Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-11-16
JOHNS SECOND FIDDLE.

lie was made out of a modest
amount Of material and had a Curl
Gus look about his face that made
one think his builder had been call
ed to some more interesting occupa-
ton and had forgotten to'come back
and finish the job. The big mouth
seemed crooked, and when he laugh
ed. which was often. funny little ra-
vines and gullies would spread out
from tht sides of the yawning cayi-
Is AN over the area of Tommy Johns
Jouutenpnce. 1t pleased the chill
drgn, so Tommy developed his laugh
until it threatened TO become some
thing fearful
Quite naturally and without the
slightest intention Of doing violence
tp justice, the people of Flambeau
Logan using Tommy as a hitching
post. n subscription was to be
raised for charity or public enter
u.iao the promoters would unani-
mulsly elect Tommy to carry 1t
around town, because TOmmy's time
was not important and theirs was.
When the money was raised Tommy
would take his proper place in the
back yard and the promoters would
suddenly appear in the limclight to
the plaudits OF an admir/s citizen
ship.
On occasion Of big events Tommy
would he chosen without opposition
lo boss the erection and decoration
uI the spoagEer's stand. to arrange
the seats ANA to decker with the
iDcman. when the great day came
= am illustrious fellow citizen would
act as Chairman and master of ccre-
monies. II wasn't so disastrous to
mans time and business to be
Chairman as II was to build plat
forms and such things. And Tom
my didn't care for glory anyway,
Judging from his mug.
Even Tummys little brown-eyed
wife fell into the general habit oI
REGARDING her husband merely as 4
newer Of wood and drawer OF wa.
ter. She loved the very ground he
walked on, but took II us the law
Of Providence that he should never
amount to anything. Oftentimes she
would talk To him about Ralph har'
ris,. the young lawyer, who was eN'
citing q great deal Of local admlra'
ton by his clever speeches In court
ana James CUTLER, their next d.
nplghbur. who had written "pleces
for the home paper and had actual
been In print in one or two mag
zines. She would not refer to the .,
men in the way OF disparaging hel
mediocre husband, but merely as {
subject Of town news. Now an'
then CUTLER would come over aA'
rruciuusly loan his ueighbOrs a ma
gaalue or paper which contuinet
something OF his, and Mrs. John
would read the stories aiOud to he
husband, with many parenthetica
expire siUus Of admiration. And Tom
my. with chair popped against tn
porch aud pipe In his homely mouth
would say 1t was even so. lie wa
rot Jealous, because he knew hi!
place and had sense enough neve
20 go into the upper room lest h
De invited to make space for NOR
honorable guest
One day when CUTLER called he in
formed Tommy and his wife tina
he was working on book, by whic
he hoped to capture $4,000 priz
offered by the Moon Beam Publish
ing House of New York, and he OF
Icred to show them parts of the stor
rs It came from his pen.
Little Mrs. Johns beamcG with d
light, and told CUTLER she was con
ndont, If he put in his best ticks, h
would certainly win. She even vOlur
tcered Tommy's aid to typewrite hi
manuscript, an offer which QuilleI
for reasons Of economy, accepted o
the spot. and Tommy didn't say n
he was glad even in so humble
way to assist his brilliant ncigi
Dor.
Tommy had an office downtown
the furniture of which consisted {
table desk, typewriter and thrC
chairs. He was a lawyer--in Il mil
way-a collector and insuranC
agent. His father had left him
few dollars, but the people said /
was living off his wife's estate, an
Mrs. Johns didn't deny.
Mrs. Johns was one OF those res
less little bodies who continual
saw great things at distance, bl
was absolutely blind to any jewe
close about, II you would put her
London she would talk only of Il
glory 81 New York. If Proyiden,
located her in New York she wou
be miserable because denied the pr
,ieges she might have in London.