done wholly by socially
possible" people, who would earn enough
to support themselves by a working day OF
six or seven hours and devote their leisure
time to science, philosophy. art and lit
erature.
Budding young geniuses, in which class
l was placed, we're especially to receive
encouragement Here they will have quiet
and q congenial atmosphere. I am en-
thusiastic about the plan.
But one small cloud, not even Of the pro-
verbal mans hand bigness, mars the pros
poet. Upon my introduction 20 the house.
keeper, who will be IN loco Sineldiris as far
as the actual running Of the establishment
10 concerned, she looked at me critically,
Imay almost say p~iercingly. and asked;
Does he know that he will have to do
yes, oh yes Interrupted Mr.. Sinclair,
az l was just about to ask for further in
formation.
And window washing?" pursued the
h~ousekeeper mercilessly.
-Oh, yes repeated Mr.. Sinclair, wriggling
still further down into his chair-he is &C.
Costomed to sit, in a truly remarkable
manner upon the nape of his neck.
am glad that Mr.. Sinclair answered these
questions for me; they gave me a sort of
shock, and I might not have been able TO
answer them 10 readily.
However. l suppose even Elysium must
nave a reverse side; and from the formidable
appearance OF the furnace, l think it will
require most Of my time.
MO0Q1Y, NOVBDlDcT ID No DCch NCly
much on the job all day. I expected to work
only seven hours q day, which is TO give
me an income OF SIS q month, with ex-
psnses for board and room Of about ga,
but until things get settled I'll probably
have to work nearer seventeen.
My principal employment has been the
carrying Of countless bed springs iron bed
rteads and mattresses from their purely
l-z~.~s-> uzoSSt~. 4. thA rno;n Nall &c Nhn
various living rooms on the second floor,
where they MAJ be useful as well a. orna-
mental. This days work has given me an
insight into the true nature of bed springs
which l probably would never have acquired
otherwise.
/ have always considered a bed spring
q comfortable, unofending thing; but
when I consider nov they came back o n
me time and again when I thought I had
them fairly poised on the next step; how
they mashed my fingers and generally
filed me with rage, dust and bad language
how 1 pity poor old Sisyphusi He is the
true prototype of all who carry bed springs
upstairs. 1t Is an ancient, but not honor
able occupation.
Along toward noon Mr.. Sinclair went to
the cellar and got his axe. It 10 a new one,
with q shiny blade and the back Of the same
Is painted a bright vermihon. IL must be q
pleasure 10 chop down trees with such an
axe as that.
While / was moiling over my bed springs
I thought Of Mr.. Sinclair bravely attacking
eome forest giant, and almost was ready
TO swear that the serpent Of class had in
vaded % soon this latest Utopia. How
ever. after supper a young college in
structor invited me to his room and there
produced q bottle Of golden B~enedictine,
with many good cigarettes in a walnut
humidor. After all, there are many good
things In life.
Wednesday, November This morning
the housekeeper casually asked me whether
I was accustomed to the use OF tools; there
was . set Of shelves to be made fer the
kite hen, she said. The thought Of more
bed springs exaggerated my real ability
scarcely 70 distinguish between saw and
hammer and their uses into quite respect
able craftsmanship, and 80 I was started
At the shelves.
After several trials I was able to saw a
twelve inch board very nearly straight
across. and In the oourse OF the afternoon
I produced 4 set OF shelves which really